Betsy Ross Is Canceled Nike pulls flag-themed shoe. Betsy Ross: beloved symbol of American folklore or avatar of white supremacy? While no one seems...

Betsy Ross Is Canceled Nike pulls flag-themed shoe. Betsy Ross: beloved symbol of American folklore or avatar of white supremacy? While no one seems... Nike pulls flag-themed shoe. Betsy Ross: beloved symbol of American folklore or avatar of white supremacy? While no one seems to be saying that Ross herself was an evil racist, the fact that she lived—and allegedly sewed the iconic, 13-star flag associated with the American Revolution—during slaveholding times is apparently enough to ensure that she and her flag be canceled. The controversy comes after Nike announced a new Fourth of July-themed sneaker, made in red, white, and blue materials and adorned on the heel with the Betsy Ross flag. After shipping the shoe—a version of Nike's popular Air Max 1—to stores, the company then abruptly called for their return. "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," was all a Nike spokesperson would say. But the shoes were reportedly yanked at the request of Colin Kaepernick, former NFL football player and current Nike representative. According to some, the Ross flag has been co-opted by racists as a symbol of white nationalism, and therefore we're just supposed to just cede it to them and move on. The Betsy Ross flag is not "the American flag", and as I'm sure you're aware, it's been appropriated as a symbol of white nationalism. Would you approve of a Confederate flag sneaker? Or do you consider that an American flag too? https://t.co/ReX29V1RIo — Elizabeth Spiers (@espiers) July 2, 2019 Not everyone agrees… To be clear: I don't think it's wise to cede national or civic symbols to racists because they want them to be able to publicly present their ideology as "patriotic," and what America should be, which is exactly what is being contested. Let them have the stars and bars. — Adam Serwer???? (@AdamSerwer) July 2, 2019 For the record, "whether Ross actually designed the flag is a matter of dispute," as The Washington Post notes. "There is little evidence to back up assertions by her descendants that turned the Philadelphia-based upholsterer into a national heroine in the 1870s. Nike's decision to pull the shoes sparked an immediate backlash, especially among folks on the right. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said he's canceling incentives the state had offered Nike to build a plant there. Instead of celebrating American history the week of our nation's independence, Nike has apparently decided that Betsy Ross is unworthy, and has bowed to the current onslaught of political correctness and historical revisionism. 5/ — Doug Ducey (@dougducey) July 2, 2019 QUICK HITS headline fix: this data wasn't 'collected,' it was stolen. https://t.co/d1U8y2P2dF — troy farah (@filth_filler) July 2, 2019 Conditions in migrant detention centers are "worse than we ever could have imagined,"say Democratic lawmakers who visited yesterday. "The average person on Earth is now 4.4 times richer than their ancestors were in 1950," reports Axios on a new analysis of generational growth. Vox discovered that gun owners aren't all Republican. Gun groups are suing California over the state's decision to raise the legal gun-buying age to 21. "Battle-ready Trump supporters" aredescending on the capital this week. The American Civil Liberties Union is suing to stop Florida from requiring felons to pay fees before voting. Neil Gaiman's Sandman is being made into a Netflix series. advertisement Most Popular Stories from Reason‌.com   Antifa Mob Viciously Assaults Journalist Andy Ngo at Portland Rally Massachusetts Lawmakers Want To Crack Down on Beer Gardens The FBI Hopes These Cute Puppies Will Distract You From Unconstitutional Civil Asset Forfeitures Charles Koch, George Soros Help Fund Think Tank Opposed To 'Endless War' Harris-Biden Busing Spat Shows Democrats Can't Have an Honest Conversation About Racial Issues Elizabeth Nolan Brown is an associate editor at Reason, where she covers sex policy, free speech, criminal justice, women's health care, food regulation, and national politics. She lives in Washington, D.C. Follow her on Twitter at @enbrown.       GET REASON MAGAZINE   Reason is the magazine of "free minds and free markets," offering a refreshing alternative to the left-wing and right-wing echo chambers for independent-minded readers who love liberty. Subscribe today to save 65% off the cover price.     Reason Foundation 5737 Mesmer Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90230