https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48840608
The BBC wrote: Nike has pulled a range of trainers in a row over racist symbolism that means the US sportswear giant could lose financial aid for a new factory.
The trainers featuring an early version of the US flag drew complaints, including reportedly from Nike-sponsored sportsman Colin Kaepernick.
The footwear, now selling on the StockX trainer website for $1,500, features a flag embraced by white nationalists.
But Nike's withdrawal was condemned by some Americans as unpatriotic.
The special edition Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July trainers feature the The Betsy Ross flag. With a circle of 13 stars, the flag was created during the American Revolution but was later adopted for use by the American Nazi party.
Mr Kaepernick, a former NFL star, reportedly told Nike that he found the flag offensive because of its connection to the era of slavery.
Last year, he became the face of Nike's advertisement marking the 30th anniversary of the company's "Just Do It" slogan.
The former American football quarterback had previously sparked a furore by kneeling during games to protest against police violence against African-Americans.
"Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag," a Nike spokesperson said. The firm has asked retailers to return the shoes.
But the decision has sparked fury.
Doug Ducey, the Republican governor of Arizona, said on Twitter that he had ordered financial incentives for Nike to invest in a multi-million dollar factory in Goodyear City to be stopped. The factory was expected to generate about 500 jobs.
"Words cannot express my disappointment at this terrible decision. I am embarrassed for Nike," Mr Ducey said in a series of tweets.
"Instead of celebrating American history the week of our nation's independence, Nike has apparently decided that Betsy Ross is unworthy, and has bowed to the current onslaught of political correctness and historical revisionism," he said.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz dismissed Nike's move as unpatriotic, writing on Twitter that the shoe giant "only wants to sell sneakers to people who hate the American flag".
Other Twitter users called for a boycott of Nike products over the move.
However, some Twitter users pointed out that the flag had been used by white nationalists.
Matt Powell, senior industry adviser at the research and consultancy group NPD, said said Nike would probably find support among its core consumers.
"I think it's important to understand who Nike's core demographic is here. They're really focused on teens and looking at the commentary on Twitter and so forth, I don't see a lot of teens coming out with a negative attitude here," he said.
TL;DR: So here's the scoop. Nike was going to release some shoes for Independence Day with the 13-star colonial American flag, yknow, the Betsy Ross one. Apparently (and I didn't know this until today), this flag is also used by white nationalists? So Colin Kaepernick complained. Nike pulled the shoe in response, which made a lot of people angry- I'm going to guess mostly conservatives- and a lot of people happy- mostly liberals. Ted Cruz is boycotting Nike. So is the Governor of Arizona. In other news, Vans salesmen are reported to be rubbing their hands together with glee.
What do you think? Personally, it's kind of just... sad. I'm not angry, but then again, I wear nothing but Converse anyway. While I usually agree with Kaepernick vis a vis the flag protests and his social activism, I have to go with some of the conservatives on this one. It's getting to the point where historical revisionism is trumping common sensibilities. Whether or not the Betsy Ross story is true (just like Washington and the Cherry Tree), the thirteen star flag is something very special to a country that looks to its past for inspiration. When activists start to say that the use of the flag is unacceptable because of its association with a time when slavery existed, it begins to set a precedent of writing off the first ninety years of the country's history. And that's what I'm seeing now. I always try to give due consideration to these issues- is my perspective different because I'm white? Sure. And I've found myself initially disagreeing with a lot of progressive backlashes and later coming around to see the point. But the more this goes on, the more I start to feel like society is just giving up on preserving things that radical minorities have tried to appropriate. The Betsy Ross flag has immense symbolism in it that represents the American fight for freedom against the tyranny of the British crown. And we should be taking in everything from that- the goods and the bads, the democracy and the disenfranchisement. I'm not a fan of slippery slope arguments, but this one seems to be fulfilling itself.
Anyway, discuss.
