4A I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com
Wednesday, July 17,2019
Petition for boycotting Nike for flag
stance picks up speed in Dawson County
This event will benefit students in Dawson County!
WHEN: Saturday, July JtOth
lOam-Jtpm
WHERE: Dawsorwfe IVoger
Donations also accepted at these sites thru Qu# ,2nd:
Qssociated Credit Union
4200 Dawson Forest Rd, Dawsonville., Ga 30534
Flash Drives (GJ
3 King Binder (I A' or X)
Dry Erase Markers
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Pencils (Regular #2 & Cobred)
Supply/Pencil Boxes (Solid Cobrs)
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Scissors (Bint £ Regular)
Glue (Sticks £ Bottles)
Composition Books (Wireless)
Generic Book Bags (Solid Cobr)
Drawstring sports bags
Come join Lumpkin Campground of
Dawson County, Georgia as we celebrate
189 consecutive years of worship!
Lumpkin
Campground will
be holding services
From July 22
Through July 28,2019
With the first service being Monday night at 7:30pm and
continuing thereafter at 11:00am and 7:30pm each day.
Sunday, services are 11:00am and 7:30pm.
FOR INFORMATION CALL 706-265-1981
By Jessica Taylor and Bob
Christian
editor@dawsonnews.com
Backlash from Nike’s
recent decision to pull an
American-themed sneaker
prior to the Fourth of July
just hit home. A local
mom has created a peti
tion asking Dawson
County High School to
boycott Nike by discontin
uing the purchase of the
company’s uniforms and
gear for the Tigers football
team.
The petition, created by
Dawson County Tiger
mom Rachael Goodman
on July 9, has garnered
more than 860 signatures
in six days.
“I believe we are a coun
ty that honors and respects
our great Country, as well
as our veterans, and I feel
like giving thousands of
dollars every year to a
company that discontinued
the production of a shoe
because its spokesperson
found the American flag
offensive, does not reflect
the overall majority of our
patriotic community,”
Goodman said in a social
media post asking for sup
port of the petition.
Earlier this month Nike
designed the Air Max 1
USA in celebration of the
July Fourth holiday. The
sneaker featured an early
American flag, also referred
to as the Betsy Ross flag.
However the shoes were
pulled from shelves before
they went on sale after
former NFL player Colin
Kaepernick, a Nike
endorser, told the compa
ny it should not sell a shoe
featuring a design he and
others deem offensive.
The design dates back to
the 1770s, created by
Betsy Ross to represent the
13 original colonies, how
ever Kaepernick claimed
the flag is an offensive
symbol due to its connec
tion to an era of slavery.
The petition is addressed
to Superintendent Damon
Gibbs, the Board of
Education and the county’s
football coaches including
Head Football Coach Sid
Maxwell. It asks that the
county considers purchas
ing uniforms and other
equipment for the Tigers
from any other company
besides Nike as the compa
ny has “made it clear that
they do not have respect
for our Nation’s flag, histo
ry or Veterans” by discon
tinuing the shoe.
“As a proud resident of
Dawson County, I do not
believe that Nike and Mr.
Karpernick’s views repre
sent the majority of peo
ple in our community,”
the petition continues.
“Dawsonville honors,
respects and appreciates
our many Veterans in this
county and Nation.”
The petition states that
the signers ask that their
money is no longer used
Dawson County Family Connection
% Qcademy Qve, Dawsonville, Ga 30534
mail checks to: P0 Box 872, Dawsonville, Gn 30534
DAWSON COU NTY
family connection
Bob Christian Dawson County News
TheTigers defense swarms to the ball in a scrimmage with North Forsyth on June 12 during the off-season's first skills camp.
to support this “anti-
American company” and
that the school system find
another vendor to supply
uniforms and equipment.
After being made aware
of the petition, Maxwell
said that he is open to
reconsidering a contract
with Nike.
"I got over the first one,
Kaepernick kneeling, and
then came this one, Kap
2.0. It makes you
reconsider,” Maxwell said.
Unfortunately for the
signers of the petition,
Maxwell said that the “boat
is in the water” for this year,
as he put in his purchase
order in the spring, well
before Nike’s decision to
pull the sneaker.
“If I don’t order in the
spring we won’t have
what we need for the
fall,” Maxwell said.
As for why Maxwell
has used Nike products in
his program, he said Nike
makes a good product.
“They do everything
good. Good shoes, good
cloth. When you look at
UnderArmor, they have
better cloth, but worse
shoes. There’s a trade
off,” Maxwell said.
On July 11, Goodman
posted an update to the
petition stating she had
met with Maxwell to dis
cuss the issue and that her
next step is to request
meetings with each athlet
ic division as well as with
the school board to pres
ent the signed petition.
“Each day on the news,
we see these pro athletes
pushing the envelope fur
ther with their anti
-American behaviors and
disrespect for our flag. As
long as we continue to
support them, and the
companies that sponsor
them, I believe their hate
for our Country will only
continue to grow and
spread,” Goodman wrote.
“By allowing our youth to
idolize and advertise for
them, we are teaching
them that this behavior is
acceptable and a way to
gain attention.”
Dawson County High
School Athletic Director
Jason Gibson is aware of
the petition and has no
comment at this time.
According to Super
intendent Damon Gibbs, the
board of education has no
policy in place restricting or
encourages the purchase of
athletic attire.
“The decision about
whether or not to pur
chase a specific brand of
attire would be at the dis
cretion of the school or
booster club,” Gibbs said.
A majority of the items
in question have already
been purchased for the
fall athletic seasons, he
continued.
“I would encourage
anyone wanting to help
make the decision for
future purchases to work
with the school and
booster clubs,” Gibbs
Jessica Taylor Dawson County News
Ethan Cameron runs the ball down for a touch
down against the Pickens Dragons during the
spring game in Jasper May 18, 2018.
Lumpkin Campground is located just off
Highway 400 on Lumpkin Campground Road
behind North Georgia Premium Outlet Mall.
Everyone Is Welcome To Attend
Pie ase call Bethel United Methodist Church at 706-216-6220 for more information.
