Did Arizona Make the Right Decision?

We could find something wrong or offensive with several things. The Betsy Ross flag itself had nothing to do with race. Just because some of the signers of the Declaration of Independence had slaves should not be reflective of those people as being racists. It’s what was acceptable for the era. I don’t know how we can ever move forward, if we keep going back.

Somehow, Nike has now allowed what was a Patriotic symbol to become a sign of racism, even though the Anti-defamation League does not have it listed on its 150 signs that are to be considered racist. It’s just a shame that one person can start a snowball affect that has led us to believe that a symbol of Colonial America is a sign of racism. Really?
 
I've never owned a pair of Nike shoes. I'm willing to pay a bit more for good, US made New Balance shoes than buy Nike products made in Asian sweat shops.

The "flag controversy" is just a publicity stunt. If it backfires on them ... good!
 
Kaepernick is offended and oppressed by a shoe. A shoe. There are so many people in this country and world who have bigger things to think about. He's a washed up athlete who hasn't done anything in this world except divide our country and disgrace us to the world. Nike made him their spokesperson. Really? That's dumb. Most people are done with Nike anyway. There are so many other shoes. I like my Adidas 😁
 
Kaepernick pointed out the racial injustice and police brutality toward people of color that was epidemic at that time (and continues). Our own behavior disgraces us before the world when we act that way.
 
But half the country "points out racial injustice and police brutality toward people of color" all the time so that's nothing new for Kapernick to do...not only in "this time" but in history as well. The only thing that's not new is disgracing our flag and national anthem and then Nike making him a hero for it and some following along.

Regarding whether Nike should move to AZ or California...I think California is perfect for them. I can't say why because it's politics.
 
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Aside from those escaping religious persecution, the driving force behind colonization of the New World was riches. Spain's "conquerors" pillaged Central and South America and filled their galleons with gold. North America had no gold, but had a climate in the south good for raising cotton and tobacco. To take advantage of the climate in order to obtain "riches", the English imported slaves, so when independence from England was declared, slavery was already in place as a vestige of English rule. The colonists were essentially burdened with original sin, much like in Christianity where you are guilty of a sin you didn't commit.
 
I heard some crazy white supremacist group used or "adopted" the Betsy Ross flag and that's why Kapernick wanted the shoe pulled.

It's just a shoe, and the symbol is a treasured flag of our history. No stinking hate group can take that away from us.

All he did was dignify that hate group with his acknowledgement, imo.
 
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RadishRose said:
I heard some crazy white supremacist group used or "adopted" the Betsy Ross flag and that's why Kapernick wanted the shoe pulled.

It's just a shoe, and the symbol is a treasured flag of our history.

All he did was dignify that hate group with his acknowledgement, imo.
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Yeah, but conveniently "they" forget that the same flag was flown at Obama's inauguration. Why Kapernick or his ridiculous opinions are relevant to anyone is a mystery to me.
 
RadishRose said:
It's just a shoe, and the symbol is a treasured flag of our history.
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It may be merely a shoe, but it's merely a flag, as well. For example, burning the American flag is perfectly legal. The Supreme Court has ruled that the act is “symbolic speech” and therefore protected by the First Amendment.
 
What would I buy with $2,500 otherwise used for one pair of Nike shoes? I'd buy Kaepernick a one-way ticket to any country (preferably as far as possible) that can pay him what he's made in the US, playing games, and allowing him freedom to trash the homeland of the very fans that pay to watch him.

"The former second-round pick played in the league for six seasons and his total earnings were $43,479,216, or about $7 million a year. Kaepernick currently has a net worth of $20 million", and add to that the multi-millions Nike will pay him per year, and add to that what he will be making in his line of sports apparel he plans to do.

What country would want him? Kaepernick must LOVE what America has done for him and not even know it, nor respect it, nor appreciate it. But yet some Americans think he's a hero. Think about it.
 
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Nike couldn't really win here, could they. If they had kept the design there would have been an even bigger uproar. In today's political atmosphere, any symbol is risky. Someone is bound to find it offensive. Nike just wants to sell shoes. I suspect they will be more careful what they put on them in the future.

Don
 
So, deporting your fellow country(wo)men whose opinions and lifestyles you disagree with is a solution you are morally and ethically comfortable with? Taken to its logical conclusion, you and your cohorts will ultimately be living in an intolerant bubble of close-minded and arrogant prejudice. Sounds like a self-induced prison to me.



 
Pink Biz said:
So, deporting your fellow country(wo)men whose opinions and lifestyles you disagree with is a solution you are morally and ethically comfortable with? Taken to its logical conclusion, you and your cohorts will ultimately be living in an intolerant bubble of close-minded and arrogant prejudice. Sounds like a self-induced prison to me.
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Ouch Pink. I never said I would "deport" him. I said I would buy his airline ticket for him if he found a country that could treat him better and pay him more than America. Nothing wrong with that. Who are these "intolerant close-minded, unethical, arrogant, prejudiced cohorts in a self-induced prison" that you speak of?? You're totally off the rails.
 
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If we all take the name (Kaepernick) out of it, and just consider the context of what transpired, that would be a more proper way to debate the issue. Actually, it comes down to, “Should Nike have pulled their shoes with the design of the Betsy Ross flag on the back of the heel off of the market because of one man’s opinion?”

That is the real question.

Had you or I made a stink about it, Nike would have more than likely trashed the letter and moved on. However, because it was a man who was already embroiled in controversy and someone that they are paying millions to as one of their spokespersons, and has pretty much become just another face in the crowd, they (Nike) probably felt that this was as good as any of an issue to reintroduce Kaepernick back into the marketplace.

Maybe, just maybe, this scenario was all designed by Nike to put Kaepernick back into the public’s eye.
 
911 said:
Maybe, just maybe, this scenario was all designed by Nike to put Kaepernick back into the public’s eye.
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Now, would Nike stoop to something like that? :D Anything is possible. We are being manipulated from all sides. If any of those shoes did get sold, they are now highly valuable collectibles.

Don
 
StarSong said:
To be honest, I don't understand why people wear flags as adornments or apparel.
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Maybe for the same reason you're wearing a Heart on your shirt in your avatar. You just kinda' wanna let others know where you're comin' from. It's part of you sharing a piece of your identity with strangers. There are so many of us in this world and it would be awful if everyone kept everything about themselves a secret.
 

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