Posted on 06/30/2021 4:47:34 AM PDT by MtnClimber
In recent years, our nation’s most treasured sporting events have become consumed by players, leagues, and corporations abusing their platforms to advocate left-wing political causes—but when it comes to athletics, just as in foreign relations, politics has historically stopped at the waters’ edge. As the world gears up for this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, however, there are signs that the left’s insufferable wokeness is already destroying yet another once-great institution—the unifying patriotism and extraordinary excellence of Team USA.
Hammer thrower Gwen Berry turned her back to the flag as the National Anthem played while she was on the medal podium during Olympic trials on Saturday. Berry had previously been suspended for a year by the U.S. Olympic Committee for raising her fist during the National Anthem at the 2019 Pan American Games. But now, woke athletes like Berry have bullied the Committee into allowing anti-American protests during trials, and even demanded apologies for having been punished for breaking the previously existing rules. Berry has allegedly received such an apology from the CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee, and is apparently going forward emboldened.
“The anthem doesn’t speak for me. It never has,” the athlete said.
After the National Anthem played during the medal ceremony on Saturday, Berry declared “It was a set-up” and “real disrespectful.”
“I was pissed, to be honest,” she said. Left unanswered is what Berry will do if she wins an Olympic medal and the anthem is played in recognition of her achievements at the Tokyo games.
Far from an anomaly, Berry’s actions are just the latest in a series of red flags that suggest America is barreling toward international mortification as our “woke” athletes attempt to out-virtue signal each other at the Summer Olympics. Her fellow American Athlete, fencer Race Imboden, was also suspended after he protested the National Anthem in 2019 by taking a knee.
Perhaps the most shocking prospect is that raised by transgender BMX Freestyle bicyclist, Chelsea Wolfe. Recently, social media posts of Wolfe’s surfaced in which she stated that she wishes to win an Olympic medal so she can have the opportunity to burn the American flag in front of the entire world, and also implied that someone should assassinate Donald Trump.
In a now deleted Facebook post, Wolfe shared an article from PinkNews, a UK-Based LGBTQ interest news site, discussing the Trump Administration’s stance on transgender athletes. She added a caption stating, “My goal is to win the Olympics so I can burn a US flag on the podium. This is what they focus on during the pandemic. Hurting trans children.” In the comments section, Wolfe also implied that President Trump should be assassinated. She stated that she “would never say that someone should explode the head of the President. That would be illegal….but I will say ‘with dynamite.’” This, she explained was “just a sentence fragment” that is “not necessarily related to the sentence that came before.”
The unusual phrasing of her posting was attributed to a comedic video in which an individual
Yep.
I still remember the great call of Franz Klammer’s Downhill in 76.
“For Millennials, it must be boring”
Perhaps, but it was millennials that made the X games, mountain biking etc... into what they are today, and I think the millies prefer those sports/equip/athlete over traditional summer olympic events.
I go to local NCAA track and field competitions occassionally, the attendance is minimal, which is a shame considering the time and sweat equity invested.
What’s telling is that 10-15 years ago, Shoshei Ohtani would be a household name in this country, with what he’s been doing this year. While he’s finally starting to get some buzz, it’s nothing compared to what it would have been before.
Nestbeschmutzer
I will watch the swimming meet from Battle of the Network Stars I - Swimming feat. Wonder Woman Lynda Carter
https://youtu.be/5oGOzvhEQ2E?t=569
for basketball, its the same old same old....on the men's side, it would be nice to see some whites in there, but lo, their qualities are not wanted...their skills, their decision making, their team playing attitudes....nope, we need the thugs and the mugs....no thanks...
I like track and field, but will not watch boys pretending to be girls....
I will watch rugby but that is all
One more thing I used to enjoy that the stupid leftists have ruined. They destroy everything in their path.
What a jackass.
“That lovefest to the NHS they did in the London Opening Ceremony in 2012 was sickening.”
Glad I tuned out.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.