'American Sniper' Wife Breaks Silence, Pens BLISTERING Letter to Nike, Kaepernick

Update America ^ | September 04, 2018 | Max Baylor

[Heartlander]

'American Sniper' Wife Breaks Silence, Pens BLISTERING Letter to Nike, Kaepernick

Taya Kyle, the widow of legendary Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, broke her silence on Nike’s decision to make Colin Kaepernick the face of their new “Just Do It” ad campaign — and she didn’t hold anything back.

Kaepernick is the controversial former NFL quarterback who started the controversial national anthem protests that many Americans feel is disrespectful to the nation and military veterans.

In a open letter published on Facebook, Kyle blasted Nike for the “sacrifice everything” language used in the Kaepernick ad. She is more than justified in her disgust as a widow who knows the true meaning of sacrifice.

“Nike, I love your gear, but you exhaust my spirit on this one. Your new ad with Colin Kaepernick, I get the message, but that sacrificing everything thing…. It just doesn’t play out here. Sacrificing what exactly? A career? I’ve done that both times I chose to stay home and be with my kids instead of continuing my business climb… and it wasn’t sacrificing everything. It was sacrificing one career and some money and it was because of what I believe in and more importantly, who I believe in.

At best, that is all Colin sacrificed… some money and it’s debatable if he really lost his career over it. Maybe he sacrificed the respect of some people while he gained the respect of others. Or maybe he used one career to springboard himself into a different career when the first was waning. I don’t know. What I do know is, he gained popularity and magazine covers he likely wouldn’t have gotten without getting on his knees or as you say, “believing in something.” I’m also thinking the irony is that while I am not privy to the numbers, it’s likely he gained a lucrative Nike contract. So yeah… that whole “sacrificing everything” is insulting to those who really have sacrificed everything.

You want to talk about someone in the NFL sacrificing everything? Pat Tillman. NFL STARTING, not benched, player who left to join the Army and died for it. THAT is sacrificing everything for something you believe in.

How about other warriors? Warriors who will not be on magazine covers, who will not get lucrative contracts and millions of followers from their actions and who have truly sacrificed everything. They did it because they believed in something. Take it from me, when I say they sacrificed everything, they also sacrificed the lives of their loved ones who will never be the same. THAT is sacrificing everything for something they believe in.

Did you get us talking? Yeah, you did. But, your brand recognition was strong enough. Did you teach the next generation of consumers about true grit? Not that I can see.

Taking a stand, or rather a knee, against the flag which has covered the caskets of so many who actually did sacrifice everything for something they believe in, that we all believe in? Well, the irony of your ad..it almost leaves me speechless. Were you trying to be insulting?

Maybe you are banking on the fact we won’t take the time to see your lack of judgement in using words that just don’t fit. Maybe you are also banking on us not seeing Nike as kneeling before the flag. Or maybe you want us to see you exactly that way. I don’t know. All I know is, I was actually in the market for some new kicks and at least for now, I’ve never been more grateful for Under Armour.”

Amen.

Nike’s stock fell 3.2 percent after it announced the Kaepernick ad campaign, a significant drop equaling millions of dollars.

[Blue House Sue]

“You want to talk about someone in the NFL sacrificing everything? Pat Tillman. NFL STARTING, not benched, player who left to join the Army and died for it. THAT is sacrificing everything for something you believe in.”

Pat Tillman was a true American Hero!

[WashingtonFire]

It’s our heroic servicemen who sacrifice everything for us.

Kaperstink is a spoilt millionaire who wouldn’t know sacrifice if it but his ass

[longfellow]

I like the new campaign. The bus stop posters make great targets. Thanks Nike.

[IronJack]

BAM!

[yarddog]

She was way too nice to them.

Probably because she doesn’t know how to be really ugly.

[Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Wow, really came straight of left field there didn’t yah.

[Yaelle]

Gd bless this well spoken widow WHO ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDS SACRIFICING EVERYTHING.

Nike’s Chinese sweat shop made plastic foot atrophy cases are not worth anyone ever buying.

[Doogle]

Sacrificing?.... He’s a sellout, punk,got millions...Nike’s nothing to me

[GOPJ]

Nike backed Tonya Harding too...

http://adage.com/article/news/nike-thin-ice-harding-ploy/88550/

[Dilbert San Diego]

Really??? So a sniper is a coward because he’s not in plain sight being a target himself?

And Chris Kyle is a racist shooting brown people???

Please explain in more detail what you mean.

[NEMDF]

Excellent. Thanks for sharing.

