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No Nike Shoes For This Family (Susan Eanes Feedback)

2 min read

TO THE EDITOR:

I was so offended by Gwen Moritz’s recent column (“Flagging Disrespect,” July 22) that I wanted to share another viewpoint that she has failed to consider.

My husband spent a year of his life in Vietnam defending our country and our flag while I stayed home and gave birth to our first child. He lost several good friends in Vietnam that year and in many other years of the war. First, Colin Kaepernick kneels and refuses to honor our nation’s flag, which represents all those sacrifices that we have made while he has enjoyed a relatively free ride from national responsibility. Then the company Nike decides to make him their spokesman. At that point this family and many more like us decided that Nike would not receive any more of our business.

Now a company as big as Nike decides to take the feelings of a nobody to quash the release of a shoe with the design of the Betsy Ross flag, one that symbolizes the bravery of our country in breaking away from Britain and its tyranny. I was proud of the governor of Arizona for confronting Nike and its decision because Kaepernick as well as many others have benefited from the founding of our country as a democracy where we enjoy many freedoms.

Our country has benefited from the sacrifices of a few to keep our country safe and free. We have not been perfect, but it beats most of the other countries of the world. My grandson wanted some new tennis shoes and we took him shopping, making it clear that we would not be purchasing Nike products. In the store with everyone watching, our grandson asked whether it was a race issue. We told him that it had nothing to do with race. We expressed to him that his grandfather had sacrificed along with many others and that the flag represents to us the sacrifices of all those who have come before. If any company wants to put the bottom line above the nation and what it stands for, then we do not want to contribute to that company in any way. He chose another brand of shoes and never looked back.

My husband was also an Eagle Scout and learned proper respect for the flag. It is the flag that is not to be worn or abused, not a representation of the flag.

Instead of criticizing the politicians of Arizona, why not give Colin Kaepernick and his cronies a slap in the face? Why does he deserve any consideration for anything? Just because he can throw a football does not mean that he has any clout with the world around him.

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