By Perry Green, AFRO Sports Editor
A Louisiana city mayor who banned the purchase and use of all Nike products after Colin Kaepernick was signed to a Nike endorsement deal retracted his order after facing widespread backlash.
According to reports, Ben Zahn, mayor of Kenner, La., a small city that neighbors New Orleans, prohibited the city’s recreational department from purchasing any Nike products. The order was issued by Zahn back on Sept. 5, following Nike’s announcement of Kaepernick being named the face of the brand’s 30-year anniversary of its “Just do it” slogan.
Kenner Mayor Ben Zahn rescinds his order banning the city’s recreation department from purchasing Nike products for use at city recreation facilities, during a news conference, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018, at Veteran’s Park in Kenner, La. (Scott Threlkeld/The Advocate via AP)
Several right-wing supporters have said they will boycott Nike for signing Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who sparked a league-wide trend of players using their platform to protest after he first kneeled during the playing of the National Anthem back in 2016 in protest of police brutality and racism in the U.S.
While many people used social media to show their disdain for Nike by cutting the brand’s “swoop” logo off their socks or by burning their sneakers, Zahn used his powers as a city official to boycott Nike.
“Under no circumstances will any Nike product or any product with the Nike logo be purchased for use or delivery at any City of Kenner Recreation Facility,” Zahn stated in leaked memo, as reported by USAToday, explaining how his decision was to “protect taxpayer dollars from being used in a political campaign.”
A video also surfaced on Facebook of the Kenner mayor criticizing protesters who kneel.
“I’m going to ask y’all to stand for what’s about to happen. … Because this is not the NFL football players, right?” Zahn said in the interview, USAToday reported. “This is the city of Kenner. In the city of Kenner, we all stand. We’re going to be proud of that.”
Zahn’s memo sparked local and nationwide criticism. Per USAToday, Kenner councilman Gregory Carroll said the order was “a direct contradiction to what the City of Kenner should stand for.”
Zahn eventually backtracked on his decision, announcing during a press conference Wednesday that he would rescind his memo after taking with Kenner’s city attorney. Zahn didn’t apologize for his memo, but did acknowledge that it “placed Kenner in a false and unflattering light.”
“I am passionate about my country and the brave men and women who put themselves on the front line every day in the name of protecting us all – members of the armed forces, our fire departments, our police departments actually sacrifice everything, their very lives,” Zahn stated. “It is because of those sacrifices that my patriotism will not waver, but my focus needs to be on the city of Kenner and the many great projects we have in store for our city.”
