Shoes will not solve weight problems

To the editor:

My name is Mahon Walsh, and I am 12 years old. I live at Shonto and go to school there. I don't like what Nike is trying to do. I know a lot of Natives feel insulted by this weird shoe called the Nike Air Native N7. Nike Company is saying that they are helping the campaign against obesity, but I know they are just profiting off our problems and beliefs.

I think this is another scam to profit off of Native Americans. First of all, why are these shoes being sold for $48? If they really cared, they would be free, and Nike would make campaigns with their billions of dollars. Just because they designed it with symbols and made it wider, doesn't make it customized for natives. Most people on the Navajo Reservation barely have enough money for food and livestock. Also, most Navajos are up at 5 a.m. working or sheepherding.

I know Nike is saying that they are helping, but I don't think so. I think if Natives made a shoe with a cross and God on it, and had a campaign on obesity for white people, they would see what an insult this shoe is. I saw a TV show on a 600 pound lady, and she wasn't Native, she was white. White people have more weight problems than Natives. I don't have a problem with overweight people, because that is just how they are. Nike shouldn't make it a Native issue.

Most people can avoid being overweight if they wanted to. If they wanted to, they would prevent it and not let it happen. So most overweight people have their own decision, own path to choose, and way to live. It is good to lose weight and be healthy, but it is their own decision. If they really wanted to lose weight and be slim they would go and do that. So people that are overweight all have their own choices and have no one to blame but themselves.

I know Nike likes to get a lot of money off scams and underpaid laborers in China, so we don't need Nike trying to profit off our problems and our beliefs. So I say, "If you have a problem, deal with it".

If you are dealing with weight problems it is good that you really want to loose weight and be healthy, but shoes like the Nike Air Native N7 won't help. If you don't want to loose weight it is all your choice.

Mahon Walsh

Shonto

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