WPRO News
North Smithfield Council President John Beauregard issued a statement Wednesday saying that he will seek to recall the controversial Nike resolution that was passed 3-2 at a meeting on Monday night. The resolution requested that town departments refrain from doing business with Nike, citing the company’s decision to hire Colin Kaepernick as a spokesman.
Beauregard, a former Rhode Island State Trooper, said in a statement that he “did not expect that my attempt to make a simple non binding request to show a sign of respect for the men and women in law enforcement, especially those who have sacrificed their lives for our safety would be so grossly and incorrectly distorted and misrepresented. All anyone had to do to understand my position is take the time and watch the video of the council meeting. This resolution had nothing to do with race; it was about those who truly believed in something and sacrificed everything.”
Beauregard says he’s calling the meeting because of the “backlash to my town, the businesses in my town, the schools and all the residents. I don’t want to drag anyone into my fight that did not chose to be in it.”
The statement goes on to say that “The sheer hatred displayed in e-mails and on social media by many of those against this resolution gives me great concern for our future. If certain groups disagree with you they will begin a campaign of lies and character assassination regardless of the truth. This was not the case for everyone that disagreed with me and sent me messages and I appreciate their views and they way they expressed them. I also appreciate all the letters of support I received and I hope my doing this does not let them down.”
