The Air Max 1 USA sneakers won’t be hitting shelves.
It’s the most patriotic day the year on the United States’s calendar as hundreds millions Americans gear up for their red, white, and blue holiday. The country enjoys Independence Day with an extra-long weekend filled with vacations, BBQs, and fireworks as companies do their best to capitalize f the celebration with July 4 sales and attire.
Wanting in on the action was Nike who designed a pair patriotic sneakers to help kick f the holiday. The shoes’ design was that the 18th century “Betsy Ross Flag” that is representative the thirteen states as the thirteen red and white stripes, and the union is the thirteen white stars on a blue background. Nike called the sneakers the Air Max 1 USAs and featured the flag on its heels.
Many people have deemed this Betsy Ross-attributed flag to be fensive, including Colin Kaepernick, according to reports. The former NFL player gained notoriety and launched a movement for kneeling during America’s National Anthem, a gesture that he’s credited to the historical and cultural significance the song and the flag themselves.
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The Wall Street Journal states that after learning the Air Max 1 USA kicks, Kaepernick consulted with the company to share with them his concerns. The company made Kaepernick the face one their campaigns last year in the midst his kneeling controversy, and when he reportedly told them that the use that flag could be deemed as fensive, they yanked the shoes.
“Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth July as it featured an old version the American flag,” said Mark Rhodes, a spokesman for the company, in an email Monday. Some can’t believe that Nike would make such a move and it’s sparked a debate on social media. Do you think the shoes are fensive?
