What the Hell Nike?

[UOducksTK1]

IDK man, I'm middle eastern and it's a little frustrating for me because I don't get the same perks African Americans do. When it came to applying for scholarships at Portland State, they said my skin was too white, my GPA was too high, and my parents were too educated for me to get any scholarship. Also when it came for applying for jobs, intel didn't hire me because I was too white and they were looking to hire more minorities.

I've also heard LeBron say how if you got declined an autograph from a black man, people will freak out. But if you got declined an autograph from a white man, you'd be fine with that. Personally, I don't see that. I think a very, very small perentage of people would act like that. I got declined a picture with Robin Lopez at S&S, and I wasn't stoked about it. Really don't stop to think, well, he's Cuban so I should be more frustrated than if it was Collins.

So from my experience, I feel like there is so much more support and focus for African Americans to thrive in society, and it's actually much more difficult for a middle eastern like me to thrive. Not to mention, people look at me a little differently especially when I have my beard grown out (and especially at places like airports). But frankly that doesn't bother me, since pretty much every airplane terrorist is middle eastern. If my people are committing crimes at a higher rate, then it makes sense people will be more nervous around me and airports should search my kind more. I don't be get mad at other people or TSA, I get mad at my middle eastern people for being idiots and evil. On that same note, obviously we aren't all the same. But the precautions and views from society IMO are completely justified. But I'm not going to go complain to everyone and say how people suppress me and judge me.

Anyway pez, walk around as a middle eastern man for a bit, and maybe you won't be so glad to be a white male. Just saying.

Better start searching all school aged white males since they commit a majority of mass school shootings. Better take an extra hard look at all white men prior to being hired on Wall Street since they are the ones who created a worldwide recession. Better put two body cameras on each white cop since they are the ones responsible for most officer involved shootings. Is that how that logic works? That’s an awfully slippery slope there but so long as these changes only impact minorities, people don’t care.

I'm not saying that's the only criteria that factors into how you view these situations, however it is a factor. The religion of Islam is a big factor when it comes to terrorist attacks. Mental issues, depression, drug usage is a big factor when it comes to shootings. Cop shootings, I don't doubt some may have been racial motivated. It's not as if racism is gone altogether. However, things are blown out of proportion. 52% of homicides the last 30 years have been from African Americans, despite composing of roughly 13% of the population. Black males have made up 42 percent of all cop-killers over the last decade, despite making only 6% of the population. So you don't think cops, especially who are in neighborhoods where these numbers are even more by a multiplier for 2 to 5, will naturally be more afraid of an African American male who is behaving suspiciously vs an African American women who is in her 80s? Seems more than reasonable for them to have extra caution because of demographics point to a higher chance of crime. If you lived in a nice neighborhood where crime rates are low for any race, then naturally there will be no prejudice when it comes to how cops respond. Same reason if I'm walking in downtown Portland and a dude has gang sign tattoos on his face, whether white or black or whatever, I will be extra cautious. You may call that profiling, I call it being smart and reasonable.

[lukeyrid13]

IDK man, I'm middle eastern and it's a little frustrating for me because I don't get the same perks African Americans do. When it came to applying for scholarships at Portland State, they said my skin was too white, my GPA was too high, and my parents were too educated for me to get any scholarship. Also when it came for applying for jobs, intel didn't hire me because I was too white and they were looking to hire more minorities.

I've also heard LeBron say how if you got declined an autograph from a black man, people will freak out. But if you got declined an autograph from a white man, you'd be fine with that. Personally, I don't see that. I think a very, very small perentage of people would act like that. I got declined a picture with Robin Lopez at S&S, and I wasn't stoked about it. Really don't stop to think, well, he's Cuban so I should be more frustrated than if it was Collins.

So from my experience, I feel like there is so much more support and focus for African Americans to thrive in society, and it's actually much more difficult for a middle eastern like me to thrive. Not to mention, people look at me a little differently especially when I have my beard grown out (and especially at places like airports). But frankly that doesn't bother me, since pretty much every airplane terrorist is middle eastern. If my people are committing crimes at a higher rate, then it makes sense people will be more nervous around me and airports should search my kind more. I don't be get mad at other people or TSA, I get mad at my middle eastern people for being idiots and evil. On that same note, obviously we aren't all the same. But the precautions and views from society IMO are completely justified. But I'm not going to go complain to everyone and say how people suppress me and judge me.

Anyway pez, walk around as a middle eastern man for a bit, and maybe you won't be so glad to be a white male. Just saying.

Better start searching all school aged white males since they commit a majority of mass school shootings. Better take an extra hard look at all white men prior to being hired on Wall Street since they are the ones who created a worldwide recession. Better put two body cameras on each white cop since they are the ones responsible for most officer involved shootings. Is that how that logic works? That’s an awfully slippery slope there but so long as these changes only impact minorities, people don’t care.

