Colin Kaepernick is one of the most hated athletes of all time.

Now Nike has partnered with him for their most recent campaign, and we should all support them in their decision.

Kaepernick protested by kneeling during the National Anthem at NFL games in response to police brutality in America. Because of this, many people labeled him as unpatriotic and disrespectful to the troops.

Because of Kaepernick’s decision to take a knee to police brutality, he has lost his job and went from being one of the top quarterbacks in the league to a free agent who isn’t sure if he will ever be able to step on the field wearing a number on his back ever again.

The ad correctly addressed his situation and says, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” If this campaign fits anyone, it’s Kaepernick. Because of his decision to protest, he has lost many fans who believe what he did was wrong, and ultimately ruined his image.

The way people view patriotism in America doesn’t represent what patriotism truly is; only their opinions of what it should be. This includes how some Americans believe patriotism should be expressed no matter what and claim a person is un-American if they don’t show love for the country.

If the status-quo wasn’t built for African Americans, then questioning the status-quo is valid.

So if this country was built off of the blood, sweat and tears of African American slaves, who had no choice in becoming enslaved by the white man and continuously to this day are seen as lower than the rest and treated wrongfully, don’t black people have the right to not support every single moral this country has? 

Kaepernick has the right to protest against what the believes is wrong and that does not make him a bad person, that makes him human. The freedom he has to use his voice should not be silenced, simply because he is in a spotlight, but should be amplified because of his platform.

Nike knew what they were doing. They understand that America is moving slowly but surely towards equality, and the brand used that to their advantage. A huge portion of their demographics are the minority communities, so Nike made a smart move in reaching their target audience.

If you are still trying to convince yourself that this argument is about troops and not about a black man getting publicity for going against what he believed was right, there is a lack of connection between aiming to understand and continuing to be ignorant.

Nike saw a man who was not afraid to sit down for what he believed in. What he did was one of the most powerful yet controversial events to occur in NFL history. As a big brand, Nike aims to send a certain message and by using Kaepernick, they are standing up for equality — not supporting someone who is anti-America.