Louisiana town bans Nike purchases over Colin Kaepernick ad
The white mayor of a Louisiana town is showing his true colors after he issued a city-wide ban of purchasing any Nike products, following the reveal of a powerful new ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick.
—Nike sales soar after Kaepernick ad—
Ben Zahn, the mayor of Kenner, decided to abuse his power by issuing a memo ordering the city’s rec department and booster clubs to stop buying Nike apparel, shoes or equipment, Nola.com reports.
The in-house memo was sent on his official mayor’s letterhead to Recreation Director Chad Pitfield, and although it was not public, it’s now circulating widely on social media.
“Under no circumstances will any Nike product or product with the Nike logo be purchased for use or delivery at any city of Kenner recreation facility,” the memo read.
The racist missive outraged Kenner councilman Gregory Carroll who took to Facebook so criticize the Mayor’s memo which he called “disturbing.”
“It is in direct contradiction of what I stand for and what the City of Kenner should stand for.
“I am 100% AGAINST this decision. I will meet with the Mayor and other Council members in an effort to rescind this directive,” Carroll said.
Kenner booster club president Owen Rey told WWL: “If we have something that we feel is going to benefit our kids, it shouldn’t matter what logo, what brand as long as it helps the kids.”
—The Kaepernick effect: Miami Dolphins players kick off anthem protests—
Many are disappointed and criticized Zahn for the move, including former DNC head Donna Brazile, whose hometown is Kenner.
What’s on your Sunday menu?
Disappointed in my beloved City of Kenner. pic.twitter.com/Rc2uP5Wcyl— Donna Brazile (@donnabrazile) September 9, 2018
“What’s on your Sunday menu? Disappointed in my beloved City of Kenner,” Brazile tweeted.
Despite some initial pushback with folks burning their own apparel, Nike fans are proving the naysayers wrong who predicted the sports retailer’s sales would slump after executives released a dramatic new promotion starring Kaepernick.
Since making Kaepernick the centerpiece of its newest “Just Do It” campaign, Nike’s online shoe sales have jumped up 31 percent, according to a report from Edison Trends, a San Francisco-based research firm.
