Free Republic

After NFL player-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick told Nike executives that their shoe featuring an early American flag was offensive, the apparel company yanked the sneaker from production. Less than 24 hours later, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey entered the culture war fray, announcing that his state is withdrawing financial incentives it had offered Nike to move manufacturing to Arizona. “Arizona’s economy is doing just fine without Nike. We don’t need to suck up to companies that consciously denigrate our nation’s history,” Ducey tweeted. The state was set to announce their agreement with Nike to build a factory in Goodyear, Arizona on Tuesday....

That Betsy Ross flag sure fell out of fashion quickly. (Photo: 2nd Obama inaugural, 2013) ...

Swoosh!Nike, the big shoemaker, seems to have a new boss.For America’s Independence Day, Nike released a new sneaker shoe style with the image of the early U.S. flag stitched by the notorious revolutionary Betsy Ross. It had the familiar red and white stripes and 13 stars in a circle for the original colonies.Apparently, sales were going well until noted kneeler Colin Kaepernick objected because, well, some of the 13 colonies had slaves at the time and we shouldn’t be knowing that in this Woke era.Naturally, the mega-company with $36 billion in annual shoe and athletic-wear sales responded to the...

Nike, the athletic shoe giant, has pulled a product off the shelves in response to a storm of social-media protest. Nike, the athletic shoe giant, has pulled a product off the shelves in response to a storm of social-media protest. The product was a sneaker collaboration with sportswear brand Undercover, whose principal designer, Jun Takahashi, published these unspeakable words on Twitter: “No extradition. Go Hong Kong!” Nike says it made the decision “based on feedback from Chinese consumers.” Just so.

<p>Nike has pulled its Betsy Ross American Flag shoe from the shelves. Why? NFL has-been Colin Kaepernick’s complaining that the Betsy Ross flag a symbol of white supremacy. Nike said they didn’t want to potentially “offend” anybody. Surprise to Nike, they are offending a significant portion of the American public. But spitting on America, and her freedom has become a way of life in 2019. Not only for Nike and Kaepernick but also Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and soccer’s Rapino as well.</p>

VIDEO If it isn't wacky enough that Nike instantly caved to Colin Kaepernick when he objected to the Betsy Ross flag design on their shoes as somehow being a racist symbol, CBS News also hyped this PC insanity as being somehow rational.

When it comes to free speech, Nike seems to have new slogan of “Just Don’t Do It.” This month, stores around the country received new Nike sneakers for the July 4th holiday, featuring an image of the Betsy Ross flag. Former National Football League quarterback Colin Kaepernick reportedly saw the 18th century flag image and was deeply offended. That was all that it took for Nike to order stores to return the shoes and not to sell a single pair. No one is suggesting that we are at risk of moving from rounding up sneakers to rounding up speakers. Nike...

Nike Nixes ‘Betsy Ross Flag’ Sneaker After Colin Kaepernick Intervenes. Kaepernick quit professional football with over $20 million in the bank (after winning only 3 games in 2 years). He turned down $14 million from the 49ers and instead has a $40 million contract with Nike. For someone who wears Fidel Castro tee shirts he is quite the capitalist! Nike is nixing plans to release a sneaker in celebration of July 4 after NFL star Colin Kaepernick spoke out against using the Revolutionary War era flag design. The company had planned to release the Air Max 1 USA for sale...

Nike Inc. is yanking a U.S.A.-themed sneaker featuring an early American flag after former NFL star-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick told the company it shouldn’t sell a shoe with a symbol that he and others consider offensive, according to people familiar with the matter. The sneaker giant created the Air Max 1 USA in celebration of the July Fourth holiday, and it was slated to go on sale this week. The heel of the shoe featured a U.S. flag with 13 white stars in a circle, a design created during the American Revolution and commonly referred to as the Betsy Ross flag....

Just don’t do it. That was the message ex-NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick delivered to Nike over the planned release of a USA-themed sneaker, which featured a Betsy Ross flag on the heel, according to a report. Nike nixed the released of the Air Max 1 USA after having already sent the sneakers to retailers because the protesting quarterback said he felt the use of the Betsy Ross flag was offensive and carried slavery connotations, sources told The Wall Street Journal.

President Donald Trump says he does not think it’s appropriate for a co-captain of the U.S. women’s soccer team to protest during the national anthem. ... Trump told The Hill in an interview Monday that he disagrees with her actions, but loves watching women’s soccer and thinks the players are very talented.

