Though President Donald Trump [1] has signed an executive order [2] to build a wall between Mexico and the United States, it's apparently "too controversial" for the Super Bowl. 84 Lumber, a Pennsylvania-based building materials company, was not allowed to air an original version of its ad, which shows a mother and daughter as they encounter the wall while attempting to immigrate.
According to The New York Times [3], Fox deemed the portrayal of the wall unfit to air because it sent a political message; an edited version of the commercial appeared on Sunday, but the wall was left out of the story, leaving viewers with the option to see the unedited version online.
The CEO of 84 Lumber, Maggie Hardy Magerko, told the Times she was surprised the commercial had been considered too political. Magerko, who specified she voted for Trump [4], doesn't understand why it was censored. "I'm flabbergasted by that in today's day and age," she said. "It's not pornographic, it's not immoral, it's not racist."
While Magerko said the ad was intended to recruit people "who really believe in American dreams," it also presents an honest portrait of a harrowing journey. The mother and daughter's journey ultimately ends hopefully, but it is their confrontation with a border wall that is so striking and poignant.
