PATRIOTISM IS PUNISHED, DISREESPECT FOR FLAG AND COUNTRY IS HONORED

Papa John’s founder is forced to step down as CEO for criticizing Roger Goodell in his failure to stop the NFL player protests during the National Anthem

By Howie Katz

Big Jolly Times
December 22, 2017

John Schnatter, founder of Papa John’s Pizza, is a patriotic American who is being punished for his patriotism. He dared to criticize the disrespect shown our flag and country by NFL players.

On November 1, 2017, Schnatter made a conference call to Papa John’s shareholders in which he blamed the NFL player protests during the National Anthem for sagging pizza sales and falling Papa John’s stock prices. He blamed NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for letting the protests get out of hand. Here, in part, is what Schnatter said:

“The NFL has hurt us by not resolving the current debacle to the players’ and owners’ satisfaction. NFL leadership has hurt Papa John’s shareholders. Leadership starts at the top, and this is an example of poor leadership. This should have been nipped in the bud a year and a half ago.”

There was an immediate backlash on social media as Schnatter’s remarks became public. The company was accused of being racist. That forced Papa John’s to issue an apology.

Schnatter said he is stepping down as CEO effective January 1. He will remain as chairman of the board. There is little doubt that Schnatter was forced to step down as CEO.

After he slammed Goodell and the NFL player protests, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called Schnatter a “great American.” But because the protesting NFL players are black, the Papa John’s founder and his company were battered on social media with accusations of racism.

On the other hand, Colin Kaepernick, who started the NFL player protests at the beginning of last season, has been honored with a number of awards. He was named “Citizen of the Year” by GQ Magazine. Sports Illustrated honored Kaepernick with the Muhammad Ali Legacy Award during which police-hater Beyoncé thanked him for his “personal sacrifice.” The ACLU of Southern California honored him with the Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate Award. And Time had Kaepernivk on the short list for “Person of the Year.”

The only award Kaepernick should have received is “Ungrateful Bastard of the Decade.”

What in the world are we coming to when patriotism is punished and disrespect for flag and country is honored?

This is not the America I came to in 1936 from Germany. This is not the America of 1941 when hundreds of thousands volunteered to fight the Nazis and the Japs. This is more like the America of the Viet Nam War era when thousands fled the country to escape being drafted and when soldiers were spit at and called baby killers.

What a shame that my beloved country has sunk to such a low.