A response to Nike and Colin Kaepernick:
By David Novak (my husband)
Happy Independence Day! America! Welcome to free speech. This is the most misguided, ridiculous, politically INCORRECT, action I’ve seen to date. Too bad Kaepernick didn’t learn American history properly in school. The attached article states Nike pulled a shoe with the Beaty Ross Flag on it, as an offensive symbol because of its connection to an era of slavery.
People are entitled to free speech, but seriously. To say the Betsy Ross Flag (13 stars in a circle for the original colonies) is connected in any way to slavery is egregious. Slavery is slavery. It was everywhere 250 years ago. This country’s founding was about forming the highest form of freedom. People free to live without King taking from them for his own pockets. People free to live and proposer with a government dictating what you must do. This is what the Betsy Ross Flag symbolizes to anyone who knows US history.
Hey Colin, guess what, the United States did not invent slavery. Do you know that? Slavery was established thousands of years ago. It’s still widely practiced in many parts of the world today. But of course, according to respected historian Colin Kaepernick, the USA is somehow responsible.
The Betsy Ross Flag, a symbol of the founding of the United States of America Is offensive? The symbol of freedom for each human?
Please understand this was an idea never conceived through the history of humanity. Not until this United States of America put it into practice. This country fought to establish this NEW idea of freedom for all people. Never before conceived of. This country single handedly ended most of the King and Subject rule in the entire world. By the way, that system of governing is in and of itself is a form of slavery.
More importantly, we the people set up the law (The Declaration of Independence and The United States Constitution) to rid this country of slavery and ensure equality under the law for ALL. To get rid of the institution of slavery practiced for many thousands of years is no easy task. But of course, Colin Kaepernick doesn’t understand this concept.
The preponderance of free democracies and republics throughout the world is because of the 13 colonies that banded together in order to form a more perfect union. Ignorance of history is no excuse.
It’s easy to sit on your couch in 2019 and take pot shots at the world as it was nearly 300 years ago. Wake up America. Stop listening to the talking points laid out for you through social media and political noise, read the real history of the Great Experiment!!
Sad day indeed for the men and women who risked everything so that all would be free. Unfortunately change takes time. But hey, Colin Kaepernick is now a historian and reality may escape him on this point. Troubling.
This should concern any American who cares about this country, values its freedoms, and knows the price paid by all colors of people to get where we are today.
Shame on you Colin Kaepernick for your misguided understanding of history (I’m sure he intended good) and Nike for its cowardly cave to the noise of unreasonable demands rooted in the delusion of one ex-NFL quarterback. Oh and Colin gets endorsement income from Nike. Hmmmm.
It’s not about the color of your skin, it’s about the content of your character.
We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equally.
Reference to source:
Nike Nixes ‘Betsy Ross Flag’ Shoe After Kaepernick Intervenes — The Wall Street Journal.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/nike-nixes-betsy-ross-flag-sneaker-after-colin-kaepernick-intervenes-11562024126?reflink=share_mobilewebshare
