Skylan Akins
September 11, 2018
I use September 11th every year to remember all near 3,000 lives who were lost at the hands of 19 hijackers. I remember the first responders of the NYPD and NYFD who lost their lives to save strangers from the burning buildings. I remember our troops who perished in Iraq and Afghanistan to bring justice back to a country who was decimated. I remember what it feels like to be a proud American who was willing to help a friend, neighbor, or a stranger. We truly were the UNITED States of America. This year I have thought a lot in the days leading up about an ex NFL quarterback named Collin Kaepernick and a household brand.
Kaepernick is no stranger to controversy since he decided sit for the national anthem before a pre-season game to protest racial injustice in 2016. Kaepernick said, “I’m not going to show pride for the flag of a country who oppresses black people and people of color.” These protests, in the current political climate, have divided the country. I came across a poem by veteran Andrew Freborg and it opened my eyes. In the poem Freborg states:
As a veteran
I stand to honor the promise the flag represents.
You kneel because that promise has been broken.
I stand to affirm my belief that all are created equal, and to fight alongside you for that promise.
You kneel because too few stand with you.
I stand because we can be better.
You kneel to remind us to be better.
I stand to honor all that have fought and died so that we may be free.
You kneel because not all of us are.
I stand because I can.
You kneel for those who can't.
I stand to defend your right to kneel.
You kneel to defend my right to stand.
I stand because I love this country.
You kneel because you love it too.
Today we get too wrapped up in what other people are doing that we may not agree with and forget why others (like Kaepernick) are protesting in the first place. We all want the same thing. We want the United States to be the best country in the world. I stand because I love this country. You kneel because you love it too. I have never heard it from that perspective. The Bible says in Genesis 1:26,“let us make man in our image, after our likeness and let them of dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God didn’t create one person over another and I believe that's something with which we can agree.
The Kaepernick controversy ramped back up on September 6th. This time Nike was involved. Nike released an ad using Kaepernick as a spokesperson. The ad reads “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.” I believe there are others who have sacrificed more than Kaepernick and are forgotten heroes. Pat Tillman comes to mind. Tillman left a football career with the Arizona Cardinals to serve in global war on terrorism in 2002 to fight for the 3000 and their families who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks on September 11th. He would lose his life in a fight with enemy combatants in 2004. His face would be a great one to advertise, one that most people could get behind, regardless of political affiliation. Welles Crowther (aka the man in the red bandana) was a former Boston College lacrosse player who perished when the towers fell. He had made several trips up the burning tower to save 12 other people. He’s someone who would be another good choice. What about Tom Burnett? Again, you probably don't recognize the name. He was just a businessman from Minnesota who rose to the occasion and became an American Hero. Burnett was on board United flight 93 that was hijacked and likely headed towards the White House. Burnett led the 44 passengers to fight back and to take control of the plane from the hijackers before the plane crashed into a field in Stonycreek Township in rural Pennsylvania. All of these heroes sacrificed everything, including their lives, because they believed doing what is right to save others is bigger than themselves.
Kaepernick sacrificed a dying NFL career to protest oppression of people of color. Don’t get me wrong, racism and oppression are definitely issues in America today. There needs to be action to put an end to it. However, with the release of the ad coming so close to the 17th anniversary of 9/11, the ad should feature faces those who sacrificed their lives for the United States, not someone who is currently protesting our flag.
However, it is not the ad but the response to it that inspired this opinion piece. Viral videos began circulating of people protesting Nike’s ad by burning their Nike shoes, Clothes, and apparel. This struck a nerve with me. This past summer I interned at Door of Faith Orphanage (DOFO) in La Mision on the Baja California Peninsula. I experienced what it is like to be a missionary in a foreign land. In my time in Mexico, I learned about the needs and challenges that DOFO faces every month. They are one of the largest orphanages in Mexico, housing over 120 kids ranging from about 40 days old to 21 years old. They do not receive any funding from the Mexican government. The kids have never had the opportunity to open up a new pair of Nike shoes. It infuriates me seeing all of this money literally being burned while there are kids all over the world (including the United States) who don't have shoes or clothes to wear. Luckily, there is something we can do. We can donate to one of the many charities and the foster system. If you're still not sure, find me, I personally know 129 kids who would put your Nike gear to better use than roasting marshmallows.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Infuse Student Media or Southwest Baptist University.
nicely expressed