Who knew that one person standing for what he believes in could have such a substantial impact on America’s nation?

That man ,Pro-NFL 49ers quarterback star, Colin Kaepernick, has infuriated Americans, yet again, with his new NIKE endorsed ad, “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything”.

Why should Americans, or more specifically, American NIKE consumers, be infuriated with Colin Kaepernick if he is promoting positivity and faith in oneself? Is it because he took a kneel for police brutality?

On September 6th, NIKE chose to endorse Colin Kaepernick to help them commemorate their 30th anniversary in hopes of sending a positive message to their customers to believe in their dreams–even if it means sacrificing everything they have–but NIKE customers do not seem too thrilled about the positive motive.

Some customers have gone as far as publicly burning their NIKE items on video.

Ben Zahn, Mayor of Kenner, Louisiana, attempted to ban NIKE products in Louisiana–but too bad it was unconstitutional; he would have violated his citizen’s first amendment rights.

President Trump isn’t liking this new ad either, as he expresses on Twitter; the usual from him.

During the preseason game of 2016, Kaepernick and many other football players took a knee during the national anthem to protest racial inequalities and police brutality against African Americans. It is quite unfortunate that two years after the first kneeling incident at the NFL game in 2016, many Americans have not been able to accept why Colin Kaepernick was kneeling during the national anthem. Many of the individuals who disagree with Colin Kaepernick’s actions, including President Trump, believe that he has disrespected both his country and his flag. But how?

Police brutality towards African-Americans is an instance that keeps reoccurring, and I believe that Colin Kaepernick was kneeling for “liberty and justice for all” in America as the Pledge of Allegiance does not proclaim “liberty and justice for [some]”. He may have also been kneeling for “the land [where everyone is] free”,as proclaimed by the National Anthem that Americans hold so dearly to their hearts, not “the land [where some] are free”–some being anyone other than African-Americans. I am inclined to believe that Kaepernick took a knee for the reasons stated, in addition to his presumed belief that neither the National Anthem nor the Pledge of Allegiance speak the truth in regards to the freedom that should be available to all citizens of America, not some citizens of America.

If the individuals who disagree with Colin Kaepernick cannot understand that he is actually kneeling to embrace what all Americans believe in, “liberty and justice for all” and “the land of free,” then they do not understand that he is not against the national anthem or the flag. He is actually standing for something all Americans believe in: which is his right to exercise his first amendment right of freedom to petition. Maybe they are the true problem. After all, it isn’t mandated for citizens to stand during the pledge or the national anthem– and it doesn’t say that no one can kneel, either.

NIKE knew exactly what they were doing when they endorsed Colin Kaepernick- and that’s why their online sales went up by 31% and Colin Kaepernick’s endorsed item(s) sold out.

Their shares are also higher that their pre-Kaepernick ad- now nearly at $83 per share. Nike wanted to evoke a clear message through Colin Kaepernick that even though their company could’ve been in jeopardy because of endorsing such a controversial man, they believed in Kaepernick’s view, and they wanted to express it, too.