Simone Biles is a 'National Embarrassment' Texas Deputy AG Tweets, Causing Outrage
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Texas Deputy Attorney General Aaron Reitz sparked outrage on social media Tuesday after tweeting that Simone Biles was a "national embarrassment" after she announced her withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics.
© Fred Lee/Getty Images Texas Deputy Attorney General Aaron Reitz called Simone Biles a "national embarrassment" on social media, sparking outrage. TOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 27: Simone Biles of Team United States looks on during the Women's Team Final on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on July 27, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
Just a day after withdrawing from the team division, Biles, a Houston native, announced Tuesday that she would not be competing in the individual all-around final either, citing mental health reasons.
Texas Attorney General Reitz retweeted a video of 1996 gold medalist Kerri Strug, who won team USA gold with an ankle injury. Reitz tweeted, "Contrast this with our selfish, childish national embarrassment, Simone Biles."
Contrast this with our selfish, childish national embarrassment, Simone Biles. https://t.co/IwgoPOXvrG
— Aaron Reitz (@aaron_reitz) July 27, 2021
His tweet gained significant outrage, as commenters struck back in support of Biles, and some called for him to publicly apologize for his comments.
"You seriously need to apologize publicly to her," one user wrote. "Her health comes before competing. You clearly are heartless, but I guess I am not surprised by this."
One Twitter user referenced the deep freeze in the state of Texas in February, in which reports state at least 150 people died. "I'm pretty sure you meant to say ERCOT instead of Simone Biles. If you could harness her energy and integrity maybe people wouldn't have died in this state."
Kerri Strug, who now has two children and has a master's degree in Sociology, tweeted her support for Biles on Tuesday, saying, "Sending love to you" with a goat emoji and a heart.
Sending love to you @Simone_Biles ❤️-Team UNITED States of America
— Kerri Strug (@kerristrug96) July 27, 2021
Others on social media have compared Strug to Biles, but not in the way Reitz did. Both gymnasts have been celebrated for their strength and bravery on social media.
Twitter user Jamie Perkins tweeted, "In 1996 we put the gold over the health of Kerri Strug. In 2021 put the health of Simone Biles over the gold. That's what progress looks like, not a march toward supremacy at all costs. I'm proud of our silver medalist team of first-time Olympians! Go Suni, Grace and Jordan!"
In 1996 we put the gold over the health of Kerri Strug. In 2021 put the health of #Simone Biles over the gold. That's what progress looks like, not a march toward supremacy at all costs. I'm proud of our silver medalist team of first-time Olympians! Go Suni, Grace and Jordan!
— Jamie Perkins (@perkja) July 27, 2021
And another wrote, "Kerri Strug played through the pain and won gold. Simone Biles knew her limits, accepted them and was still there to cheer on her teammates. They're both iconic, and they should be celebrated accordingly."
Teammates and Olympic athletes have expressed their support for Biles. Michael Phelps, in an interview on Tuesday night, said, "The easiest way for me to say it is I think athletes, and Olympic athletes in general, we need someone who we can trust. Somebody who can let us be ourselves, listen and allow us to become vulnerable. Somebody who is not gonna come try to fix us.
"We carry a lot of things and a lot of weight on our shoulders. It's challenging, especially when we have the lights on us and all the expectations that are being thrown on top of us."
"It's OK to not be OK. It's OK to go through ups and downs and emotional roller coasters ... I felt like I was carrying, as Simone (Biles) said, the weight of the world on my shoulders. It's a tough situation," Phelps added.
Newsweek reached out to the Texas Attorney General's office for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
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First of all, as far as I can tell, just about every Republican public official in Texas is a national embarrassment.
Everything is bigger in Texass including their national embarrasments.
WTF is wrong with these people?
I think a dickhead like this attorney general from Texas probably saw that Biles was getting a lot of sympathy online, and his "ethnic" pride got the better of him.
One can only wonder what Reitz reaction to the withdrawal would have been if Simone Biles was a blonde , white, evangelical Christian young woman who wears MAGA clothing.
