American Legion Hall Won't Show Lions V. Rams Game Amid National Anthem Protests; 'We See It As A Disgrace'
BERKLEY, Mich. (WWJ) - Veterans at an Oakland County American Legion hall are taking a stand against NFL players who take a knee in protest during the national anthem.
American Legion Post 374 Commander Tom Bustance says they won't show games involving those teams on TV at the hall, on 12 Mile Road in Berkley, for the rest of the season.
That means they won't be broadcasting the Detroit Lions game this weekend as they play the Los Angeles Rams – one of six teams on which players have refused to stand for the anthem.
"I'm not doing it against the Lions, because I'm a Lions fan, as bad as they have been," Bustance told WWJ's Zahra Huber. "I'm a loyalist to the Lions — but I'm a loyalist to my country first as is my whole exec board which is made up of all veterans with honorable discharges."
That board, Bustance explained, recently passed a resolution.
"We're a veterans organization; each us has served our country; and we're proud of our country, our constitution and our flag," he said. "We see it as a disgrace that these pro athletes making all this money won't stand for the national anthem."
Bustance said he know this means they will lose business as some regular patrons will go elsewhere to watch the game.
"But then you gotta take a look at what's more important to you: Is it money? Or is it God, country and the U.S. flag and the national anthem? And that's more important to us."
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started a trend back in August, telling NFL.com he is "not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."
National outrage followed Kaepernick's actions, but the NFL issued a statement saying that players are not required to stand.