As of September 4th, Colin Kaepernick is the face of Nike's newest ad campaign featuring the slogan, "Believe in something. Even though it means sacrificing everything." If you know anything about what has been going on in our country and the NFL since the 2016 football season, you understand the outrage many Nike fans are feeling. If not, I'll explain.

In the 2016 football season, Colin Kaepernick was the first NFL player to sit during the routine playing of the national anthem to open the game. Kaepernick chose to sit as a silent protest. "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 quote came from an interview asking why he doesn't stand.

Kaepernick's decision to sit comes also from a long line of police brutality that struck the news. In response, many NFL fans began to boycott. In doing so, game attendance dropped, and ratings followed. Later, Kaepernick began to kneel instead, other NFL players began to follow, and even student-athletes around the country as well. Since March of 2017, no NFL team would sign the quarterback. Many fans saw sitting and kneeling during the national anthem was extremely disrespectful.

Many NFL fans and veterans are very offended by players deciding to kneel during the anthem, some teams are now allowing the option of staying in the locker room instead, many players are using this right to stay in the locker room during the pre-game ceremony. Many soldiers give the ultimate sacrifice for this country, they sacrifice their own lives, and the lives of their families to serve and protect our families and freedom.

They receive a sorry excuse for pay, while NFL quarterbacks, like Kaepernick, make millions a year, instead of being grateful, they sit and kneel during what should be a way of respecting our country. Damaged or not.

Since Nike has decided to make Colin Kaepernick the face of their newest campaign, Nike shares have dropped three points, as well as many people deciding to burn and destroy their Nike products. While I personally disagree with this method, and wouldn't disown Nike over this, I see why people are. Sitting and kneeling during the anthem is so controversial and a hot-button issue two years after the initial occurrence that people are ready to boycott.

Let's be honest, Nike shares are still worth about $80 so they haven't taken too large of a hit. But for the people deciding to burn their Nike merchandise and boycott, Nike is such a big business, they won't hurt too bad. As of September 5th, they're back up to $80 which is only 2 points lower than the previous amount. As someone who doesn't agree with Kaepernick being the face of the new Nike campaign, or the slogan that follows, I also wouldn't make such a protest about this because our country is in fact damaged.

Nike has the influence, and they used it, you go Nike.

While I get why you may be boycotting Nike, I guess you should burn your Converse too because Nike owns Converse, as well.