NFL teams were paid to "salute our troops"
It's a familiar scene to most Americans. The poignant moment when a
soldier is honored for his or her service before a cheering crowd during
halftime of an NFL game. It turns out, however, that at least some of these patriotic displays are not what they seem.
A New Jersey-based website, NJ.com, has a detailed report
that reveals the Department of Defense is paying millions of dollars to
many NFL teams in what are essentially paid promotions to honor
America's heroes...
This does not mean, of course, that all halftime events featuring
troops or veterans are paid promotions. However, the fact that many are
could undermine such efforts and "leaves a bad taste in your mouth" one
lawmaker said.
"Those of us go to sporting events and see them honoring the heroes,"
said Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake in an interview with NJ.com. "You get a
good feeling in your heart. Then to find out they're doing it because
they're compensated for it, it leaves you underwhelmed. It seems a
little unseemly."
It's hardly a secret that the NFL is one of the leading recruitment
vehicles for the U.S. military. The problem, Flake implies, is that
these events are portrayed as genuine moments of gratitude expressed to
America's servicemen, not advertisements.
More at
Scout and
NJ.com, with a discussion at
Reddit.
That's disgusting.
ReplyDeleteSoldiers unknowingly "honored" with fake salutes after risking their lives in wars fought under false pretenses.
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