There’s been a lot of controversy over the recent 30th Anniversary ad campaign from Nike involving Colin Kaepernick. If you haven’t seen it, it’s an amazing masterpiece that should make you feel good inside but some people just can’t comprehend it. Take a look for yourself if you haven’t seen it yet.
Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/x5TnU7Z51i
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 5, 2018
After seeing this some conservatives went a bit off the deep end and started burning and cutting up their Nike apparel. I don’t think Nike cares about that customer base because their stocks are doing just fine.
Conservatives then had suggestions for Nike since they are experts in most things and suggested that Pat Tillman should have been the face of the Nike Campaign, suggesting that “he gave a lot more up than Kaep.”
Tillman was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 due to friendly fire and his death rocked the nation at the time.
Just putting it out there that Pat Tillman sacrificed just a *bit more than Colin Kaepernick.
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) September 3, 2018
This should have been a photo of Pat Tillman pic.twitter.com/saldgSaIAO
— Angela Morabito (@AngelaLMorabito) September 3, 2018
Hey @nike instead of paying punks who advance anti-American lies like @Kaepernick7 why don't you pay Pat Tillman's family for the rights to use his image – A REAL HERO who sacrificed everything!
Why promote someone who blames racism for the fact he can't compete in the NFL?
🤔
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 4, 2018
Sadly this has happened before, conservatives using Tillman’s death as reason Kaepernick should be prosecuted. Trump did it back in 2017 and Marie Tillman, Pat’s widow said this to CNN:
“As a football player and soldier, Pat inspired countless Americans to unify. It is my hope that his memory should always remind people that we must come together.
Pat’s service, along with that of every man and woman’s service, should never be politicized in a way that divides us. We are too great of a country for that.”
Those that serve fight for the American ideals of freedom, justice and democracy. They and their families know the cost of that fight. I know the very personal costs in a way I feel acutely every day. The very action of self expression and the freedom to speak from one’s heart — no matter those views — is what Pat and so many other Americans have given their lives for. Even if they didn’t always agree with those views.
It is my sincere hope that our leaders both understand and learn from the lessons of Pat’s life and death, and also those of so many other brave Americans.”
Just putting it out there that Pat Tillman vehemently opposed everything you stand for and you're garbage for invoking him or any other dead soldier to further the idea that peaceful protest is anything other than patriotic https://t.co/Lw1REhhnnW
— Brandon Friedman (@BFriedmanDC) September 4, 2018
Now Marie hasn’t put out a statement this time, because well she shouldn’t have to every time someone tries to hijack her husband’s death, but Jon Krakauer has. Krakauer wrote “Where Men Win Glory,” a biography of Tillman and he told the Washington Post:
“Pat would have found Kaepernick an extremely admirable person for what he believed in. I have no doubt if he was in the NFL today, he would be the first to kneel. So there is irony about what is going on.”
Social media is awash in people using Pat Tillman's death to shame Nike and Colin Kaepernick. I talked to biographer Jon Krakauer about what they get wrong about Tillman's life and legacy https://t.co/Ao6rzhoinb
— Alex Horton (@AlexHortonTX) September 4, 2018
Many other soldiers have echoed this sentiment. They haven’t just begun this but have been saying this for awhile since Kaep was persecuted out of the NFL.
Most begin with saying that they fought for this country so people like Kaepernick can fight for what he believes in. That sounds like what this country was founded on, but who knows. Let’s just see what the pundits of Fox News say about it, right? If anyone wants to have a true conversation (where both sides listen to each other) talk to me on Twitter.