Olympic hammer thrower Gwen Berry 'pissed' national anthem was playing https://t.co/HANHvsuFed pic.twitter.com/NGCzpnHACJ
— New York Post (@nypost) June 27, 2021
A US hammer thrower turned away from the American flag as the national anthem played while she and two other athletes stood on the podium at the Olympic trials Saturday, later saying she was “pissed” that “The Star-Spangled Banner” played as she received her bronze medal.
Gwen Berry — who qualified for her second US Olympic team during the trials — shifted to face the stands rather than the flag before holding up a black shirt that read, “Activist Athlete.”
“They said they were going to play it before we walked out, then they played it when we were out there,” Berry said. “But I don’t really want to talk about the anthem because that’s not important. The anthem doesn’t speak for me. It never has.”
“My purpose and my mission is bigger than sports,” Berry said. “I’m here to represent those … who died due to systemic racism. That’s the important part. That’s why I’m going. That’s why I’m here today.”
It should be a requirement of Team USA that you support America.
If you’re going to disrespect America from the podium, you don’t need America sending you to the Olympics.
A country that despises itself will not stand.
I wonder, in how many cases like this, it also comes down to hatred of self being projected outward.
She’s wearing a face full of makeup… Elaborately patterned and intricately designed makeup too.
To compete in a physically demanding athletic competition.
If I were her coach, I’d throw her ass off the team just for that. “You got third-place. You might have been able to get first-place, if you weren’t too worried about sweat ruining your lipstick and tears making your mascara run. I want people on this team who are willing to bleed for gold. You aren’t willing to smudge your eyeshadow. GTFO.”
She personally tweeted out the photograph, seen above, with the message “Stop playin’ with me.”
In a sane world, the reaction from the coaching staff and the Team USA organizers would be “As you wish. We will no longer play this sport with you. Please clean out your locker by 5:00 PM and return your parking pass to Carl at the front gate as you leave. Drive safe.”
Unfortunately, we live in a world where this third-place athlete is now going to be featured on magazine covers, made-for-tv movies, and get a lingerie modeling contract.
Oh, the irony of people living in a country where they are allowed to protest said country in public (as opposed to a jail cell or mass grave).
Indeed. If a Soviet player did that, he’d vanish from existence on the spot.
Do svidanya, indeed.
As Divemedic once said: vzyali.
America: love it or leave it! She should go back to Africa or where ever she comes from!
Missouri.
All these “SJW” types think they’re some grand hero but they just look like petulant children.
They are petulant children.
Seriously, tell me a single trait the leftists/woke/progressives/etc… have that is not 100% toddler. I cannot think of a single thing that demonstrated adult level logic from any of them. It is nothing but emotion and self interests.
Leftists are little children.
Leftists are little children … in grown-up bodies with voting rights.
It’s that last part (voting rights) that terrifies the crap out of me, and it’s exactly why the Founders left us with a constitutional republic and not a democracy — despite the Left, the Media, and establishment Republicans (but I repeat myself in triplicate … sorry) insisting otherwise.
So, when you are at no measurable risk of any sort of consequence, you are stunning and brave?
Who knew?
If the United States were what she claims to believe, she would be too terrified to throw these tantrums in public.
That’s really a dude????
“The anthem doesn’t speak for me. It never has.”
Duly noted. “… the Land of Free, and the home of the Brave” … doesn’t speak for you.
The anthem that tells of the awesome and terrible sights of a war — an actual war where people fought and died — waged to maintain the freedom you now enjoy … doesn’t speak for you.
You’re competing in the Olympics representing America … except you’re not actually representing America.
Right.
WTF are you doing there, then? Why did you even try out?
Get off the podium, pack your bags, and go home … after you turn your medal back in — why would you want to keep or acknowledge a prize won while representing a country you hate?
(Oh, you’re not giving it back? Hmmm….)
I’d say “GTFO”, but Samuel Adams said it better than I ever could (emphasis mine):
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”
“You’re competing in the Olympics representing America … except you’re not actually representing America.”
Perhaps North Korea has some team openings. 8>)
Or Iran, as long as she doesn’t mind practicing and competing in a hijab.
I wish Trump would conclude his rallys with this quote. The MSM’s and lefties’ heads would pop off their shoulders!
As someone pointed out on another site, the winner broke the US record repeatedly and will probably be a strong contender for a medal in Tokyo. Ms. Third-Place isn’t likely to get near a podium there. She has to get her attention now, while she can. If her mission were really bigger than sports, she would devote more of her energy to the mission. Just another jerk like the one at the Tour de France.
She’s trying to get the big $tunning & Brave endorsement contract from the People’s Democratic Revolutionary Shoe Company of China (formely known as Nike) while she can.