First the Obama administration barricaded veterans from visiting the open-air World War II monument.
Then it ordered the forced closure of a privately-funded colonial farm.
Now comes word that the Department of Defense is ordering the service academies to suspend all intercollegiate athletic events during the government shutdown because of “optics.”
On Tuesday, a soccer game between the Naval Academy and Howard University was postponed indefinitely due to an order from DOD.
Up next may be the nationally televised football game between Navy and the Air Force Academy scheduled for Saturday.
“The potential revenue loss to the Naval Academy Athletic Association would likely exceed $4 million,” a Naval Academy spokesman told the Capital Gazette. “That money comes from ticket sales, sponsorship, parking and concession revenue. The largest revenue stream is the payout NAA receives from CBS Sports Television.”
The worst part about this – The athletic program at Navy is completely funded by private donors. Air Force could make the trip without using any government money as well.
In other words, all expenses for Saturday’s game could be held without congressionally appropriated funding, yet the political officials running the military won’t allow it to happen.
When asked for DOD’s rationale, Navy’s Athletic Director said he was told it was about “optics.” “It’s a perception thing. Apparently it doesn’t resonate with all the other government agencies that have been shut down,” he said.
This isn’t politics. It is ugliness pure and simple.
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