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The Fire Rises 2023
Alabama prep football announcer: You should be shot for not standing for national anthem
4.2kshares
518 Comments
Erin Edgemon | eedgemon@al.com
The announcer of the Friday night football game at McKenzie High School in Alabama's Butler County had something to say to those who may choose not to stand for the national anthem.
"If you don't want to stand for the national anthem, you can line up over there by the fence and let our military personnel take a few shots at you since they're taking shots for you," the announcer said at the game versus Houston County High School, according to Facebook poster Denise Crowley-Whitfield.
Crowley-Whitfield said the crowd went "crazy cheering" following the speech.
The announcer was identified as Pastor Allen Joyner, of Sweet Home Baptist Church in McKenzie, according to Joyner's relatives and friends, who also posted to Facebook and praised the statement.
Crowley-Whitfield's post was shared more than 4,700 times and received more than 50 comments, all positive, before she deleted her Facebook account on Saturday afternoon.
Butler County Schools Superintendent Amy Bryan denounced Joyner's comments in a statement to AL.com.
"Patriotism should be a part of school events but threats of shooting people who aren't patriotic, even in jest, have no place at a school," she wrote in an email. "Threats of violence are a violation of school policy and certainly not condoned by the school board."
Bryan said she didn't know if any actions will be taken against Joyner. The school board meets next week, and the matter could be addressed then.
4.2kshares
518 Comments
Erin Edgemon | eedgemon@al.com
The announcer of the Friday night football game at McKenzie High School in Alabama's Butler County had something to say to those who may choose not to stand for the national anthem.
"If you don't want to stand for the national anthem, you can line up over there by the fence and let our military personnel take a few shots at you since they're taking shots for you," the announcer said at the game versus Houston County High School, according to Facebook poster Denise Crowley-Whitfield.
Crowley-Whitfield said the crowd went "crazy cheering" following the speech.
The announcer was identified as Pastor Allen Joyner, of Sweet Home Baptist Church in McKenzie, according to Joyner's relatives and friends, who also posted to Facebook and praised the statement.
Crowley-Whitfield's post was shared more than 4,700 times and received more than 50 comments, all positive, before she deleted her Facebook account on Saturday afternoon.
Butler County Schools Superintendent Amy Bryan denounced Joyner's comments in a statement to AL.com.
"Patriotism should be a part of school events but threats of shooting people who aren't patriotic, even in jest, have no place at a school," she wrote in an email. "Threats of violence are a violation of school policy and certainly not condoned by the school board."
Bryan said she didn't know if any actions will be taken against Joyner. The school board meets next week, and the matter could be addressed then.
