The Lord told Joseph Smith that he raised up these righteous men (and women) to be the foundation of our country. Who are we to question His judgement? I think He knew there were slaveholders among them, but he needed them to frame our constitution, and to set the stage for the future extinction of the universal historical practice of legal slavery.
Sue C.July 5, 2019
Maybe we should also disrespect the First President of the UNITED STATES, George Washington, as well. Maybe we should split off from the whole southern section of the Eastern seaboard because they owned slaves hundreds of years ago. I love this country,good bad and indifferent. I love Betsy Ross for hand stitching a flag for the Revolutionary War--that gave us all the freedoms we enjoy today. I love that we have the history of the War Between the States so hopefully we don't have to resort to it again. And if we want to learn from the past we better study it and cherish it and honor it. The best way not to have slavery happen again and to make sure everyone is respected is to start with ourselves. Respect Betsy Ross for what she did. Respect George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, because even though they owned slaves that was not all they did. They gave their all to this nation. We can have the blessings and freedoms we have today because of such great men. I love the RED, WHITE, and BLUE. I love that is has flown in this nation since1776. And with all the ups and downs we have faced as a nation. It still flies. It flies in my yard and in my neighbor's yard. It flies on churches and synagogs. It flies at markets and at schools. It stands for something grand and great and bigger than any one of us or any race or any creed.
LoraJuly 5, 2019
I can understand thinking that the Confederate flag is a symbol of white supremacy. I cannot understand thinking that the Betsy Ross flag is a symbol of white supremacy. It represents the 13 original colonies who broke free from the British empire.
If the Betsy Ross flag is offensive, tell that to James Armistead, Peter Salem, Prince Whipple, and Oliver Cromwell, who fought under that flag. They are named by William Nell in his books Services of Colored Americans in the Wars of 1776 and 1812 (1852) and Colored Patriots of the American Revolution 1855. Young Americans used to know about them until Woodrow Wilson (D) took them out of the history books.
RobJuly 4, 2019
Hi Kate,
Does the desire to return to a time of white supremacy include black people who wear MAGA hats?
David AJuly 4, 2019
Stop buying all Nike Products! Boycotts are effective, but they'd rather listen to a silly, has-been wanna-be NFL player. Boycotts Nike!
KateJuly 4, 2019
I think that Nike made the right decision. The Betsy Ross flag, as lovely as it is, is a favored symbol used by white supremacists, harking back as it does to a time when black people were slaves and women were legally chattel--a world the supremacists would dearly love to recreate. I would not want to wear shoes with that symbol, and I'm guessing that the target demographic of the shoes would not either. Its only value would be to help the rest of us spot those sympathetic to white privilege, much like a MAGA hat does.
Carol AnnJuly 4, 2019
I am now a fan of Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R). Finally, someone on the right side of history speaks out boldly and loudly! ONE person on the left should not have that much power to compel and change Nike's decision making!
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Gordon J HensleyJuly 5, 2019
The Lord told Joseph Smith that he raised up these righteous men (and women) to be the foundation of our country. Who are we to question His judgement? I think He knew there were slaveholders among them, but he needed them to frame our constitution, and to set the stage for the future extinction of the universal historical practice of legal slavery.
Sue C.July 5, 2019
Maybe we should also disrespect the First President of the UNITED STATES, George Washington, as well. Maybe we should split off from the whole southern section of the Eastern seaboard because they owned slaves hundreds of years ago. I love this country,good bad and indifferent. I love Betsy Ross for hand stitching a flag for the Revolutionary War--that gave us all the freedoms we enjoy today. I love that we have the history of the War Between the States so hopefully we don't have to resort to it again. And if we want to learn from the past we better study it and cherish it and honor it. The best way not to have slavery happen again and to make sure everyone is respected is to start with ourselves. Respect Betsy Ross for what she did. Respect George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, because even though they owned slaves that was not all they did. They gave their all to this nation. We can have the blessings and freedoms we have today because of such great men. I love the RED, WHITE, and BLUE. I love that is has flown in this nation since1776. And with all the ups and downs we have faced as a nation. It still flies. It flies in my yard and in my neighbor's yard. It flies on churches and synagogs. It flies at markets and at schools. It stands for something grand and great and bigger than any one of us or any race or any creed.
LoraJuly 5, 2019
I can understand thinking that the Confederate flag is a symbol of white supremacy. I cannot understand thinking that the Betsy Ross flag is a symbol of white supremacy. It represents the 13 original colonies who broke free from the British empire. If the Betsy Ross flag is offensive, tell that to James Armistead, Peter Salem, Prince Whipple, and Oliver Cromwell, who fought under that flag. They are named by William Nell in his books Services of Colored Americans in the Wars of 1776 and 1812 (1852) and Colored Patriots of the American Revolution 1855. Young Americans used to know about them until Woodrow Wilson (D) took them out of the history books.
RobJuly 4, 2019
Hi Kate, Does the desire to return to a time of white supremacy include black people who wear MAGA hats?
David AJuly 4, 2019
Stop buying all Nike Products! Boycotts are effective, but they'd rather listen to a silly, has-been wanna-be NFL player. Boycotts Nike!
KateJuly 4, 2019
I think that Nike made the right decision. The Betsy Ross flag, as lovely as it is, is a favored symbol used by white supremacists, harking back as it does to a time when black people were slaves and women were legally chattel--a world the supremacists would dearly love to recreate. I would not want to wear shoes with that symbol, and I'm guessing that the target demographic of the shoes would not either. Its only value would be to help the rest of us spot those sympathetic to white privilege, much like a MAGA hat does.
Carol AnnJuly 4, 2019
I am now a fan of Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R). Finally, someone on the right side of history speaks out boldly and loudly! ONE person on the left should not have that much power to compel and change Nike's decision making!
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