disclaimer: This is an OPINION piece, but the author raises intersting points IMHO.
There seems to be a measure of inconsistency from the people who believe war heroes are most deserving of being in a Nike ad about sacrifice, yet support a man whose disrespect toward a war hero was so palpable that The American Legion's national commander urged him to "make an appropriate presidential proclamation, noting Senator McCain's death and legacy of service to our nation." A man who attacked the Gold Star family of Humayun Khan, a Muslim soldier killed in an Iraq suicide attack in 2004. A man who, when gifted a Purple Heart, joked "I always wanted to get the Purple Heart. This was much easier."
I get it: Kaepernick is a controversial figure whose protest during the national anthem was misconstrued as an attack against the military. His subsequent silence has not been helpful in terms of clarification. Neither were his socks portraying police officers as pigs or his T-shirt with Fidel Castro on it.
If someone wants to take their anger and burn some shoes out in their backyard, it's their prerogative. I'm fairly certain Nike knew its decision to feature Kaepernick in its campaign would draw calls of boycott and perhaps even a rebuke from stockholders. But I do wonder how the people who feel that members of the military deserve more respect from the athletic apparel company can swallow President Trump's well-documented slights of servicemembers who have sacrificed the most.
http://www.cnn.com/2018/09/04/opinions/nike-outrage-hypocrisy-opinion-granderson/
and as a parting thought. I wonder how many of them ran out to burn their MAGA material or apparel after their POTUS did these things?
If one has a higher expectation about the words and actions of professional athletes (or comedians for that matter) than one does for their POTUS, maybe its time to re evaluate priorities.
Edited by
msharmony
on Wed 09/05/18 06:50 PM
