|
|||
Late Breaking News |
|||
| Date: July 21, 1998 7:58 pm Contact: Human Rights Campaign |
|||
Latest News Releases
|
President & CEO Of Green bay Packers Apologizes For Reggie White's Use Of Team Uniform In Anti-Gay Campaign; Anti-gay Ad Campaign Features Reggie White In Uniform Today Despite NFL's Admonition | ||
| WASHINGTON - July 21 - In a letter to HRC executive director Elizabeth
Birch, Green Bay Packers president and CEO Robert E. Harlan apologized today for their
star football player and anti-gay activist Reggie White's "inappropriate" use of
the teams uniform in an ad campaign orchestrated by Right Wing political lobbying groups.
Today's action is welcomed as a signal that the National Football League and the
Green Bay Packers have not endorsed White's anti-gay rhetoric, asserts the Human Rights
Campaign. "We are pleased that the Green bay Packers organization has indicated that they will not tolerate Reggie White intentionally using the prestige of the team or the NFL to legitimize discrimination against gay Americans. I am sure that there are many gay and lesbian Green Bay Packers fans, as well the majority of fair minded Packers fans, who are relieved that the team is not officially sanctioning White's ill-informed rhetoric," said Birch. "The use of the Packers uniform in this case -- as Greg Aiello, the National Football League's vice president of public relations acknowledged in a recent public statement -- was not approved and was an inappropriate use of the uniform. And we obviously concur in that view. As an organization, we regret the misuse of our uniform in the advertisement. Please accept our apology," said Harlan in his letter. By appearing in his Green Bay Packer uniform in a full page anti-gay ad in the Washington Times today, White has again violated NFL rules which prohibit players from using official league property, such as a uniform, to push a personal political agenda. With today's ad, Reggie White and his Right Wing political sponsors broke their promise to the NFL and Green Bay Packers that White would no longer appear in uniform in future ads. In response to White's misuse of the NFL logo, Elizabeth Birch wrote a letter to Green Bay Packer President and CEO Robert E. Harlan asking him to clarify the team's stance on this issue. Harlan's letter today was in response to Birch's letter. "Reggie White has the right to state his beliefs in these ads or any other forum. No one has questioned his right, certainly not the Human Rights Campaign. However, this is America and we also have the right to exercise free speech and to question the accuracy and political motives behind this ad campaign," said HRC communications director and senior strategist David M. Smith. The Human Rights Campaign, the largest national lesbian and gay political organization, with members throughout the country, effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support, and educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest, and safe at home, at work, and in the community. -- 30 -- |
|||
