Boycotting Nike Should Be Because of Their Quality As A Shoe Maker

Just a few thoughts on patriotism and ill-made shoes: Most of you that know me well, understand that I don’t jump on political bandwagons and really think carefully about situations before forming an opinion. With that being said, I completely agree with Nike pulling the Betsy Ross flag shoe and here’s why:

Putting that particular Flag on the shoe degrades its meaning

I actually think it’s disrespectful to put our Flag on a shoe. If we want to re-write the history of the entire world based on feelings and symbolism, then for me, putting that particular Flag on the shoe degrades its meaning. Shoes get dirty and sweaty, they continually step in feces, gum, chemicals, etc. essentially ruining the shoe over time. After a certain number of wears, the shoes stay in the closet, garage, or front entry way and are forgotten and replaced by new clean shoes. To me, that particular symbolism trivializes the memory of not only those soldiers of all races, who bravely sacrificed their lives, but also the countless number of slaves that helped build this nation. See, I choose to see the flag as a symbol of truth, that no society or country is ever founded “correctly” and without casualties. It’s an educational tool to remind us of the past so we aren’t doomed to repeat it. The horrible acts of slavery cannot be erased or forgotten, but nations can learn from them and become better. These are the spoils of war and were the unfortunate ideologies of the times. As a collective nation, and despite the negative rhetoric, we do not share those horrific ideologies anymore. Stop punishing the masses for the actions of a very select subset of anti-Americans. The flag should be a sacred “cloth” and not commemorated on shoes, caps, t-shirts etc. because commercialism breeds mediocrity, misunderstanding, and misappropriation. Whether or not the story of Betsy Ross is true is irrelevant. What IS relevant is the subsequent flag that was created, by whatever means, as a symbol of sovereignty and fealty to these United States. The best way to stop propaganda is to ignore it, plain and simple. It’s a metaphorical bully. Our parents told us to walk away from these bullies and “be the bigger person.” Same salient advice applies. It’s created to cause malcontent and division. If you don’t help spread that division, it will cease to exist.

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I think kneeling to the Flag shows more respect than just standing

For instance, I think kneeling to the Flag shows more respect than just standing. It requires more conscious movement, thought, and time to kneel before the flag. I think it’s almost regal, not disrespectful; as if addressing patriotic royalty. If that way of thinking were to take shape in the US, I guarantee the athletes and celebrities would no longer do it. You see, even though the masses blindly follow celebrities, they only care about money, fame, and notoriety. There are some that are truly vested in humanitarian acts, but the vast majority sit on their millions behind gated communities preaching to the rest of us plebeians to fight the good fight. Don’t be fooled by the wolves in sheep’s clothing. After all, you’re forgetting that they make their money off of convincing everyone that they’re someone they aren’t in films. Now what SHOULD upset all of you is the blatant hypocrisy surrounding how Nike makes their shoes and under what conditions. It is well documented that Nike, along with many other major companies, outsource their manufacturing to 3rd world countries. The conditions are brutal and many if not all workers are severely over worked and underpaid, yet Americans still buy Nike shoes at an insane mark up. These celebrities-in-chief get paid millions of dollars from these companies who in turn steal money off the backs of these poor migrants, then turn around and have celebrities boycott social Injustices. Its almost comical if it weren’t so horrible. Where is your boycott until conditions improve or completely change? Working conditions and pay are a true global crisis are they not? For me it is, and an absolute embarrassing shame. If you are going to be a true social warrior, you can’t pick and choose your battles to suit a current media narrative, it all matters. I personally won’t boycott Nike based on any political or social platforms, but because their shoe quality has diminished significantly in the last 20 years. Economically speaking, companies were created to sell good and services, not determine political outcomes. We as Americans have a responsibility to hold these companies accountable, not to their political dealings, but by the quality of their merchandise. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy my Brooks running shoes...