By Greg Minor
Student Reporter
Protesting without signs, without a march, without violence but instead on the turf by taking a knee.
Over the past few weeks, since Nike has made former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, the face of Nike’s ‘Just Do it’ 30th anniversary commemoration, America has been divided once again.
On September 1, 2016, the NFL star took a knee during the national anthem. Prior to taking a knee, Kaepernick sat during the anthem for two games before anyone noticed.
President Trump said in his interview with CBS sports “The NFL should have suspended Kaepernick for kneeling, you cannot disrespect our country, our flag, our anthem—you cannot do that.”
Kaepernick then met to speak with Nate Boyer, who was previously a United States Army Green Beret after serving six years and multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both Kaepernick and Boyer presented their sides to each other about Kaepernick sitting, and agreed to make a compromise without dishonoring those who served for the country.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said in an interview with the NFL.“To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
Trenton Harmon, social science major said, “I don’t support the kneeling during the national anthem. That is a sacred part of our country in my opinion. But at the same time I understand the message behind the commercial.”
When Nike presented the commercial ‘Crazy’ and their new face Kaepernick, some American’s were in disarray. Citizens posted their disbelief on social media, by setting their Nike gear on fire and cutting the Nike checks off their socks.
“I think that the burning and destroying is way over the top,” Harmon said. “That’s dramatic and pointless. If people don’t agree with Nike to that level they should at least donate the clothes for a good cause.”
The first few days Nike’s stock prices plummeted due to American’s disagreeing with Nike’s actions. Then sales increased and stock went up 31 percent.
Dr. Steven Palmer, professor of business, said, “It was a very good marketing move by Nike, Nike knows their target customers.”
The company itself earned up to 43 million dollars in media exposure within the first 24 hours of the commercial ‘Crazy’. Kaepernick started this movement using his NFL platform to bring attention to police brutality on minorities. “It had nothing to do with disrespecting veterans and the flag,” Palmer said. “President Trump created the impression that this was about the flag and veterans.”
When a player is injured on the football field, the remaining players take a knee as a sign of respect. Soldier’s take a knee in front of a fallen soldier’s grave to show respect. Kaepernick and Boyer’s conversation led to not dishonoring the country by kneeling, but spreading awareness of police brutality and other forms of social injustice.
“Don’t ask if your dreams are crazy,” Kaepernick said. “Ask if they’re crazy enough.”