Nike is dropping sneakers featuring an early American flag, known as 'Betsy Ross', created in celebration of July Fourth afte...
The Air Max 1 USA shoes were set to go on sale this week for $140.
The 31-year-old quarterback, who is also a Nike endorser, said the old American flag emblazoned on the sneakers' heel was offensive because of its links to an era of slavery, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Nike had already shipped the shoes to retailers when it asked for them to be returned without explanation, according to the paper.
'Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag,' a Nike spokeswoman told the outlet.
However, the WSJ reported that some of the shoes made it onto the market — with an online retailer selling a pair for up to $2,000.
Kaepernick complained to the company after seeing images of the design online.
The NFL-player-turned-activist reportedly declined to comment.
The Betsy Ross flag, which features 13 white stars in a circle representing the 13 original U.S. colonies, was created during the American Revolution.
It was a time when lawmakers advocated for the expansion of slavery and declared that those born into slavery were slaves for life.
The flag has more recently been appropriated by some extremist groups opposed to the country's increasing diversity.
Twitter users had mixed reactions to the news of the recall.
'The Betsy Ross flag has been turned into a symbol of white nationalism and domestic extremism.
Conservatives will whine, but Colin Kaepernick was right to speak out and Nike was right to pull the products,' one person wrote.
Another Twitter user thanked Kaepernick for 'shedding light on the fact that Betsy Ross’ flag is racist. I’m sitting here shaking now that I know that my history teachers left this vital piece of information from me.'
Others called Kaepernick 'un-American'.
'Nike just pulled a 4th of July themed shoe feat a Betsy Ross American Flag because complained saying it was “offensive”?!?!?! Can we just for ONE DAY Attempt to be Americans and be PROUD especially during the 4th of July! The day we became America?!,' one person wrote.
'I'm offended at how [Nike] support someone who doesn't support their county,' another person tweeted.
Kaepernick ignited a nationwide controversy in 2016 when he decided to protest inequality and racist police brutality by refusing to stand during the national anthem.
Since starting the demonstrations during the NFL preseason three years ago, Kaepernick has been joined by scores of other NFL players in the face of intense criticism, namely from President Donald Trump, who has referred to the protesters as 'sons of b******'.
The demonstrations were primarily a reaction to the deaths of African-American men at the hands of law enforcement.
The free agent quarterback last played in the NFL in 2016, going unsigned since the kneeling protest.
In February, he settled collusion grievances that alleged the league and its teams conspired to keep Kaepernick and his former teammate Eric Reid unsigned because of their political activism.
The settlement was for less than $10 million.
Last September, Nike introducing Kaepernick as the new face of its 'Just Do It' ad campaign.
A month later, the company released a long-sleeved black t-shirt with the controversial free agent quarterback's name emblazoned in reflective lettering along the back, and the $50 item sold out within only a few hours.
The move to make the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback the face of its ad campaign generated a backlash among some consumers, who set fire to Nike shoes.
But others were vocal in their support for Nike - which is one of the NFL's biggest partners.
Despite the initial backlash and a share drop, the company reportedly made around $6 billion from the move.
These people are nothing more than twits. When will their corporations just fire them for nitwitism?
ReplyDeleteJust silly on all sides.
ReplyDeleteSelling gym shoes with patriotism?
Criticising the early flag as being from an era of slavery? Well, that pretty much excludes centuries of history, doesn't it?
All very symbolic of the confusion that dominates today's America.
Perhaps just one more sign of decline?
The 1st legal slave owner in Colonial America was a black man named, Anthony Johnson, who owned a farm in Virginia with indentured servants black and white as his laborers. When their contracts expired he let the whites go but took the black man, John Casor, to court in 1654 to keep as his slave. He won in 1655 and that legalized slavery in the Colonies. slaves were legal and all owners were legal owners he was the first to use a court to declare an indentured a slave for life after his contract was fulfilled. Something to remember when assholes try to claim white slaves were only endetured servants. Which is bullshit to start with as Britain sold shitloads of Irish as straight slaves.
ReplyDeleteDoes he wear COTTON . ... Nothin' says slavery like COTTON PICKIN'
ReplyDeleteJews owned every slave auction anywhere in the western hemisphere, anywhere! All were always closed on the Sabbath, and jewish high days.
You must buy and read the Nation of Islam's book, "The Secret Relationship Between Black and Jews". It outlines how the jews funded, managed and ran the North and South American slave trade. Every comment is backed by facts - ironically, mostly ALL from jewish sources. You can watch brief videos on Minister Louis Farrakhan. https://youtu.be/Ut7I75Q_-zA a good summation but now CENSORED
Jews were behind the Transatlantic Slave Trade... The names of Jewish Slave Ships and their owners: The "Abigail -Caracoa" - Aaron Lopez, Moses Levy, Jacob Crown, Isaac Levy, Nathan Simpson - "The Nassau" - Moses Levy The "Four Sisters" - Moses Levy The "Anne" and The "Eliza" - Justus Bosch and John Abrams The "Prudent Betty" - Henry Cruger and Jacob Phoenix The "Hester" - Mordeci and David Gomez The "Elizabeth" - Mordecai and David Gomez The "Antigua" - Nathan Marston and Abram Lyell The "Betsy" - Wm. De Woolf The "Polly" - James De Woolf The "White Horse" - Jan De Sweevts the "Expedition" - John and Jacob Roosevelt the "Charlotte" - Moses and Sam Levy - "The Franks" Jacob Franks Moses and Sam Levy Jacob Rader Marcus - "All through the eighteenth century, into the early nineteenth, Jews in the North were to own black servants; in the South, the few plantations owned by Jews were tilled with slave labor. In 1820, over 75 percent of all -Jewish- families in Charleston, Richmond, and Savannah owned slaves, employed as domestic servants; almost 40 percent of all -Jewish- householders in the United States owned one slave or more. There were no protests against slavery as such by Jews in the South, where they were always outnumbered at least 100 to 1....But very few Jews anywhere in the United States protested against chattel slavery on moral grounds." United States Jewry, 1776-1985 (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1989), p. 586.
Hmmmm..Sounds planned/contrived. The last time, Nike actually made a decent sum of money.
ReplyDeletePerfect way, to go out of business !
ReplyDeleteOne ass wipe complains and Nike pulls the shoe. This is totally stupid. It is his opinion, now shut the frell up and go back to your room. BTW: anyone knows where I can buy a pair??? Of shoes.
ReplyDelete