Boycotting has been a key instrument in the United States since we were still just called “the colonies.” All the way back to when the colonists said no more to cheap imported tea — you know, before they decided to dress up as Native Americans and toss a shipful of it into the Boston Harbor. I heard that was one hell of a crazy party!
But the point is that this particular boycott was significant to the birth of a nation. So how much significance is there to a boycott today? Is it still an act of patriotism?
Nike is the most prominent athletic shoe and apparel distributor in the world. Attempting to boycott a company of such titanic proportions would probably seem pretty silly to most people. It’s nearly on par with boycotting Google or Amazon. It would be equal parts pointless and absurd.
It would be — right up until Nike showed support for former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and the controversial protest he began where athletes kneel during the national anthem. Suddenly then, opponents of the movement decided Nike was no longer for them.
The intense backlash came fast and brutally. A boycott of Nike products was immediately called for on every arm of social media. Nike products that were already owned were burned and filmed while engulfed in flames for YouTube views. One man was even reported to have burned his shoes while he was still wearing them. That’ll show ’em!
I recall several years ago when fast food giant Chick Fil-A announced their stance against LGBT rights. This was definitely policy that I didn’t care for, to put it mildly. I found their official views to be bigoted and offensive. So you know what I did?
I got a delicious chicken sandwich and some waffle fries there that next week.
Because I understand that I don’t need to align all my beliefs with every person who’s providing me a service. I don’t need to have identical ideologies across the board with every cog of all the businesses I frequent. If I did, I’d be butt naked, starving to death in the middle of the street with no car and no home.
The stated intent of the kneeling was to initiate further conversation of inequality in America. It’s perfectly fine if you disagree with this message or method — but I promise you, you’re being served every day by someone who supports it. It isn’t just some marketing exec with a cushy job at Nike. It’s your coffee barista. It’s the desk girl at your gym. Oh, and it’s the guy who rang up the pair of Adidas you bought to replace those Nike ashes.
And even in the face of a boycott (that will do essentially nothing to Nike’s bottom line), what is the point of burning property? Why not donate these shoes to families, children and people who can’t afford the luxury of being brand-specific and burning their precious belongings?
When did this become American?
If you’re looking for reasons to be upset at Nike, look at the way they abuse cheap labor overseas. They exploit children, produce in foreign countries, and then send their products back here to sell at massively inflated prices. If there’s anything un-American going on with Nike, I’d say it was that. Forget about some political poster that’s really little more than an ad campaign.
You see, many of the colonists charging for the Revolutionary War felt they were being oppressed. And others were still loyal to the crown — feeling that those opposing England were ungrateful and disrespectful to a nation that protected and provided for them.
And in the same light, some people still view oppression in society today. You don’t have to agree with them, and it’s your right to boycott whatever products you wish. But while you’re setting fire to your feet and singing The Star Spangled Banner before a baseball game, consider this: the people’s right to combat observed persecution is the only reason you aren’t singing God Save the Queen before every cricket match instead.
As stated, it’s an American right to disagree with any sort of protest, peaceful or otherwise. Nike is going to be just fine, regardless of where you do business. So is one image really worth setting fire to your own clothes over? Take a look at the poor people around you who don’t have time or money to care about such things — you’ll find your answers. Meanwhile, Nike will still be cashing checks from all over the world.