Olympian Gwen Berry faces backlash after turning her back on flag during national anthem
Thomas McDonald
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Hammer thrower Gwen Berry is facing backlash after she was spotted turning her back to the flag during the playing of the national anthem at the Olympic trials.
“Why does the Left hate America? Sure, we have our faults, but no nation in the history of the world has liberated more people from captivity, has lifted more out of poverty, has bled more for freedom, or has blessed more w/ abundance. God bless America,” tweeted Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in response to a photo of Berry with her back turned to the flag.
“I mean, if you’re going to throw a fit, at least win first place,” replied Scott Pressler to Berry’s tweet captioned “Stop playing with me.”
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) called for Berry to be removed from the Olympic team because she turned away from the flag in an interview on Fox News.
“What is wrong with people? Growing up, everyone stood for the American flag. Didn’t matter your politics, race, sex, income, religion; everyone stood for the flag. It was one of those civic rituals that brought us together. It still should today,” tweeted former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
“She may have gotten the bronze but she is aiming for gold in the Oppression Olympics,” replied Gad Saad.
“Gwen Berry should be disqualified from the U.S. Olympic team. If you hate America go somewhere else,” tweeted Ohio GOP Senatorial candidate Josh Mandel.
“Gwen berry looks like she just has a bad attitude. How is that activism??” Tweeted another.
“Cry Baby Gwen Berry placed in 3rd and does not deserve to represent the United States in any capacity. No amount of blue anon accounts deflecting to the cAPiTOl iNsuRrectioN can change that,” tweeted one user.
“Anyone have a job for Gwen Berry? She’s gonna need one soon. Resume: Hates America (probably due to deep seated anti-white racism), doesn’t get with the program well, can throw a hammer,” tweeted another user.
“Anyone that would disrespect their country or turn their back on their country after winning a medal should be kicked out of the Olympics how dare you disrespect the country you’re supposed to represent America has done more for you than you would have gotten any other country,” replied another.
“If Gwen Berry has so little respect for America she should not have been allowed to compete in fact her disrespect shows that she has to be removed from the Olympic team,” they added.
“F*** you @FoxNews,” Berry tweeted in response to the Fox News article detailing her actions, claiming it will leave the readers “dumbfounded.”
The incident happened on Sunday at the Olympic trials in Oregon. Berry was at the podium and placed her hands on her hips, turned her body, and then raised a t-shirt that read “athlete activist” while the national anthem played. Meanwhile, her competitors, DeAnna Price and Brooke Anderson both stood facing the flag with their hands over their hearts. Berry is known for being a vocal Black Lives Matter activist.
Berry later tried to downplay her refusal to face the flag and place her hand over her heart by accusing the Olympic trials of “setting her up,” claiming she was told the anthem would start playing as they were walking to the podiums, not while they were standing there. She says she was “disrespected” by the trial organizers for playing the national anthem. “The anthem doesn’t speak for me. It never has. I didn’t really want to be up there. Like I said, it was a setup. I was hot, I was ready to take my pictures and get into some shade,” she said.
Trial organizers insist that the national anthem is played at the same time every day and there was no “set up” involved.
Berry defended her actions in a slew of tweets responding to the backlash she received. “These comments really show that: 1.) people in American rally patriotism over basic morality 2.) Even after the murder of George Floyd and so many others; the commercials, statements, and phony sentiments regarding black lives were just a hoax,” she tweeted.