I'm not saying that's the only criteria that factors into how you view these situations, however it is a factor. The religion of Islam is a big factor when it comes to terrorist attacks. Mental issues, depression, drug usage is a big factor when it comes to shootings. Cop shootings, I don't doubt some may have been racial motivated. It's not as if racism is gone altogether. However, things are blown out of proportion. 52% of homicides the last 30 years have been from African Americans, despite composing of roughly 13% of the population. Black males have made up 42 percent of all cop-killers over the last decade, despite making only 6% of the population. So you don't think cops, especially who are in neighborhoods where these numbers are even more by a multiplier for 2 to 5, will naturally be more afraid of an African American male who is behaving suspiciously vs an African American women who is in her 80s? Seems more than reasonable for them to have extra caution because of demographics point to a higher chance of crime. If you lived in a nice neighborhood where crime rates are low for any race, then naturally there will be no prejudice when it comes to how cops respond. Same reason if I'm walking in downtown Portland and a dude has gang sign tattoos on his face, whether white or black or whatever, I will be extra cautious. You may call that profiling, I call it being smart and reasonable.

I agree with this. Profiling is needed in most jobs; whether it be: sales, account management, marketing or a police officer.

My small potatoes example that I can give, is when I was in college I worked security for Target. We would watch all of the customers come in on camera and keep tabs on them. Do you know who our top 2 offenders were? Middle school aged girls in the makeup aisle were #1. You'd be shocked how many we caught. #2, was women under age 40 with very large purses. Was it wrong of me to assume that a girl in the makeup aisle would be 1000x more likely to steal from that aisle than a similarly aged boy? Should I have watched the 65 year old couple looking at towels as closely as I would a homeless man with an open backpack?

[pezsez1]

Black males have made up 42 percent of all cop-killers over the last decade, despite making only 6% of the population.

The problem with stats like this, though, is they can easily lead to false conclusions -- such as the probably false conclusion that African Americans are massively more likely to kill police officers without serious consideration of other factors.

Having covered crime for a few newspapers, I know that population density tends to be the biggest driver in crime rate. It's not that certain groups of people are more likely to commit crimes -- it's that when you cram more people into tight spaces, there are simply more people there to commit crimes. Per-capita crime rates generally don't have much variation much on a regional basis. The above stat doesn't account for institutional racism that tends to depress African American incomes and focus their regional populations into places where housing is still "affordable," which usually means high-density apartments in economically depressed areas where middle- and upper-income Americans go out of their ways to avoid. I'd be willing to bet that 42 percent figure is more representative of cop killings in high-density, economically depressed regions where people who live there just happen to be black.

As you said, though, it's understandable why cops want to be extra careful. They want to live, to go home to their families. It's human nature to be cautious, especially when immersed in the reality that 42 percent DO happen to be African American. And educating police (or anyone) on the faults of statistical data without context won't solve anything in the short term. These are conversations we need to keep having though as we work to address the glaring social inequities that perpetuate institutional racism.

[greenyellow]

It looks like Nike knew the backlash would be swift but don't care because they feel since most of their consumers are urbanites, this message will resonate with up-and-coming athletes. Basically this was a pandering move to stay relevant to potential future Nike signees.

http://www.tmz.com/2018/09/05/nike-coli ... adid=hero5

[StevensTechU]

It looks like Nike knew the backlash would be swift but don't care because they feel since most of their consumers are urbanites, this message will resonate with up-and-coming athletes. Basically this was a pandering move to stay relevant to potential future Nike signees.

http://www.tmz.com/2018/09/05/nike-coli ... adid=hero5

"Pandering" move?

[pezsez1]

It's a pretty damn smart move. It's marketing. And it's not like Nike is suddenly veering from its brand. Nike has stayed relevant through decades of cultural change, and this is just Nike staying relevant yet again.

From that TMZ article:

But, beyond demos ... we're told Nike's decision was a long play. Up-and-coming athletes are no longer just shills for corporate America. They increasingly embrace causes and are not afraid to speak out, even at their own expense. In other words, they believe in Colin's mantra, "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything."

Again, smart! You don't even have to look at "up-and-coming" athletes. Just look at today's biggest stars and you'll find many who aren't afraid to speak their minds. Heck, Lebron James is arguably the best athlete on the planet right now, and he's not even remotely shy about using his platform to express his political beliefs. The list goes on, too... Steph Curry, Damian Lillard, Richard Sherman, etc...

Nike made this decision because change happened. The era of "shut up and play" is over. It's never coming back.

[Bud Lee]

IDK man, I'm middle eastern

Not going to lie, I've always pictured you as Samoan.

[Bud Lee]

Regarding how the "backlash" is going to affect their profits...I don't think it will.

