Colin Kaepernick, an American NFL football quarterback, has been receiving backlash after an incident that occurred during a football game. It all started during the 2016 NFL preseason, when Colin Kaepernick decided to take a knee during the national anthem to protest against police brutality towards African Americans and other ethnicities. Although at first, his protest went unnoticed, after 13 months, other NFL football teams joined this protest. His actions were only to protest against police brutality, but a lot people, even President Trump, have taken it as something more than that. People are saying that Colin does not respect the American flag nor does he respect the troops who have given their lives to this country. After all this backlash, Nike has decided to use Colin Kaepernik for an ad which shows a close up of his face with the quote, “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything” along with the hashtag “Just Do It.”

The same people who where mad at the protest during the NFL game with Colin Kaepernick, they are furious with Nike for using him for their ad. Even Trump has tweeted on this, “Just like the NFL, whose ratings have gone WAY DOWN, Nike is getting absolutely killed with anger and boycotts. I wonder if they had any idea that it would be this way? As far as the NFL is concerned, I just find it hard to watch, and always will, until they stand for the FLAG!” People are even going as far as to burn their purchased Nike products and to boycott the Nike brand.

Other people, including this writer, find this incredibly stupid as they are burning things they have already purchased. Which means that Nike is making money no matter what. Mathew Chapman, who goes by the twitter name of  @fawfulfan, has also tweeted on this issue, “Here’s an idea. If you think America’s veterans deserve more respect, why not donate your clothes to a veterans’ charity instead of cutting them up with scissors like a dumb, spiteful little brat? #NikeBoycott.”

All in all, I find this to be very childish, as people are purchasing these products and burning them to boycott Nike, even though Nike is gaining profits. If anything, Nike has won this so called boycott. Colin Kaepernick has done no wrong by taking a knee during the NFL preseason game, and, as he has said many times, he is trying to make a statement on police brutality that should be heard. People should look at the bigger picture. Even military people such as Katlin Bellaw who goes by the twitter name of @KatlinBellaw has tweeted, “Stop using the troops as an excuse to burn your Nike shit. I’m not your scapegoat. I’m gonna sit over here and continue to buy my Nike stuff, they give military a discount. #NikeBoycott.”