Phillip Stewart, owner of S&Z Grocery in Athens, Alabama made an announcement on Facebook. “I may lose customers over this,” he said. He went on to explain that he had noticed his latest shipment of Pepsi products featured the NFL emblem.
“I won’t bow down,” he said. “Not as long as athletes are allowed to bow down and disrespect the flag and the country that I love.” His post back in October of 2018 drew nearly two thousand comments with most of Stewart’s friends and customers in support of his decision.
Stewart seems to fall in the latter category, stating, “I just don’t agree with the tactic,” though he did acknowledge that Kaepernick’s had brought awareness and that some good may come of it. He then went on to say that he will continue to sell Pepsi products, just not any products with the NFL emblem on the label. Comments on the post were split.
W. Faye Ingram wrote, “How did taking a knee [to] the of innocent people disrespect the flag? The flag is a symbol of bravery and the protection of this country and [its] citizens. I’m from Athens, but there’s no chance of you losing me as a customer, because I’ve never heard of your little grocery store. Wish you the best, because everyone in this country has a right to whatever they don’t like about this country.” Meanwhile, a Mr. Jason Stewart said, “This man does donate to multiple things. Sponsor Christmas for underprivileged families. Loses money [nonstop] allowing people to charge knowing he may never get it back. Always has been a giver, and the NFL has never given a dime to anything.”
