Papa John's Founder Resigns Months After Criticizing NFL

Papa John’s founder John Schnatter wasn’t just the CEO of the company, but also its face. He was a staple of the commercials for the company that bears his name.

While it will continue to bear his name, the pizza chain won’t be bearing him any further after Schnatter resigned yesterday. From The Daily Caller:

The founder of Papa Johns pizza announced he would be resigning in January, months after he publicly criticized the National Football League for the way it dealt with players protesting the national anthem.

Papa Johns announced Wednesday that founder and CEO John Schnatter would be resigning from his position as CEO and replaced by chief operating officer Steve Ritchie Jan. 1, the Associated Press reports.

The announcement comes two months after Schnatter blasted the NFL and the league’s “poor leadership” after the company’s future sales predictions significantly sunk from 4 percent to 1.5 percent.

Schnatter’s comments criticized the NFL for allowing players to kneel during the National Anthem.

While no one should be above criticism, Schnatter’s story serves as a cautionary tale of how opinions are no longer permissible unless you’re virtue-signaling to the howling mob. Then you can opine to your heart’s content.

Schnatter didn’t say anything racist or sexist. He just thinks people should stand during the National Anthem while wearing a team’s uniform. This shouldn’t be controversial. While I can see it creating debate, it shouldn’t be an opinion that requires a man to leave the company he founded.

But that’s the world we live in — a world that can’t accept disagreement.

To be sure, this isn’t the sole domain of the liberal. Conservatives have gotten into the act as well, baying for blood when someone says something they don’t like. We, as a society, have forgotten how to be civil. People shouldn’t lose their jobs for a difference of opinion and little else.

Where does this end? People eventually will get so sick of tip-toeing on eggshells and begin saying offensive things just for the hell of it. They’ll probably be rewarded for being the most outrageous, the inevitable pendulum swing from this world we reside in today.

Is that what we want? Is that what anyone wants?

I don’t think so, but I think it’s where we’re headed unless we learn to disagree.