A recent letter criticized Nike and especially Colin Kaepernick saying those who paid the ultimate sacrifice by losing their lives in combat were the only ones who deserved attention. I strongly disagree with this position, because if you get into the trap of quantifying one's sacrifice, where does it lead?

Is the senator from Illinois, Tammy Duckworth, who lost both legs only worth half as much recognition? What of the vet who loses an arm? Is that only worth 25 percent recognition? What of the military members who die or are injured every single year in training missions? Do they count for nothing because it wasn't from combat? Kaepernick is exercising his freedom to protest BECAUSE Americans fought, bled and died to guarantee that right. I would be proud to kneel with him, because he doesn't have to do it and it isn't popular, but it is important to him and really to this country. And he has sacrificed for it, and that is wrong to me. Most veterans in this country stand behind him. We ALL should.

Bob Nelson, Eugene