The niece of Martin Luther King suggested that Colin Kaepernick may not be familiar with Betsy Ross before declaring that the famous flag maker may not have even designed the original flag.
Alveda King, a conservative pundit and pro-life advocate, appeared on Fox Business to question the quarterback’s knowledge of the American flag maker after Nike announced that it was pulling a shoe after he raised concerns.
‘I am not so sure brother Kaepernick even totally understands who Betsy Ross is,’ Alveda King said on Wednesday.
‘It’s kind of unfortunate that we are fighting over sneakers when we should be celebrating living in the best country on the planet.’
Alveda King, a conservative pundit and pro-life advocate, appeared on Fox Business to question the quarterback’s knowledge of the American flag maker
Nike has reportedly recalled sneakers featuring an early American flag, known as ‘Betsy Ross’, after Colin Kaepernick complained the symbol was offensive
King suggested that her grandfather, father and uncle all understood how to go about peaceful conflict resolution while gathering facts.
‘I am not so sure brother Kaepernick even totally understands who Betsy Ross is,’ Alveda King said on Wednesday
‘If you take a knee, do a prayer in the process,’ she said. ‘You educate your public, you examine your own soul, you sit down and you talk.’
King – a Trump supporter – stressed that the country had more important things to be focused on, specifically ‘the babies being aborted in the womb.’
She added that ‘restoration, renewal, forgiveness and communication’ were effective means to achieve progress.
While she stressed that she found the shoes to be cute, King also speculated that ‘Betsy Ross may or may have not designed the flag.’
King also added that the company’s decision to pull the shoe added to the division happening in the country.
‘Unfortunately, Nike decided to join in a fight, in a struggle, that further divides rather than reconciles,’ she added. ‘I think love always wins the day, but we have to get there.’
While she stressed that she found the shoes to be cute, King also speculated that ‘Betsy Ross may or may have not designed the flag.’ Betsy Ross shows the first design of the American flag to George Washington in Philadelphia in the painting above
The Air Max 1 USA shoes were set to go on sale this week for $140.
The 31-year-old quarterback, who is also a Nike endorser, said the old American flag emblazoned on the sneakers’ heel was offensive because of its links to an era of slavery, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Nike had already shipped the shoes to retailers when it asked for them to be returned without explanation, according to the paper.
‘Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag,’ a Nike spokeswoman told the outlet.
Kaepernick complained to the company after seeing images of the design online.
The Betsy Ross flag, which features 13 white stars in a circle representing the 13 original U.S. colonies, was created during the American Revolution.
It was a time when lawmakers advocated for the expansion of slavery and declared that those born into slavery were slaves for life.
The flag has more recently been appropriated by some extremist groups opposed to the country’s increasing diversity.
Kaepernick ignited a nationwide controversy in 2016 when he decided to protest inequality and racist police brutality by refusing to stand during the national anthem.
Last September, Nike introducing Kaepernick as the new face of its ‘Just Do It’ ad campaign.
A month later, the company released a long-sleeved black t-shirt with the controversial free agent quarterback’s name emblazoned in reflective lettering along the back, and the $50 item sold out within only a few hours.