Kaepernick And Nike’s Bold Move: A Libertarian Review

By Killian Hobbs - September 4, 2018

Colin Kaepernick is back in the news for the latest move by Nike. Nike has made the move to have Kaepernick as the face of the 30th anniversary of their ongoing #Justdoit campaign.

News of the decision broke yesterday to very mixed results from the general public as to the decision. While there have been many who have praised Nike for using Kaepernick as a prime example of their campaign’s ideals, many more have come out against them for this action.

Kaepernick, while a noted NFL player, received most of his major attention for his protests on the field and refusal to stand for the National Anthem; a move that itself caused much controversy.

This most recent attention to his protest, and Nike’s association with it, has led to a counter campaign on twitter, facebook, and other social media feeds. The hashtag campaign called #JustBurnIt involves destroying any Nike merch people currently own and swearing off of their products.

Nike is no stranger to controversy nor are they unfamiliar with <a herf="https://think-liberty.com/philosophy/bad-argument-vol-8-boycotts-dont-work/>boycotts or outrage over their business practices. Neither is Kaepernick. Both of them, and the NFL (due to the protests sparked by Kaepernick) have had several protests and boycotts against them over the years. This time, however, the damage is showing in a comparatively large dip in stock.

From the libertarian perspective, Kaepernick should retain his rights to remain seated during the National Anthem, just as his employer, the NFL, holds the right to enforce behaviors that are part of the employment agreement. Nike holds the right to hire whomever they please for whichever kind of campaigns they wish to run, and the general public has the right to respond as they see fit.

This is a prime example of the choices of people at work, and frankly, isn’t something that either side ought to be mocked for.