photo credit: pixfly // Shutterstock
Colin Kaepernick is still fighting & being vocal about the injustices against minorities.
After speaking to Colin, Nike has decided to pull its 4th of July flag-themed Air Max 1 USA shoe. On the heel of the shoe was a flag with 13 white stars in a circle, representing the original 13 colonies, known as the Betsy Ross flag. Colin pointed out to Nike that the flag is an offensive symbol because of its connection to slavery.
The governor of Arizona was angered by the decision, going to Twitter to ask the state’s Commerce Authority to withdraw an financial incentive for the company to locate there in the future.
The Betsy Ross flag was an early design of the current U.S. flag, named after the maker. The flag has been associated to the confederate battle flag. It has also been used by some white nationalist groups in recent years.
Instead of celebrating American history the week of our nation’s independence, Nike has apparently decided that Betsy Ross is unworthy, and has bowed to the current onslaught of political correctness and historical revisionism. 5/
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) July 2, 2019
Nike has made its decision, and now we’re making ours. I’ve ordered the Arizona Commerce Authority to withdraw all financial incentive dollars under their discretion that the State was providing for the company to locate here. 7/
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) July 2, 2019
Nike pulled its "Fourth of July" Air Max 1 at the request of Colin Kaepernick, because of the Colonial-era "Betsy Ross flag" embroidered on the heel.
Now, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey withdrew any funding that was tied to Nike's future move to the city: https://t.co/3N9UvY5q3t pic.twitter.com/QBEIvtIm4P
— Complex (@Complex) July 2, 2019
Written by Clarke Jones