Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Lehigh to stop showing NFL games

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LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. Veterans of Foreign Wars post 4174 will no longer be showing the National Football League games until something changes.

The VFW post on 25 Homestead Road South voted unanimously to stop showing the NFL games in protest of football players taking a kneel during the national anthem.

“We respect that they want to protest what’s going on with black lives matter and that’s absolutely correct, but that’s not the venue to do this in,” VFW post member Scoop Tourjee said.

MORE: President’s criticisms spark more protests at NFL games

Colin Kapernick, who played for the San Francisco 49ers until earlier this year, started the initiative to protest police brutality against unarmed black men.

But some feel the purpose has shifted.

“Everybody needs equal rights. Nobody needs to be shot, nobody needs to be hurt, but we need Americans to be Americans, but don’t desecrate the American flag or the national anthem,” VFW post trustee Rocky Albert said.

MORE: VP Pence leaves football game after players kneel during anthem

Some veterans believe not standing up for the national anthem is insulting to the military and patriotism.

“I wish they had been in Vietnam and Korea and World War II…they might change their attitude,” Tourjee said.

VFW post 4714 hopes that other veterans will join in on their protest and the NFL will take notice too.

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