White Appears In Another Ad

Reggie White appeared in another anti-gay ad Tuesday and again was pictured in his Green Bay Packers uniform, a violation of NFL policy.

The league says it probably was an honest mistake because White and the ad's sponsors hadn't yet been warned to quit using the unauthorized photo of the star player.

The ad appeared in The Washington Times and first ran in USA Today last week.

"It's not defiance of any direct communication we've had because we haven't had any yet," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.

Part of the problem, Aiello added, was that the league didn't know exactly whom to contact. The ads were paid for by a coalition of 15 Christian groups.

A spokesman for the country's largest gay and lesbian political organization, however, said the ad's sponsors should have changed their advertisement even without the NFL warning.

"Clearly, they knew that the NFL did not want them to use his picture, but they had every intention of using it until the very end," said David Smith, a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, based in Washington.

Bill Horn, a White family spokesman who has handled questions about the ad campaign, said the sponsors will comply with the NFL's request and change the advertisement.

Horn said the sponsors didn't deliberately defy the NFL by using the photo of White taken in 1993. He said the ad agency that purchased the photo for $600 from a photo company was "told it was licensed and could be used. I guess that wasn't true."

"It's not a problem to use Reggie in the ad without his uniform on," Horn added. "Everybody knows who Reggie White is. So, he doesn' have to be in uniform."

White angrily declined to discuss the issue after the morning's practice.

"No, no, no," he said as he walked to his truck.

Stopping abruptly and pointing back toward the practice field, the defensive end who doubles as a Baptist minister added: "Look, I'm playing football. This is what it's about. You all know what I mean. You all know how I feel. We don't got to keep talking about that."

Coach Mike Holmgren, who canceled White's spontaneous group interview Monday to avoid training camp distractions, was surprised by the latest ad, which appeared in the news section of The Washington Times.

"That's out of my realm of responsibility," said Holmgren, who has made it clear White's views don't represent those of the team.

Packers spokesman Jeff Blumb reiterated that the ads are a matter for the league, particularly NFL Properties, the marketing arm.

Aiello said the league was confident White and the ad's sponsors would begin complying with the NFL's order to stop picturing White in uniform.

White first got into trouble with the NFL when he appeared in a full-page advertisement in USA Today on July 15. The ad was headlined "Toward an open debate on homosexual behavior."

Under the unauthorized photo of White in his Packers uniform, in large type, were the words: "In defense of free speech." And it documented criticism White said he has received for speaking out against homosexuality, which he first did in a speech to Wisconsin lawmakers in March.

The ad, which also pictures White's wife, Sara, was paid for by 15 Christian groups, including the Christian Coalition.

Meanwhile, Packers president Bob Harlan faxed a letter of apology to Elizabeth Birch, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign, on Tuesday.

Harlan wrote: "Mr. White is free as a private citizen to speak and to express his personal views. It is, of course, a right you personally defended in your letter to us. However, the use of the Packers uniform in this case ... was not approved and was an inappropriate use of the uniform."

"As an organization, we regret the use of our uniform in the advertisement. Please accept our apologies," Harlan concluded.

Smith, the group's spokesman, said his organization was pleased with Harlan's position and hopes that White and his sponsor "will stop using the NFL and the Packers to legitimize their anti-gay message."

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