The Patriot Post® · Nike Takes a Knee
For the 30th anniversary of its “Just Do It” ad slogan, Nike has chosen to make self-centered, race-baiting, ex-NFL celebrity Colin Kaepernick the latest face of its global ad campaign. On his refusal to stand for our national anthem, Kaepernick said, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” This from a guy who was adopted and raised by a white family, but his tragic childhood before adoption is the root of his textbook pathological narcissism.
In his multimillion-dollar ad deal with Nike, Kaepernick declares, “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.” (For the record, this is what “taking a knee” for those who actually sacrificed everything looks like.)
Responding to Kaepernick’s assertion about “sacrificing,” my friend Catherine Smith, the mother of a severely wounded OIF veteran who chairs Honoring the Sacrifice Foundation, offered this response:
Kaepernick knows nothing about what it means to “sacrifice everything.” The entire country should be deeply offended by the arrogance of his assertion and Nike’s ad campaign.
Six years ago I stood at the emergency entrance of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. I was holding my breath as an ambulance (which was the size of a large bus) pulled up. As I strained to look into the window to catch a glimpse of my son, the back opened and one by one brave men and women were moved off the ambulance, past their family members and into the hospital. I proceeded to the waiting room where I sat with other mothers and fathers whose sons and daughters wounds were so severe it was difficult to comprehend. Many were missing limbs while others had suffered brain injuries, blindness, and much more. I witnessed first-hand what it means to sacrifice everything.
Perhaps Colin Kaepernick and the ad executives at Nike should pay a visit to Walter Reed or Arlington Cemetery. They might have an opportunity to learn what it means to really sacrifice everything.
Of course, Nike’s executives are betting on the 16-20-year-old consumer demographic appeal of promoting a leftist social justice warrior to boost product sales. Nike’s VP of branding for North America, Gino Fisanotti, noted, “We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward.” He added, “We wanted to energize its meaning and introduce ‘Just Do It’ to a new generation of athletes.” There are tens of thousands of Americans who have sacrificed everything — but they chose Kaepernick?
Not only is it absurd, it’s ironic that Nike would choose Kaepernick, because he has not played in the NFL for the past two seasons. He and his fans, including his adoring Leftmedia sycophants, claim he is no longer employed because of his anti-anthem protests, insisting he’s a “martyr” for their cause. Fact is, what got him benched and released was that Kaepernick was, at best, an average quarterback.
The NFL has lost a significant number of fans over its failure to properly respond to the metastasizing anthem protest. It will be interesting to see if Nike sees a similar negative impact to its bottom line over its politically motivated decision to promote a zero as a hero.
As Nike takes a knee, the day after its Kaepernick charade so did its stock — down 3%. Of course, when it’s only paying Chinese laborers 20 cents an hour to produce expensive shoes for image-obsessed American adolescents, its profit margins will probably hold up.
(Updated.)