[thoughtomator]

I never understood the idolization of this guy in the first place. Killing people who don’t know you’re there from a mile away, however effective, isn’t exactly the most honorable method of combat. If this had been done in self-defense, or defending the country, that would be one thing; but there is no reasonable argument to be made that anything he did qualified as either one.

He’s a killer who went to someone else’s land and killed a lot of people. That’s really the cut and dry de-propagandized version. If you don’t see a serious enough moral and ethical problem here that would forbid the idolization that has gone on (and apparently continues), then you’re not a very serious person.

[thoughtomator]

I didn’t use either of those words. Perhaps you should read a post for what it says, and not for how it makes you feel.

[Dilbert San Diego]

That’s what I’m asking you. Since I apparently misinterpret what you are trying to say, please say it in other ways using other words.

[BillyBonebrake]

Nike makes boots designed for service members and first responders, among all their offerings. They won’t be able to give those boots away.

[VideoDoctor]

Re-posting for those who may not have yet seen it.

The NFL
 
You graduated high school in 2011.  Your teenage years were a struggle.  You grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Your mother was the leader of the family and worked tirelessly to keep a roof over your head and food on your plate.  Academics were a struggle for you and your grades were mediocre at best. The only thing that made you stand out is you weighed 225 lbs and could run 40 yards in 4.2 seconds while carrying a football.   Your best friend was just like you, except he didn’t play football.  Instead of going to football practice after school, he went to work at McDonalds for minimum wage.  You were recruited by all the big colleges and spent every weekend of your senior year making visits to universities where coaches and boosters tried to convince you their school was best.  They laid out the red carpet for you. Your best friend worked double shifts at Mickey D’s.  College was not an option for him.  On the day you signed with Big State University, your best friend signed paperwork with his Army recruiter  You went to summer workouts. 
He went to basic training.
 
You spent the next four years living in the athletic dorm, eating at the training table. You spent your Saturdays on the football field, cheered on by adoring fans.  Tutors attended to your every academic need.  You attended class when you felt like it. Sure, you worked hard.  You lifted weights, ran sprints, studied plays, and soon became one of the top football players in the country.  Your best friend was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division. While you were in college, he deployed to Iraq once and Afghanistan twice.  He became a Sergeant and led a squad of 19 year old soldiers who grew up just like he did.  He shed his blood in Afghanistan and watched young American's give their lives, limbs, and innocence for the USA.
 
You went to the NFL combine and scored off the charts.  You hired an agent and waited for draft day.  You were drafted in the first round and your agent immediately went to work, ensuring that you received the most money possible. You signed for $16 million although you had never played a single down of professional football.  Your best friend re-enlisted in the Army for four more years. As a combat tested sergeant, he will be paid $32,000 per year.
 
You will drive a Ferrari on the streets of South Beach.  He will ride in the back of a Blackhawk helicopter with 10 other combat loaded soldiers.  You will sleep at the Ritz.  He will dig a hole in the ground and try to sleep.  You will “make it rain” in the club..  He will pray for rain as the temperature reaches 120 degrees.
 
On Sunday, you will run into a stadium as tens of thousands of fans cheer and yell your name.  For your best friend, there is little difference between Sunday and any other day of the week.  There are no adoring fans.  There are only people trying to kill him and his soldiers. Every now and then, he and his soldiers leave the front lines and “go to the rear” to rest  He might be lucky enough to catch an NFL game on TV.  When the National Anthem plays and you take a knee, he will jump to his feet and salute the television.  While you protest the unfairness of life in the United States, he will give thanks to God that he has the honor of defending his great country.
 
To the players of the NFL:  We are the people who buy your tickets, watch you on TV, and wear your jerseys.  We anxiously wait for Sundays so we can cheer for you and marvel at your athleticism. Although we love to watch you play, we care little about your opinions until you offend us. You have the absolute right to express yourselves, but we have the absolute right to boycott you.  We have tolerated your drug use and DUIs, your domestic violence, and your vulgar displays of wealth.  We should be ashamed for putting our admiration of your physical skills before what is morally right.  But now you have gone too far. You have insulted our flag, our country, our soldiers, our police officers, and our veterans. You are living the American dream, yet you disparage our great country.  I am done with NFL football and encourage all like minded Americans to boycott the NFL as well.
 
National boycott of the NFL for Sunday November 12th, Veterans Day Weekend. Boycott all football telecast, all fans, all ticket holders, stay away from attending any games, let them play to empty stadiums.

 

Pass this post along to all your friends and family. Honor our military, some of whom come home with the American Flag draped over their coffin.
 
 

[Levy78]

one of the most ignorant comments I have ever read on FR.

[angcat]

Go to hell you bastard.