Lousiana Cops Boycott Ford Over Support For Kneeling NFL Players

In a perfectly ironic twist, just days after Jamele Hill urged Americans to protest Jerry Jones decision to make his players stand by ‘hitting him in the wallet’ and boycotting his sponsors, a Louisiana sheriff’s office that is boycotting Ford over the automaker’s decision to support NFL players’ right to peacefully protest during the national anthem.

As a reminder, earlier in the week NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell flip-flopped from his original anti-Trump stance, issuing a statement that:

“We believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem…  We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues.”

But Ford – ever ready to signal its virtue loud and proud – issued a statement that it:

Ford “respects individuals’ rights to express their views, even if they are not ones we share. That’s part of what makes America great.”

That weasly statement appears to have been the last straw for Sheriff Julian Whittington of the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office said in a letter to the its dealership, Hixson Ford of Alexandria, that it would no longer buy the company’s police vehicles.

As AutoNews.com reports, Whittington wrote…

“Ford has been a part of American history, and has stood for American values.”

“However, the recent events surrounding the NFL, its players and their audacity to thumb their collective noses at the American Flag, the American military as well as their obvious disdain for the profession of law enforcement in general; forces me to take a stand.“

Whittington said the sheriff’s office would not do business with Ford “as long as Ford sides with these who have no regard for the men and women who protect and serve this great nation.”

The sheriff’s office has roughly 300 vehicles in its fleet, including personal watercraft and a riot tank, according to a spokesman.

“It is my hope that this letter will cause you to encourage Ford Motor Co. to change their advertising choice and cease to support the NFL with advertising dollars until the NFL leadership demands its players show proper respect for our nation’s colors,” Whittington wrote.

It’s unclear whether other Ford dealers had lost business because of boycotts. A Ford spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Whittington, in his letter, also encouraged other agencies to take a similar stand against Ford.

“We can no longer stand idly by and allow the fabric of this country to be dismantled,” he wrote.

The question is – is this a win for Trump (patriotism) or a loss (manufacturing jobs)?