Iranian American deli owner Iraj Rafeli has had about enough of NFL kneelers.
Rafeli, who owns Ira’s Deli in Portland, Oregon’s low-income Cully neighborhood, emigrated to the United States from Iran in 1980 during the Islamic revolution. In the time since, he’s pledged allegiance to the United States and served in the military as a translator during the first Gulf war, Williamette Week reports.
The NFL protests during the National Anthem disrespect the country he now calls home, he said.
“It’s not the principle,” Rafeli said. “I’m not a politician, I am a veteran. I fought for our country, I deeply believe in our flag, in the national anthem. It’s a matter of respect. I’m an American.”
Rafeli’s disgust of the NFL protests convinced him to tune out the games, though he received a flood of hate on the restaurant review app Yelp! and hostile calls to his business after announcing the change. – READ MORE
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