Veterans and friends gathering to watch football has long been a tradition at American Legion Post 50 in Cleburne, Texas.

However, some will need to look elsewhere to watch their favorite teams.

The post recently made the decision not to televise games involving the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams.

“I expect this list to grow,” Post Commander Jeff Hill said. “We at Post 50 will not allow the disrespect of our country, its flag or its national anthem to be disrespected within our halls.”

The choice follows the decision by players on those teams to sit or kneel instead of standing during the pre-game performance of the national anthem.

49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick began the practice in preseason, igniting a media firestorm, something players on other NFL teams, as well as college and high school teams, have since adopted.

Kaepernick told Sbnation.com that his refusal to stand is a silent protest against police brutality and the oppression of people of color.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said via NFL.com. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.”

Hill said that he’s informed area and state legion officials of Post 50’s policy but is unaware if any other posts in Texas or other states have adopted similar policies.

“Just to be clear,” Hill said, “I’m all for them exercising their rights to protest. I support that right and it doesn’t matter whether I agree with them or not. Our issue is the timing of doing it during the national anthem. I heard that a New England Patriots player did a protest, but he did it after they played the anthem, which is why the Patriots are not on the list of teams we won’t be televising.”

Hill said he thought up the idea of banning certain teams from the post’s TV.

“I bounced it off our executive directors,” Hill said. “They all agreed it was a good idea and we went with it.”

A notice of the banned teams was shared on Post 50’s front door and Facebook page on Sunday.

“I didn’t think this would go as crazy as it has,” Hill said of reaction to the post. “Our Facebook page is usually only read by our members and our normal posts don’t get all that much reaction outside of members. Sometimes maybe, maybe we’ll get 200 people reading.”

The teams in question will be removed from the list, Hill said, once the players in question begin standing for the anthem or the team ownership addresses the proper etiquette for players to display during the national anthem.

Hill recalled reaction to Post 50’s policy overwhelmingly supportive.

“Some bad comments on Facebook but most are good,” Hill said. “I’ve had a few members up at the post mad at me, but just over not being able to watch their favorite teams, not so much the issue of the national anthem.” 

Members at the post on Tuesday morning voiced support for the policy.

“Everyone who was here watching games on Sunday was all for it,” American Legion Auxiliary Unit 50 Member Susie Valdez said. “We didn’t hear any negativity about it and everyone was backing the decision 100 percent.”

ALA Member Marty Peters shared similar views.

“No question these athletes have the right to express their views,” Peters said. “They have that right because our veterans fought to secure it for them. Our veterans fought and in many cases died under that flag for their right to choose and I’m saddened by the choices of some of these celebrities especially since many of our young people celebrate them as heroes and will be led by their examples.

“They have their rights, but we have our right not to support their views and I applaud the post for choosing to make a stand and sacrifice revenues because they so firmly believe in Americanism, the flag and the national anthem.

Smith writes for the Cleburne, Texas Times Review.