As you know, the idiots at Nike have canceled the release of a patriotic shoe embroidered with the Revolutionary War flag – also known as the Betsy Ross flag – because America-hating, mediocre hasbeen quarterback Colin Kaepernick, whom they have apparently made an honorary CEO, cried RAAAACISM.

Now, those of us with any knowledge of American history know that the 13 stars on the Betsy Ross flag represent the 13 original colonies that broke free of England’s rule and became the United States of America. Kaepernick, who has probably forgotten or is intentionally ignoring what the Betsy Ross flag symbolizes, has pressured Nike to remove this historical emblem of revolt and resistance against tyranny and injustice, because apparently he hasn’t been getting enough attention of late.

Most of us shook our heads at the utter ignorance. My view has always been that the rancid colostomy bag that is Kaepernick has the right to whine about “systematic oppression” (while he spends his millions after being raised in white privilege). Nike has every right to pull the shoe. We have every right NOT to buy Nike products. And another shoe company has every right to put the design on their product and sell it. I’m sure they would make a significant profit. Everyone would be happy.

And that’s kind of what is happening. Veteran-owned Nine Line Apparel–a Georgia-based company founded by retired Army Capt. Tyler Merritt–is releasing “Betsy Ross” flag t-shirts. And it’s not the first time Nine Line Apparel has stood up and counteracted Nike’s idiot attempts to pander to Kaepernick and his screeching social justice zealots.

#Honoring the #right people. @Nike pic.twitter.com/ixcg6got17

— NineLineApparel (@NineLineApparel) September 5, 2018

To each his own right? We are free in this country to buy a certain product or not.

But that’s not enough for the leftist swine in this country, who cannot tolerate anyone being Wronghappy. Enter this assclown.

This garbage human compares wearing a shoe with the flag representing our original 13 colonies to wearing “a swastika on July 4th,” because according to him, the revolutionary period was “deeply embroiled in enslavement.”

Let’s remember that Betsy Ross was raised a Quaker, and the Quakers played a major role in the movement to abolish slavery.

Let’s remember that while some of our Founding Fathers were, in fact, slave owners, they also acknowledged that the institution of slavery was in violation of the core revolutionary ideal of liberty.

Benjamin Franklin described slavery as “an atrocious debasement of human nature.”

George Washington claimed that “there is not a man living who wishes more sincerely than I do to see a plan adopted for the abolition of [slavery].”

Patrick Henry wrote, “It is not a little surprising that Christianity … should encourage a practice so totally repugnant to the first impressions of right and wrong.”

George Mason, who believed that the institution weakened the states, wrote “As much as I value an union of all the states, I would not admit the southern states into the union, unless they agreed to the discontinuance of this disgraceful trade, because it would bring weakness and not strength to the union.”

Slavery was an institution that pre-dated the Revolutionary War, and America certainly wasn’t alone in using the repugnant institution for economic development. But despite their ownership of slaves, many of our Founding Fathers abhorred the practice of trading in human beings.

By the quotes, letters, and documents they left behind, it is clear that most of our founding fathers wished to see slavery ended, though they did not believe it possible for it to happen in their lifetimes. Some of them, most notably Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, were very supportive of the rapidly growing abolitionist movement.  Benjamin Franklin was President of the Pennsylvania society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, which included Jay and Hamilton. The year he died, he signed a petition for the abolition of all slavery. He died before he got to see it become a reality.

So what does the Betsy Ross flag really represent?

It represents the origins of our nation – the greatest country in the world that represents hope, freedom, and opportunity for so many people who came here in search of something more and something greater.

It represents resistance and revolution – a rejection of British authority over its colonies that had no voice in the way they were governed, despite paying taxes to the crown. It’s a rejection of government abuses.

And despite the fact that slavery was still legal when our nation was created, the erosion of the institution began soon after the Revolutionary War ended. Vermont in 1777 became the first sovereign state to abolish slavery. Britain passed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, outlawing British Atlantic slave trade in 1807, and the United States followed suit banning the trade of slaves beginning in 1808.

And let’s not forget that no one had a problem with the Betsy Ross flag when it flew at both inaugurations of Barack Obama.

That Betsy Ross flag sure fell out of fashion quickly. (Photo: 2nd Obama inaugural, 2013) pic.twitter.com/8xg8xCPLXb

— David Martosko (@dmartosko) July 3, 2019

Yes, slavery was an ugly worldwide phenomenon, but the Betsy Ross flag is not a symbol of that institution.

It’s a symbol of our creation – the creation of the greatest country on earth that overcame its ugly period of slavery, of Jim Crow, and of inequality to become a nation of opportunity for so many.

It’s a symbol of our history – a history that we should never forget.

The comparison to a swastika is not just ignorant. It’s morally repugnant.

Featured photo: Reproduction of oil painting from series: The Pageant of a Nation; United States Library of Congress‘s Prints and Photographs division; See Commons:Licensing for more information.