SHOCK MOVE US Olympian & Black Lives Matter activist Gwen Berry TURNS AWAY from US flag and says she was ‘p***ed’ anthem was played
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
OLYMPIAN Gwen Berry turned away from the US flag as she was "p***ed" the national anthem played while she stood on the podium during a trial event.
The Black Lives Matters activist says she feels it was "a set-up" and that she was the anthem was put on "on purpose".
The music has been played once per evening at US Olympic track and field trials - but on Saturday, it started while Berry was standing on the podium after receiving a bronze medal in the hammer throw.
Disgruntled Berry placed her left hand on her hip and fidgeted before turning to face the stands instead of the US flag, while two fellow contestants placed their hands on their hearts.
As the song came to a close, Berry pulled up her black T-shirt with the words "Activist Athlete" emblazoned on the front to cover her head.
"I feel like it was a setup, and they did it on purpose,'' Berry said of the timing of the anthem.
"I was p***ed, to be honest.
"They said they were going to play it before we walked out, then they played it when we were out there.
"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.”
The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee previously that athletes competing in trials can protest, including kneeling or raising a clenched fist on the podium or at the start line during the national anthem.
Berry commended this decision, writing on social media: "We did it... we are making history.
"Shoutout to all those involved in the amazing movement!!"
The activist says that her mission is "bigger than the sport" she wants to represent "her communities and people".
"I'm here to represent those who died due to systemic racism," she said.
"That's the important part. That's why I'm going. That's why I'm here today.''
USA Track and Field said the anthem was played every day at the trials according to a published schedule.
"The national anthem was scheduled to play at 5.20pm," spokeswoman spokeswoman Susan Hazzard said.
"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.”
On Saturday, the music started at 5.25pm.
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NO POLITICS.
Who cares?
She's not a politician, she has a right to her own opinion. Is the right going to try to "cancel" her for stating her personal beliefs?
Good point.
"I feel like it was a setup, and they did it on purpose,'' Berry said of the timing of the anthem.
"The anthem doesn’t speak for me. It never has.”
What's the problem?
Is there something in the constitution that requires everyone to love the anthem?
Uhhh - and where in the seed or in any discussions have you seen it to be a constitutional requirement?
No, but you seem to have a problem with her words
Nope - just her attitude towards the U.S. and her blatant voicing of that attitude.
The Committee "set her up" - "they did it on purpose"?
Wonder what kinda cheese she wants with that whine?
Notice that you didn't answer my question in 1.1.6. - couldn't find it, eh? The reference I mean.
Well the left has set the precedent. The tried several times to cancel Rush for his opinions, they tried to cancel Dan Cathy for his opinions and they have tried to cancel several others because of their beliefs
Yes, I have a problem with her words. She is supposed to represent the USA if she secures a spot on the Olympic team. If she can't represent that, what is she doing competing? It seems to me she's more worried about herself and her image than the team.
Does Liz Cheney and the other republicans that supported Trump's impeachment know that?
how do you like the 1st amendment now, super non-patriots? bfd.
The First Amendment has limits.
What this clown did was fucking disrespectful and I believe it should disqualify her from representing the country she lives in.
She is free to express her views elsewhere.
The attitude she displayed very clearly shows she isn't representing the U.S.
See her words -
"I'm here to represent those who died due to systemic racism," she said.
"That's the important part. That's why I'm going. That's why I'm here today.''
She is entitled to her opinion but shouldn't be on the US Team.
What gets me is the people who support her actions are some of the same ones who always are worrying what the rest of the world thinks of us.
and you think the rest of the world will think less of the US because one athlete turned her back on the national anthem ?
Personally, no, nor do I care what the world thinks of us.
The point is that the same people who always worry what the world thinks of us over displays far less deserving of ridicule than this incident don't seem to care how we look now.
Boot her butt of the team. It would be better for our country not to medal in that sport than to see her on a medal platform doing that abroad. The same applies to anyone else so inclined.
Give her das boot, bring up the next in line who would love to have her spot.
Nah, I want the best out there to increase the chances of a medal. Going through the motions won’t mean shit if we aren’t even on the podium.
She's not the best. She's third best at best.
Das boot, give the opportunity to someone who will really appreciate it.
Third best is better than 4th best. Helps our odds in the medal count more.
It would be better for the country not to medal than to endure her antics on the podium with one.
Why, for rightfully speaking her mind?
Well the right does have the habit of cancelling and censuring those that speak their mind.