A person with knowledge of the conversation tells The Associated Press that the new Alliance of American Football spoke with Colin Kaepernick during its development about joining the league. But Kaepernick wanted $20 million or more to consider playing with the league that had its debut last weekend. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because neither side has publicly acknowledged such talks. The Alliance says its mission is to provide opportunities for players not in the NFL to continue their careers, with a possibility they could entice NFL teams to sign them once the AAF season concludes at...

U.S. sportswear maker Nike was hit with a 12.5 million euro ($14.14 million) fine Monday for blocking cross-border sales of soccer merchandise of some of Europe's best-known clubs, the latest EU sanction against such restrictions. The European Commission said Nike's illegal practices occurred between 2004 to 2017 and related to licensed merchandise for FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Juventus, Inter Milan, AS Roma and the French Football Federation. The European Union case focused on Nike's role as a licensor for making and distributing licensed merchandise featuring a soccer club's brands and not its own trademarks. The sanction came after a two-year...

Say what you will about Donald Trump, but the rise of the reality TV presidency has marked the death knell for some of the nation's most notorious media hacks and grifters. Today, U.S. attorneys indicted not only Trump-era villain and creepy porn lawyer Michael Avenatti, but also celebrity attorney Mark Geragos as a co-conspirator. The nation's two most famous legal frauds now face charges related to an extortion scheme. Avenatti's been a walking dumpster fire and foil to the Trump presidency, but Geragos has scammed the system for years, representing not just the dregs of Hollywood — Chris Brown for...

CHICAGO — Ever since he was a child actor growing up in a show-business family, Jussie Smollett’s life blended activism with the make-believe worlds of television and movies. ..." He spoke of his mother’s closeness with the Black Panthers and prominent civil-rights leaders, and how she had encouraged Mr. Smollett and his brothers and sisters to create art and live out their beliefs. ..." For Mr. Smollett, arts and activism were intertwined throughout his childhood. His parents met while campaigning for civil rights in the Bay Area of California, and his mother had worked with the founders of the Black...

The lawyer for former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick said in an interview Saturday that his client still wants to play in the NFL, and predicted that the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots are likely two teams with interest. Mark Geragos, the attorney, told CNN that he believes in the next few weeks “somebody is going to step up and do the right thing.” He said that the Panthers and the Patriots could make a play for the quarterback."It would not surprise me is Bob Kraft [the owner of the Patriots] makes a move," he said.Kaepernick, who hasn’t played a down of...

This weekend marks the three month anniversary of the Yellow Vests protests in France and nationwide protests are planned today with a special protest in Paris tomorrow...... "California will see you in court" is the response from Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom to President Trump's emergency declaration to erect a barrier on the US-Mexico border..... Former Massachusetts Governor William Weld wants to challenge President Trump in 2020. Weld forming an exploratory committee for a candidacy that would oppose the President for the GOP nomination.... Five are dead in a workplace shooting incident in Aurora, Illinois..... General Joseph Votel, commander of US...

The owner of a sporting goods store in Colorado says his shop is going out of business after he stopped selling Nike products over the company's controversial campaign with Colin Kaepernick. Prime Time Sports, in Colorado Springs, is shuttering its doors after "21 mostly good years," owner Stephen Martin wrote on Facebook Monday. He advertised 40 percent off all merchandise, and thanked those who "offered help and support through the 'Honor The Flag' memorial wall and NIKE boycott."Martin said he can't afford to stay open anymore after he stopped selling Nike products, in protest after the sports brand featured Kaepernick,...

The controversy surrounding Super Bowl LIII’s halftime show continues, as Colin Kaepernick’s attorney Mark Geragos called Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine’s rationalization on his participation “a cop out.” Speaking on Good Morning America on Friday, Geragos called on Levine to admit what he’s doing by appearing in the NFL Super Bowl halftime. “If you’re going to cross this idealogical or intellectual picket line, then own it, and Adam Levine certainly isn’t owning it,” Geragos said. “It’s a cop-out when you start talking about, ‘I’m not a politician; I’m just doing the music.’ Most of the musicians who have any kind...

The National Football League is back on top of the ratings heap after both conference championship games were so competitive they spilled into overtime. Sunday's New England Patriots-Kansas City Chiefs game drew 53.9 million viewers to CBS -- a shocking 27 percent increase from last year and the most-watched NFL game outside of the Super Bowl in five years. This is in part because they used to call the Dallas Cowboys "America's Team," but the Patriots seem like "America's Most Hated Team." Earlier that day on Fox, the Los Angeles Rams' controversial referee-marred defeat of the New Orleans Saints had...