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Not standing down: Some local VFW posts will not show Super Bowl

YORK COUNTY, Pa. – Some local VFW posts are continuing their protest of the NFL by refusing to show games at their assembly halls. As millions of American...

YORK COUNTY, Pa. - Some local VFW posts are continuing their protest of the NFL by refusing to show games at their assembly halls.

As millions of Americans are gearing up for Super Bowl LII, one place you won't find the big game is VFW Post 8951 in West York.

"The importance is what we fought for, to give them the rights and the freedoms that they have in the United States of America, and that's what it boils down to," said Richard Olbitt, senior Commander of VFW Post 8951.

The NFL’s stance on players protesting the National Anthem by taking a knee or raising a fist prompted the post's board of directors and membership to vote to stop showing NFL games at their assembly hall.

"They all love football, it's a given, but if they don't want to change what they're doing, the right way, we're going to stand pat to what we are," said Robert Shank, the post's board chairman.

Causing further offense to these veterans is the NFL’s rejection of a print ad by the veterans group AMVETS in the official Super Bowl program urging people to ‘Please Stand.’

The NFL says it approved a similar ad by the national VFW with the tagline ‘We Stand For Veterans.’

"It's just another stab in the heart of the reality of the situation," said Tom Strausbaugh, post adjutant. "They're politicizing an issue and the answers they're coming up with don't carry any weight."

The VFW post says it will take wholesale changes by the NFL before games will be shown on their screens again.

"What I feel would need to change is the NFL players, all NFL players to come on the TV in front of a microphone and give a steadfast apology for disrespecting the flag and the National Anthem," Olbitt said.

The VFW post in Lititz, Lancaster County is also refusing to show the game. Other VFW posts in the area told FOX43 Thursday they either plan to show the game or are already closed by the time the game kicks off.

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