S&Z Grocery, a store located in Athens, Alabama, offers a diverse range of products for sale.
However, back in October 2018, the store owner, Phillip Stewart, refused to sell 20-ounce bottles of Pepsi and Diet Pepsi. The reason behind this decision was a promotional label featuring a logo he didn’t agree with – the NFL logo.
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Stewart expressed his disagreement with the NFL by telling WAFF, “I don’t want to support them in any way, because I feel like it’s just wrong.” He believed that selling products with the NFL logo on them would mean supporting the organization, something he couldn’t do in good conscience.
Phillip Stewart announced in a Facebook post that he removed the products from his store and wouldn’t sell them due to his disagreement with some NFL athletes’ actions. These athletes showed their protest by kneeling during the national anthem, which he felt was disrespectful to the flag.
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The players began taking a knee during the national anthem in 2016 to protest against police brutality and the mistreatment of people of color. Although Stewart acknowledged the purpose behind the players’ protest in a conversation with WHNT, he believed that there were alternative methods to address the issue.
Stewart stated that while he recognized the attention brought to the issue, he didn’t agree with the approach taken by the athletes. He confirmed that his store would continue to sell Pepsi products, but not those featuring the NFL logo. According to his distributor, the logo would appear on the bottles until the Superbowl.
Many people supported Stewart’s decision to discontinue selling Pepsi products with the NFL logo, commending him for standing up for his beliefs. However, some individuals remained indifferent or considered his actions trivial. This story highlights the importance of standing up for one’s beliefs, even when they may not be the popular opinion.
