What does the defunct Nike Betsy Ross Flag shoe, commemorating the anniversary of Americans landing on the moon, and Chris Pratt wearing the Gadsden Flag shirt all have in common? According to leftists, they're all racist. Only those with the intellectual dexterity equal to that of a newt would believe such puffed up malarkey. Makes sense.

Earlier this month, Nike was slated to do itself a patriotism by releasing a shoe with the Betsy Ross flag. Perfect timing, as July is the month we celebrate the historical butt-whipping America enjoyed over the pretentious, tea-swilling limeys across the Atlantic. But after the intercept-throwing quarterback Colin Kaepernick got wind of Nike's plans, Nike spiked the shoes.

According to The New York Times:

Mr. Kaepernick, who signed a lucrative deal to serve as a Nike brand ambassador last year, expressed the concern to the company that the Betsy Ross flag had been co-opted by groups espousing racist ideologies, the person said.

In other words, the flag wasn't always seen as "racist" but a few groups of crap merchants now use it, ergo it's racist.

But the flag has, at least in recent years, cropped up in association with racist ideologies. When the Ku Klux Klan tried to recruit new followers in upstate New York last year, its fliers featured a Klansman flanked by the Confederate flag and the Betsy Ross flag. Similar imagery was reportedly included in a letter sent by the Klan to a college newspaper in Washington in 2017.

The Confederate flag was a flag for those southern states which wanted slavery to remain legal. Okay? Okay. But the Betsy Ross 13 original colonies flag was just our first American flag. It's as much a racist symbol as George Washington's profile on a quarter is a racist symbol. It's not racist but a historical symbol. The Betsy Ross flag represents what we were: a free people tired of British tyranny. That it is used by racists doesn't make it racist. Whatever happened to fighting back against racists for taking beloved symbols, then using those symbols for what they always were? In this case: patriotic.

Instead of standing up for itself, Nike did its best impression of the British Empire and surrendered. But the rest of us shouldn't.

Fifty years ago America did what no other country had or has done: it launched rockets into outer space and put men on the moon. I'm sure you've all seen this meme, but because it's funny and triggers all those who need to be:

Detailed maps of countries that have landed on the moon from r/MURICA

To celebrate your country landing on the moon, when no other country has done it, is just patriotism, straight up. With the added bonus of rubbing the upturned noses of every other nation that thinks it's better than America into all the tissues they've poured their snivels since never landing on the moon. Salty, am I right? Other countries must take solace in their cuisine, fast cars, coffee preparation methods, or constantly waring tribes. You know who you are. But Americans can point up at the moon and say "We've been there, we've done that, we have the t-shirts. So take your classy wine and shove it."

But according to America's party poopers, celebrating an American accomplishment is racist and sexist. I'll let you guess why. Three chances.

Who had "because white men"? Winner winner, chicken dinner.

Okay, let's first acknowledge that the 1960s weren't exactly great for all. There was certainly lots of racism and sexism going on. Fine. Sure. Granted.

Multiple things can be true at once. There may have been douchebags working at NASA, but NASA still put men on the moon. And sure, you may think it would've been better had Aretha Franklin been launched in a Saturn 5 Rocket. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. But men going into space to land on the moon is still kind of freaking cool. To celebrate an American accomplishment for the sheer genius and momentous nature that it was doesn't make one a racist, nor should we paint the history of the accomplishment with the wide brush of racism.

The white dudes at NASA didn't sit at their table, drinking their whisky, smoking their cigars, and say "How can we stick it to the colored man and the womyns most?" With a vote of "We'll put a white man on the moon. A cis-man, with a mushroom-capped giggle stick. That'll show 'em."

Individuals are racists. Landing on the moon was not.

Lastly, Chris Pratt wearing the "Don't Tread On Me" Gadsden flag. I guess we really need to do this? For the same reason some people don't like the Betsy Ross flag, these same losers don't like the Gadsden flag: because people they don't like use the symbol.

Tough. "Don't Tread On Me" is a classic warning to those same tea-swilling losers who thought they could push us around. History says: not even close. The flag symbolizes American independence and ferocity. Not racism. Not sexism. Not any other ism other than America will eff you up sideways if you don't heed our warnings to back off. Hence the rattlesnake.

The Gadsden flag is no more a symbol of racism as the rainbow flag is a symbol of men swinging their tantalizing tallywhackers in front of under age boys and girls. Ahem.

We clear? Patriotism is the celebration of one's country, its accomplishments, and what it stands for. All of the cases listed here: not racist. Who might be racists, however, are those determined to see racism everywhere. But that's for another time...

~Written by Courtney Kirchoff