Nike’s attempt to release a patriotic sneaker was squashed after Colin Kaepernick pointed out that the connotations of the design weren’t as patriotic as they were racist.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the company pulled a line of Air Max 1 Quick Strikes featuring the Betsy Ross flag from shelves everywhere shortly after shipping the patriotic shoes to retailers.
As for why it pulled the footwear, Nike didn’t offer much of an explanation — just that the sneaks “featured the old version of the American flag,” according to a statement from the company.
But it’s since been reported Kaepernick — a former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who became the face of the company’s “Just Do It””campaign last September — personally reached out to Nike to urge them not to sell the shoes, citing that the Betsy Ross Flag is offensive to some because of its connection to slavery.
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The flag, which you can see (below) was stitched on the heel of the shoe, was created in the 1770s. It features 13 white, five-pointed stars representing each of the OG colonies, along with 13 red and white stripes.
Nike is yanking a sneaker featuring the "Betsy Ross flag" after Colin Kaepernick said he and others consider the symbol to be offensive https://t.co/eKVtPM6oTA
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) July 1, 2019
As Kap reportedly explained to the sportswear brand, the design has been linked to white extremist groups in recent years. Back in 2016, an NAACP chapter in Michigan connected the flag to “militia groups” who are “responding to America’s increasing diversity with opposition and racial supremacy” after students at a Grand Rapids high school flew the flag alongside a Donald Trump flag at a football game.
It makes sense that this historic image could easily become a symbol of white nationalism, as it represents a time when African Americans were not fully recognized as citizens.
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Not everyone’s happy about Nike pulling the controversial kicks, though. Some critics on Twitter argue that the Betsy Ross Flag merely represents the first flag that flew over the nation, and should be a symbol that promotes nothing more than nationalist pride.
Others, like Republican Senator Ted Cruz, are offering less constructive Twiticsm:
Kaepernick has been getting heat from conservatives ever since he started kneeling during the national anthem in 2016 as a peaceful protest against police brutality in the U.S..
The former NFL star has since become a leading activist in the fight against racial inequality — and the unofficial spokesperson for what’s woke and what’s a joke — so Nike probably made the right business choice by listening to him.
But what do U think, Perezious readers? Is the Betsy Ross Flag is offensive? Would you proudly wear it on your sneakers? Sound off in the comments!
[Image via WENN]
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