05/19/2024

Every time Democrats get a chance to defend the United States of American it often appears that they choose not to and, rather, take the side of those who think our nation is an evil, racist place.

That was the situation on Monday when Fox News White House correspondent asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki about Olympian Gwen Berry turning away from the flag during the national anthem last week.

“This weekend Gwen Berry, who hopes to represent the United States as an Olympian on the hammer throwing events, won a bronze medal at the trials, and then she turned her back on the flag while the anthem played. Does President Biden think that is appropriate behavior for someone who wants to represent team USA,” he said.

“Well, Peter, I haven’t spoken to the president specifically about this, but I know he’s incredibly proud to be an American AND has great respect for the anthem and all that it represents, especially for our men and women serving in uniform all around the world,” she said before getting into the liberal schtick about America not always being great.

“He would also say, of course, that part of that pride in our country means recognizing there are moments where we as a country haven’t lived up to our highest ideals. And it means respecting the right of people granted to them in the Constitution to peacefully protest,” she said.

And that is true. We do have a right to peacefully protest. But when you are specifically on a team that is representing the nation one of the prerequisites should be that you support the nation.

On Saturday Berry positioned herself away from the flag during the national anthem and placed a t shirt over her head that read “activist athlete.”

“I feel like it was a setup, and they did it on purpose,” she said to ESPN. “I was pissed, to be honest.”

“It was funny because they said they were going to play it before we walked out,” she said to The Washington Post. “It just happened they played it when we were out there. So, you know, it’s okay. I really don’t want to talk about the anthem because that’s not important. The anthem don’t speak for me. It never has.”

“My purpose and my mission is bigger than sports,” she 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.”

But a spokesperson said that there was no setup.

“The national anthem was scheduled to play at 5:20 p.m. today. We didn’t wait until the athletes were on the podium for the hammer throw awards. The national anthem is played every day according to a previously published schedule,” Susan Hazzard said.

It was a sentiment that Republican Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw said during an appearance on “Fox & Friends” on Monday.

“We don’t need any more activist athletes,” he said. “She should be removed from the team. The entire point of the Olympic team is to represent the United States of America. It’s the entire point.”

“It’s one thing when these NBA players do it — OK, fine, we’ll stop watching — but now the Olympic team? And it’s multiple cases of this,” the representative said.

“They should be removed, that should be the bare minimum requirement is that you believe in the country” you are representing, he said.

But Berry had a response for the representative on her Twitter page.

 

“At this point, y’all are obsessed with me,” she said, as if they entire purpose of her stunt was not to draw attention to herself.