Nike's new advertisements have brought up a lot of controversy in the past week. Colin Kaepernick, who used to play for the San Francisco 49ers. He is now a free agent after he was let go. He is now the face of Nike. The last few years the NFL (National Football League) has been a platform for Colin Kaepernick used his position to bring awareness to police brutality. He did this by kneeling while they played the national anthem. Many began to follow in his footsteps and kneel as well.
Police brutality is and can be a massive problem. Many do not believe that the people that are meant to protect you actually do. And when the policemen themselves remain virtually unchecked this could actually be a problem.
I know you may want to stop reading this now but listen to my argument.
You can become a police officer when you are 20 years old. It is about as much schooling as you would need to become a CNA or (Certified nursing Aid). However, CNA's are not allowed to handle paperwork, their own patients, or even handing out medicine. Why do you need more schooling to do paperwork, but not to carry a gun? Only some of law enforcement agencies require a two-year degree. Police officers also only have one psych evaluation when they enter into the force. I believe that seeing what police officers see every day can cause extreme stress and mental instability. We must recognize police officers are humans too. They cannot be perfect no matter how much they try. But a system needs to be put in place to help them be the best they can be and weed out the ones that do not need to have that kind of responsibility.
I would also like you to think about this. Nike is a business. Yes, they may have lost a few customers by displaying Colin Kaepernick's face on their new advertisements. But they have gained $43 million dollars in free press. Nike is being talked about everywhere. And products are being bought by people who have supported Colin's movement. So Nike may or may not actually back Kaepernick's protest. I believe they haven't because they are doing nothing with the buzz that they have received. Nike has done this many many times. They advocated for women's rights, even for a man that tested HIV positive and was an incredible marathon runner. They knew this would generate revenue like no other. And because Nike is a sports store, getting involved in politics that included a sports front man. It became like a kid in a candy store. I do love Nike's products. And I am not saying that they are using Kaepernick, but I wish they would put their money into actually helping solve the problem.
I would also like to talk about Colin Kaepernick's protesting. I think it is a good thing when people that have a lot of attention put on them raise awareness for something that is wrong. However, raising awareness only does so much. Recognizing a problem is only the first step. What is the second you ask? Action. If you want to see diversity and change in Law enforcement. Change it. Apply to be a police officer or a lawmaker. You can't just continue to ask someone else to fix the problem. There's a saying that I've followed pretty much all my life. If you want something done, and done right. Do it yourself.
