On Sep. 5 Nike released the now controversial ad starring ex-NFL player Colin Kaepernick. If people didn’t see him as a cultural symbol, then they sure can’t ignore he is one now. Kaepernick started the trend of kneeling during the national anthem, in protest of racial inequality and the young black lives being lost by senseless violence. Since that time, people have either followed the movement, disagreed or twisted it into an anti-American movement.

People need to stop twisting a once powerful and pure intended message as well as realize that every company has political views and that if Americans look at everything as political, we are going to destroy a great country.

After the ad aired, the internet blew up with love and praise for Nike or the opposite: videos of people burning their Nike shoes to try to prove a point. People are failing to realize that burning shoes is weakening their argument. If they are so against Kaepernick and his supposed anti-American/Military message, why burn shoes when you could donate them to veteran shelters? This would actually be helping the people who served our country, the people that you say you are supporting by doing this. Nike could care less about it because they already got the money; so burning them is a waste of perfectly good shoes that could be used for a better purpose.

Nike did take a hit shortly after the commercial aired, but currently Nike is at a all time high in terms of stocks. Nike stock fell by three percent in the days after the ad aired, but is now growing with the stock value at $83, as of Sept. 13. The stock isn’t the only thing improving. Despite the loss of certain customers, the company’s clientele has grown and has new celebrity support.

Americans need to stop viewing everything as a political battle. Every company is going to support different beliefs and by labeling all of them, we as consumers aren’t going to buy anything that doesn’t align with what we believe. Nike was involved with Kaepernick before the controversy started.

Looking at the ad itself, the message is actually a beautiful one: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything. Don’t ask if your dreams are crazy. Ask if they’re crazy enough.”