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Does General Electric support rejection of ad encouraging people to thank and remember U.S. troops during the holidays?

NBC, the network owned by General Electric (GE), has rejected an ad from Freedom Watch which simply asked people viewing it to remember U.S troop during the holiday season and thank them for what they're doing.

The head of standards and practices at NBC, Alan Wurtzel, tried to spin the refusal by saying the rejection of the ad was connected to the group including a URL (web address) with the ad.

"We have a policy that prohibits acceptance of advertising that deals with issues of public controversy," Wurtzel said. "This particular ad, in and of itself, is fine. It thanks the troops for their action overseas. We asked them to eliminate a URL address where a person is asked to contact elected officials and told not to cut and run on the war on terror."

I wonder when thanking and supporting U.S. troops became a subject of public controversy? Does parent company General Electric back up this action? They need to give an answer to this stupidity as well.

In another bizarre statement, Wurtzel said that Freedom Watch refused to change the ad so that NBC would be forced to reject it. The end was to generate media attention, according to Wurtzel.

Those naughty people from Freedom Watch, forcing the shrinking NBC network to reject their ads. How dastardly of them.

Now let's say for a minute that the assertion of Wurtzel is true, that would make him and NBC even more stupid. If they would have run the ad, none of this would be happening. There's more to it than that, otherwise NBC trying to justify their actions wouldn't be such a big part of the issue. 

With numerous other outlets like even The New York Times (NYT), CNN and Fox News Channel (NWS-A) running the ads, the rejection by NBC is inexcusable. People don't forget these ignorant types of actions.

As far as NBC saying it's a way of doing business for them for a long time, then it's long past the time they need to change this type of practice.

NBC better learn quick that regular Americans won't forget their decisions in these matters.

I wonder if NBC hates that there's a Pearl Harbor Day also?