Nike shuns Ross flag

I am deeply offended that an American company would find the Betsy Ross flag on shoes as somehow showing support for slavery, and therefore inappropriate (“Kaepernick stirs new controversy for Nike,” July 3). Nike’s decision to withdraw an innocuous patriotic product due to the views of an extreme minority is beyond my understanding.

Published accounts state that Nike’s decision was due to Colin Kaepernick complaining that the flag was connected to the era of slavery. Kaepernick has every right to his point of view, but he is fallible just like everyone else. Just because he asserts something doesn’t mean it’s true.

To follow his assertion to its logical conclusion would mean that every American flag used before December 1865 is suspect. In my opinion, Nike’s actions are an insult to every American that not only fought for independence from England, but also stood in opposition to slavery from 1775 to 1865. Coming just before the Fourth of July, there could not be a greater irony.

This issue makes me wonder what Nike really stands for. It looks like an organization without real principles, as their position seems to depend on how they think it will affect sales.

Hopefully, Nike will reverse course and sell this perfectly appropriate product.

Ivan Urnovitz

Spokane