Here we go again. A multi-billion-dollar corporation has recently launched a marketing campaign that seems to have everyone throwing a hissy fit, on one side or the other. Nike’s latest campaign to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their “Just Do It” slogan features oft-maligned Colin Kaepernick with the tagline “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” Hours after the first image was released online, social media was ablaze with hateful, disrespectful rhetoric targeted at Nike and Kaepernick. Similar images featuring military figures, most notably Pat Tillman who left his football career with the Arizona Cardinals to become an Army Ranger after the events of September 11, 2001.
Although there is clearly a racially motivated reasoning behind some people’s distaste for the campaign, I wanted to discuss a deeper justification that may bring things into perspective – the word “everything” as it is used in the campaign. Your “everything” may be different from someone else’s “everything,” much like Kaepernick and Tillman would likely have different metaphorical definitions of the word. “Everything” is based on your particular reality – your own experiences and social placement in the world along with many other factors. For example, a refugee in war-torn Syria may give up everything to flee his country hoping to find asylum in a more welcoming country. His “everything” may literally fit into the backpack of your standard college student. Does that mean he is making more or less of a sacrifice than Kaepernick? Than Tillman? Than any of us that have had personal struggles that resulted in major sacrifices?
Let’s look at the icons which have been pitted against each other here – Kaepernick and Tillman. Kaepernick had a promising career in the NFL, regardless what some of you may think about his physical abilities on the field. Born to a 19-year-old single mother in 1987, Kaepernick was later adopted by a family who had lost two previous children to heart defects. He excelled in football, baseball and basketball through his young career, leading to a last-minute scholarship offer to the University of Nevada. He was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year twice (2008, 2010) and is the only quarterback in the history of Division I FBS college football to have passed for over 10,000 yards and rushed for over 4,000 yards in a collegiate career. His career in the NFL had barely begun when he led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2013. In 2016, he began a widely misunderstood protest directed at racial injustice. The backlash of this act virtually ended his athletic career to this point.
Tillman played football at a young age in California and received the last remaining scholarship from Arizona State University, where he excelled as a linebacker, leading his team to an undefeated season and the Rose Bowl in 1996. In 1997, he was voted the PAC-10 Defensive Player of the Year and would later be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Picked 228th in the NFL Draft, Tillman joined the Arizona Cardinals for three years and was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2000. Eight months after the 9/11 attacks, Tillman turned down a $3.6 million contract with the Cardinals and enlisted in the Army, along with his brother Kevin. He was killed April 22, 2004, in Afghanistan during a friendly-fire incident that was initially withheld by the Army and later revealed after his burial and an investigation.
Ironically, the two had more of a similar path than many would expect, especially in their early years. The fact that one chose to join the military does not make the other less of a human being. I respect those that serve our country in that manner, but I don’t idolatrize them. I also respect those who can play sports at such a high, professional level, but they are just people, not gods. If you want to look up to a particular person, whether it is an athlete, soldier, actor, etc. that is your right; but it doesn’t mean you should denigrate those who choose to follow a different path just because you may not like it.
What it boils down to is “everything” is relative. Tillman’s “everything” included leaving his wife and family to serve his country, which is very noble. Kaepernick’s “everything” was a career in football, which he worked towards from the age of eight, which is noble in its own right. The level of nobility of each is relative. My “everything” is different from yours, but if you choose to sacrifice that for a noble purpose, I will support you. Both men have done great things for their community, family and the world and deserve respect.
Nike’s marketing campaign should not be divisive; but in this era of a weakened America, it is. This division in America is growing at an exponential rate and shows no signs of healing itself or even slowing down and that is a worrisome thought. I use the term “weakened” to describe America because we once used to unite for certain goals and ideals, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Swiss psychologist Alice Miller said “Disrespect is the weapon of the weak” and right now, our citizens are currently arguing over the word “everything” not realizing that the word can have different meanings for nearly every individual person on the planet. That is why we, as a people, are weak.
It is time to move past our divisive natures and unite. Look past black or white, conservative or liberal, soldier or athlete and come together. Can you even imagine where we could be as a culture if we all could unite for something truly important rather than fight over petty things? Personally, I’d sacrifice everything if that could truly happen.