Who started the whole damn cancel culture? It sure as hell wasn't the right. The left just can't handle it now that the right have picked up their ways.
Tech giants have censured Liz Cheney, and demoted her?
Republicans, it is their newest fake conspiracy.
And to conservatives and Christians, not to haters like her.
Yup, along with CRT.
That was last months' fake conspiracy.
This months' is CRT.
Problem is she tried to play it like it was all about her. What the dumbass doesn't realize is that she came in third, not first, not second...third.
If she didn't pull her bullshit move, no one would be talking about her, and after a couple of days, no one will be talking about her any longer.
I don’t really know what was going on here. I had read that they played the anthem twice already or something and that the athletes were told it would t happen again cuz it was hotter than hell out. And then they did it anyways or something. IDK what the deal was exactly, but she should have gone through the motions and then bitched about it later.
What I do know is that the US women’s gymnastics team looks pretty strong this year even with Biles falling off the beam once.
Biles is an amazing athlete. What she does in her routines is almost unworldly at times.
She is incredible. I like how even when she falls off she still gets a high score just because her execution on the rest of the routine is so solid and the routine in general is essentially set at max difficulty. And then of course she goes out and does things no one else can do.
This thread is about Gwen Berry - stay on topic please.
Gwen Berry - topic.
But Simone Biles is cooler.
Of course, this was a political action and it isnt possible to effectively discuss it without a reference to the politics of it.
Racial activism is a double edge sword. Some people will have sympathy for you, and some people will think you are whiner. I assume she knows that and doesnt care.
That's cool and i don't care what she thinks. So we are even.
Give her das boot and let her spot go to the next in line who will appreciate the opportunity.
And lets be clear on this. The Olympic experience is an opportunity, not a privilege
I dont think they can or will dump her just because people like you think she doesnt sufficiently appreciate being on the US team.
Never said they would John, only that they should.
No worries though. If she stays on the team her chances to make the podium are minuscule at best. No matter how hard progressives here hope, pray and boil Eye of Newt for it to happen.
The Olympic committee clearly knows that.
Then why are you advocating to give her "das boot"? If you DON'T care, why are your other comments showing that you DO care?
Why? By your logic they should be booting all those who say they are Christians first, Americans second.
While US citizens, including Olympic athletes, have 1st Amendment rights the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is a private organization. The various Olympic National Committees can get political, but we have legal rules respecting some freedoms still.
She's a political activist who's views don't represent those of the majority of Americans. The Olympics is not the place to put ones stupidity on display
...the majority of willfully ignorant americans for sure.
So?
She's not the first, nor will she be the last to use an international platform to bring attention to a cause.
If she was trying to make a statement of some sort I don’t think the podium is the place for it. Again I don’t know what was going on with all of that, but save it for after the podium.
She is an American citizen who has the Constitutional right to think, act, and speak anyway she wants that does not violate a law.
That is your belief, which violates American freedoms.
Where no one will hear it?
I would tend to agree, but she isn't the first to do so and won't be the last. Tommie Smith and John Carols - gold and bronze mentalists in the 200-meter fun at the 1968 Olympic games stood at the podium with a fist raised and heads down in protest against unfair treatment of African-Americans.
Except it has been done in the past. I don't agree with what she did and wish she hadn't. I feel if you are on the Olympic team to represent the USA then you need to represent the USA and respect all the symbols of this country. But all in all this is a minor thing. IMO she would have gotten more traction if she had talked with reporters while at the Olympics than this action.
You wanna tell us where you actually think your point is going?
She's a nothing burger that no one cares about or will remember
Yep, she's not even first loser
From the number of comments you have made in this thread, YOU CARE ABOOUT HER.
Obviously, as do you.
Have I said otherwise, like Greg?
I don’t care about her at all. I care about her behavior and oppose it to the extent that it needs to be that such behavior is only counter productive and will only generate opposition to her cause not support.
Congratulations!! Who cares if you do or not?
Again, so what! That is her concern and not yours, unless your 1st sentence was a lie and you do care about her.
The anthem is often played for medal winners so why was she so shocked and shaken that it happened to her? Before y'all jump on me, I am neither condoning or condemning her actions. It was just a question.
I had read that it had already been played a couple times and they were told it wouldn’t be played again on the podium because it was hot as fuck out, but then they did it anyways. That is just what I read last night, could be total bullshit.
Not bullshit. There is a report out there that the schedule included a 5:25 replay of it if I remember correctly. They just didn't stop it..........
Fair enough.
Bazinga.
