Though it may seem like it to many Americans, not all NFL players are national anthem-kneeling America haters who are offended by the flag.
Many, in fact, are very patriotic, while others are supportive of causes that are near and dear to conservatives — like being pro-life.
Among the latter is Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Jacob Hollister, who chose a pro-life group, Live Action, as his charity of choice for Week 13 of the current session, when players are highlighted showcasing charities they support via their cleats.
Hollister’s customized cleats say “Love Them Both” and they sport the image of a pregnant mother and her unborn child.
“Hollister has bravely chosen to showcase his support for women and the lives of preborn children by displaying pro-life organization Live Action on his cleats,” Live Action said in a press release.
“Live Action is one of the nation’s leading human rights nonprofits, with the largest and most engaged following in the global pro-life movement. It exists to shift public opinion against abortion and defend the rights of the most vulnerable,” the video continued.
In his own video announcing his charity choice, Hollister noted that both women and their unborn babies have value, though of course, the unborn do not have a “choice” when it comes to abortion.
“I don’t think a baby’s life is more valuable than the mother’s or a mother’s life more valuable than the baby’s,” he said, Live Action reported. “Both have equal worth and demand equal protection — the only difference is the baby doesn’t have a choice. I’m thankful and happy to support Live Action who gives those babies a voice.”
In addition, the tight end told his fans that he was hesitant at first to support a pro-life group publicly because he was fearful that some would “feel anything but love from me,” not fear over being confronted.
“There’s a lot of different reasons why I decided to support [Live Action],” he said. “To be honest, at first, I was really hesitant to do it. Not because I’m afraid of any confrontation or any arguments around the subject, it’s really just because I fear that anybody who feels differently than I do about it would feel anything but love from me.
“Because the way that I was raised and the way that I try to live my life to the best of my ability is to love people first in everything that I do and love people really well,” he said,
Lila Rose, the president of Live Action, went on to praise Hollister and hold him up as an example to other men.
“The world needs more athletes like Jacob Hollister who are willing to stand up for the basic human rights of the preborn on his vital platform,” Rose said, according to the Live Action press release.
“Even in the face of opposition, Jacob is using his voice to speak for the most vulnerable members of our society. More men need to follow Jacob’s lead. Strong, compassionate men stand up for women and preborn children.”
Watch:
BREAKING:@Jaguars tight end @hollister_jacob is boldly standing for LIFE, selecting Live Action as the cause to put on his cleats
“Both moms and babies have equal worth and demand equal protection. I’m thankful & happy to support Live Action who gives those babies a voice”
— Live Action (@LiveAction) December 16, 2021
Live Action, a non-profit, describes itself as the “digital leader of the global pro-life movement.”
“Live Action exists today to shift public opinion on abortion and defend the rights of the most vulnerable,” the site reads. “With over 5.6 million social media followers and 1.4 billion lifetime video views, Live Action reaches up to 100 million people per month – saving lives and transforming hearts, with 38% of surveyed followers saying Live Action’s content has changed their position on abortion.
“Through compelling educational media, human interest storytelling, investigative reporting and community activism, Live Action reveals the humanity of the preborn and exposes the abortion industry exploiting women and families for profit,” the site added.