I saw one basic AF white girl I'm friends with post all about how she will never buy another pair of Nikes again. Today she posted a selfie in full freaking Nike tennis gear. I'm talking head to freaking toe. People love to mouth of on social media and burn those old shoes they haven't worn in a few months in "protest" but at the end of the day most of them are going to wear and buy the product they have been using for years. Also, I think the CK line is going to be HUGE with their target audience.

Daily shifts in the market mean nothing, let’s see what the trend is after a quarter.

[pudgejeff]

I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.

I love this quote. It's honest. And, sadly, this actually happens. And when some of the most prominent African Americans attempt to peacefully draw attention to it, white people go nuts and hyperfocus on "but the anthem!" and "but veterans!"

Seriously, I'm so glad to be a white male. Being anything else must be ****ing exhausting.

IDK man, I'm middle eastern and it's a little frustrating for me because I don't get the same perks African Americans do. When it came to applying for scholarships at Portland State, they said my skin was too white, my GPA was too high, and my parents were too educated for me to get any scholarship. Also when it came for applying for jobs, intel didn't hire me because I was too white and they were looking to hire more minorities.

I've also heard LeBron say how if you got declined an autograph from a black man, people will freak out. But if you got declined an autograph from a white man, you'd be fine with that. Personally, I don't see that. I think a very, very small perentage of people would act like that. I got declined a picture with Robin Lopez at S&S, and I wasn't stoked about it. Really don't stop to think, well, he's Cuban so I should be more frustrated than if it was Collins.

So from my experience, I feel like there is so much more support and focus for African Americans to thrive in society, and it's actually much more difficult for a middle eastern like me to thrive. Not to mention, people look at me a little differently especially when I have my beard grown out (and especially at places like airports). But frankly that doesn't bother me, since pretty much every airplane terrorist is middle eastern. If my people are committing crimes at a higher rate, then it makes sense people will be more nervous around me and airports should search my kind more. I don't be get mad at other people or TSA, I get mad at my middle eastern people for being idiots and evil. On that same note, obviously we aren't all the same. But the precautions and views from society IMO are completely justified. But I'm not going to go complain to everyone and say how people suppress me and judge me.

Anyway pez, walk around as a middle eastern man for a bit, and maybe you won't be so glad to be a white male. Just saying.

I mean after reading this it makes me feel the same glad to be a white male, not as in proud, but as in feeling lucky.

[Bud Lee]

I mean after reading this it makes me feel the same glad to be a white male, not as in proud, but as in feeling lucky.

huh...I always thought you were Hispanic

Does anyone else try to picture what other posters look like or is it just me?

I'm fairly certain you all see me as the crazy coach in water boy.

[maxduck]

I mean after reading this it makes me feel the same glad to be a white male, not as in proud, but as in feeling lucky.

huh...I always thought you were Hispanic

Does anyone else try to picture what other posters look like or is it just me?

I'm fairly certain you all see me as the crazy coach in water boy.

Bud at work

[lukeyrid13]

I mean after reading this it makes me feel the same glad to be a white male, not as in proud, but as in feeling lucky.

huh...I always thought you were Hispanic

Does anyone else try to picture what other posters look like or is it just me?

I'm fairly certain you all see me as the crazy coach in water boy.

Helpful hint, in Oregon we are like 97% white. Only being slightly hyperbolic lol.

[TualatinDuck]

I mean after reading this it makes me feel the same glad to be a white male, not as in proud, but as in feeling lucky.

huh...I always thought you were Hispanic

Does anyone else try to picture what other posters look like or is it just me?

I'm fairly certain you all see me as the crazy coach in water boy.

TK being middle eastern threw me, didnt know that. Not that it matters.

Bud I thought you were the water boy?

Pudge being hispanic is kinda funny as he has been accused of being Ernie Kents son since 2009!

[pezsez1]

I mean after reading this it makes me feel the same glad to be a white male, not as in proud, but as in feeling lucky.

This.

Just FYI, I've been turned down for jobs because I'm a white male. I was literally told by one editor that he wanted to hire me, but the editor-in-chief at this newspaper was forcing him to make a female/minority hire. So, yes, I get the frustration. There are moments when it feels like society is trying so hard to end institutional racism that "we" (white dudes!) face an uphill battle.

But we really don't. Those moments are fleeting, and they don't reflect quantifiable reality. White people (men, especially) still have much easier times finding better jobs with higher pay. We're more likely to be managers, to get promotions, etc. And as we advance, we're simply more likely to hire more white people -- and not because we're racist assholes, but because our system (which is infused with institutional racism) will flood us with qualified white candidates who are simply too easy to take.

I feel like I'm going off on another one of my tangents now, so I'll cut myself off. Just wanted to convey that I've been in that spot -- and it's not fun, and even I'm still a little bitter about it -- but it is what it is. I moved on, had no problems finding other jobs, and now I'm doing quite well for myself.

[Bud Lee]

Bud at work

Not too far off