And if she dislike what the USA represents so much why does she insist on representing it in the Olympics? A better protest would be to boycott the Olympics entirely.
She is clearly just looking for her 15 minutes IMO.
The action is inappropriate for two reasons.
First, she is supposed to be representing the country and the people symbolized by that the flag and the anthem. If she doesn’t want to represent those things, then she should not take part. It is a kind of fraud to put yourself out as representing a thing, enjoy the benefits of that thing, and then attack it while taking part.
Second, the Olympics are supposed to be a venue where politics and conflict are set aside and all people come together in friendship and sportsmanship. Therefore, a political demonstration is inappropriate at the Olympics, and I think in that spirit, it should also be seen as inappropriate at the Olympic trials.
Then, if you’re honest, you should maybe not compete for the team associated with it. Be on someone else’s team.
Yeah, one of the things that also sucks about this story is that the brat not pictured here has drawn attention away from people who deserve it.
She was pissed the national anthem was played.
Fuck that bitch.
Stay classy there Tex!
Or smart, or intelligent, or respectful.
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Who pays the bills for her to particapate in the try outs?
What does that matter?
I would like to know
It used to be some got subsidized to tryout and some didn't based on an Olympic Standard system. Which is also dependent on the sport.
Basically the better athletes got subsidized and others had to pay their own way.
Not sure how it works today.
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She does have the right to say what she said. It doesn't make any difference if anyone likes or dislike what she said. Right or wrong she is entitled to say it.
She beat out a First American, Janee Kassanavoid (Commanche) by 2 inches.
Game of inches.
Sure she is entitled. As the left loves to always remind us words have consequences. If the majority of Americans don't like her words and actions she can be canceled.
Sounds like she might very well get canceled. I am sure corporate sponsors of the Olympics will be force to think long and hard before putting her in any commercials or promos. If they do; well those actions have consequences as well.
I thought it was the right that loves to remind us that words have consequences, no matter it's her right, free speech, and what the consequences are they are.
Sure she does. She does not have a right to represent the United States of America in international competition. That is a privilege and an honor.
I know of no rule that would ban her from competition because of what she said/did. If there is then it should be enforced.
Gwen Berry was put on probation in the 2019 Pan-American Games after she raised a fist in demonstration. In March the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee changed its rules to allow demonstrations specifically to push back against the IOC rule 50.
This said the IOC doesn't care what an athlete says or does in other venues -
So does rule 50 hold since the committee changed its rules. If rule 50 does hold then will she be banned or put on probation?
The IOC and the USOPC are 2 separate organizations. Ms Berry was well within the rules to protest at the trials run by the USOPC.
Rule 50 will apply during the upcoming Tokyo games. We'll see how Ms Berry and other athletes conduct themselves in Tokyo later next month. If any break the rule they likely accept the consequences of their actions. The IOC has been very vocal this year on the issue.
Even if it weren’t a rule at the Olympics - as evil outlined here - I think there is a moral component that transcends the rule book. If some person or organization makes it possible for you to pursue your dream, isn’t it bullshit to use that opportunity to protest them?
I imagine an analogy where I need a place to stay and you invite me to live in your house. Then I spend all my time there telling you what’s wrong with you. It just doesn’t seem right.
This is a subjective statement. I'm sure that Ms Berry would argue she has a moral imperative to use her standing to do as she did. There is no objectively correct answer here.
She's protesting racism. Not protesting the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee or the International Olympic Committee. The USOPC is an a non-profit 501(c)(3) group that gets funding from individual and businesses and does NOT receive funding directly from the government.
She isn't protesting the Olympics, the IOC, or any other governing body. She is protesting racism.
Simple as that.
That's just foolish
If she wants to do that, I’d be glad to join her, but that’s not what she’s doing. She’s objecting to the flag and anthem. The flag is not racist. The anthem is not racist. Neither is the country they represent.
Forgive me, but I don’t trust or rely upon your judgment and your mere declaration is not persuasive.
I protest racism myself and I encourage others to do likewise. I manage to do it without disrespecting the flag or the anthem or by treating them as symbols of racism.
That is your right. I respect that the same as I respect others who kneel, march or preform other non-violent forms of civil protest. Any particular form of protest doesn't change my feelings towards the country, flag, LEOs or military or anything else. There are causes I sympathize with where I don't agree with the form protesters are taking and vise versa.
Right back at ya!
So all the commotion about her behavior recently means nothing. She will be going to the Olympics and her behavior there is determine her fate.