LOOK: Colin Kaeprnick has NIKE pull their 4th of July shoes because of racial concerns from the old school USA flag embroidered on them...
VIA Yahoo: In a decision that will thrust Nike into the spotlight of corporations walking a tightrope between product and historic symbolism, the athletic giant has pulled an American flag-themed shoe from circulation after former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick expressed concern to the company about selling apparel he says features a slave-era emblem.
According to a source who spoke with Yahoo Sports, Nike began a movement to pull the shoe from stores nearly two weeks ago after Kaepernick and others raised concern that the “Betsy Ross Flag” printed on the heel of the company’s 4th of July-themed Air Max 1 was not only racially insensitive, but had also been adopted by some groups such as the Patriot Movement and Identity Evropa (pronounced “Europa”) allegedly as a symbol of white nationalism.
Nike spokesman Mark Rhodes released a statement Monday declaring: “Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured an old version of the American flag.”
A source who went into more detail about the decision told Yahoo Sports that a significant part of the shoe’s removal from circulation stemmed from complaints from Kaepernick and others about the symbolism of the Ross flag, which rose to prominence in the 1790s. Further backlash began to build on a smattering of social media platforms last week, while Nike began quietly recalling the shoes from stores as debates over the sensitivity of the product bubbled up on sneaker-centric accounts.
The “Betsy Ross Flag” features 13 stars in a circle representing the United States’ original 13 colonies. As concern over white nationalism has become a spotlight issue in recent years, the Ross flag has for some risen as a symbol of controversy as it’s reportedly been adopted by some movements.
Full Story HERE and Pictures Below...