Contrary opinion: Because America is so great, flag denier, Olympian hopeful Gwen Berry should compete as an American

Look, I understand, I really do, why proud Americans here at American Thinker and elsewhere are hurt and angry that Olympic Games wannabe hammer thrower Gwen Berry turned away from the American flag and our national anthem at a sporting event to qualify for the American team representing America at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

However, paradoxically, I can sympathize somewhat with Berry's reasoning as I understand it. While America is a wonderful country it has had some deep flaws, slavery and its aftereffects among the most visible and long lasting. And while I am not privy to Berry's most personal life and background she obviously feels a connection to it as evidenced by her tweets.

Nevertheless, despite it all, she went forth and learned to throw a hammer -- a sport I didn't even know existed. Learned so well, practiced so long and hard she might qualify for the Olympics. Admittedly, hammer throwing isn't a glamour sport like say, gymnastics or ice skating in the Winter Olympics. But there it is and there she is so good for her.

And what better way to represent America in all its diversity, pluralism and multi culturalism by criticizing it without fear? Can a Chinese Olympian or Nobel Prize winner do that and continue to live freely in China? Miss Iraq 2017, Sarah Idan, was forced to flee Iraq and lives in fear of her life because she posed with the enemy, Miss Israel, and spoke the truth about Iraq's and most Muslims’ deadly hatred of Jews, Israel and the US. Meanwhile Berry can criticize this country without fear of imprisonment or even death by government as in those other mentioned countries.

“While America is a wonderful country it has had some deep flaws, slavery and its aftereffects among the most visible and long lasting.”

It is this sort of crap which turns me away from any sympathy with those looking for a lifetime ride in luxury using the ridiculous “sins of the father” bullshit!

I nor any one I know never owned slaves and I don’t feel even one ounce of sympathy for those blacks who themselves have never been enslaved and in fact have enjoyed extraordinary preference with the governments handouts since the 1960’s.

dfwgator :" She’s the perfect representative of what America has become. "

Exactly true !
She imagines her protest to be more important than celebration of the nation; then let her represent "Berryland".
She didn't mind the nation providing the financial expenses for training, coaches, food and housing, transportation, etc., because she was an self-"entitled" athlete.
The Olympics are a national sporting contest; let her represent self-"entitled Berryland" at her own expense since her display is so important to her identity.

“Meanwhile Berry can criticize this country without fear of imprisonment or even death by government as in those other mentioned countries.”

By all means she and any like her should be free to speak their alleged minds with any government action. On the other hand citizens who are greatly offended by this sort of drivel should be free to kick their America hating asses across several county lines in response.

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