You're the national embarrassment Reitz
The dickhead mentioned Karri Strugs and this is the tweet from her to Simon.
Kerri Strug, who now has two children and has a master's degree in Sociology, tweeted her support for Biles on Tuesday, saying, "Sending love to you" with a goat emoji and a heart.
Too bad dickhead didn't contact a real professional before his ignorant tweet.
Kerri's career in gymnastics ended at the '96 Olympics. She paid a steep price for that vault, and inspiring as it was, it turned out we didn't even need it to win gold. I'll admit I still get tears in my eyes when I watch her courage in videos, but in hindsight, it was too much to ask of her.
I didn't know that. Very interesting. Thank you for sharing it.
She was incredible in those Olympics. And I remember the team coach carrying her in his arms because of her injury. Did she compound that injury when did that vault?
You know, on further research, I'm not sure that did end her career totally, so I may have inadvertently repeated a false report. She didn't compete again, but it may have been for other reasons - NCAA rules regarding professional athletes.
But prior to that Olympics, she had quite a few injuries, and I remember an interview she did about returning to Bela Karolyi's gym. She had trained with other coaches for a few years, and when she went back to Bela, it was with the understanding that he would train her with her past back and abdominal injuries in mind.
She has competed with broken toes and kidney stones. I wonder what this POS ever competed with, a hang nail?
She also was part of the huge sexual abuse incident.
Well, isn't that the kettle calling the pot black. Fuck you Reitz.
Morning..Your counties only national embarrassment is that dick head... actually even looks like one..and he needs to learn to pull his head in..(shut up)..
And the media has alot to answer to..she was "expected" to win 5 gold medals...yeah no pressure..
Even in the swimming the US media was howling over not winning the "expected" gold medals...
Yes there is rivalry but when it turns into an obsession, people and the media need to back off...
Good Morning Shona,
I think there is a larger conversation to be had about what one "owes" to country or team and quitting in the middle of a competition will never be a good look. But it is wrong to attack someone who just got through saying she is in a bad place psychologically.
I have a strong suspicion this criticism from this moron has more to do with taking a shot at something like "Black Lives Matter", using Biles as a proxy , than anything else.
I completely agree.
I found myself rooting for the swimmer from Tunesia that shocked the swimming world and won gold or the Fijian rugby that upset the world favorite All Blacks to win the gold, for the SECOND OLYMPICS IN A ROW.
And I for Flora Duffy from Bermuda.
I was barracking for the Fijians all the way... when I saw the Tunisian swimmer win thought you little ripper..
Love to see the small countries come up and win...
Flora Duffy, a gold in the Triathlon...
WOW, kudos to Flora.
I remember everybody cheering on the Jamaican bobsled team back in 1988.
Anoon CJ...and at the Sydney Olympics Eric the eel..came from Equatorial Guinea never swum in an Olympic sized pool and could hardly swim...did not even have the swimming attire..
Within hours he had everything and swimming lessons from top swimmers and coaches...
He competed with two other swimmers both were disqualified because they fell off the starting blocks..and it took nearly two minutes to do the 100 metres..I think he had to stop half way .
He had cheering and a standing ovation all the way and was the highlight of the night..
Stuff the gold medals he was the brightest light there that night. His smile at the end said it all...
Kudos to Eric and to those that helped him.
That's what the Olympics and sportsmanship mean.
Carissa Moore, Native Hawaiian won the gold in women's surfing. The Hawaiians invented the sport so it's fitting that she won the inaugural event.
Kudos to the participants and winners. I am not closely following the Olympics this time, but love the 'news' of great things happening for whomsoever. It remains a hard and dangerous time for such an occasion as 'max exerting' athletes in and out of practice sessions and shows but it is "needful" that they perform. Performance is the life-blood for these youths!
The Show Must Go On!
Yes. I saw this coming for a few weeks now, and was hoping she would be able to move past it. Saw an interview where some idiot asked her if there was anyone that could beat her. Her reaction, to me, suggested the pressure was building. I respect her. Decision to step aside, I'm sure, was extremely difficult.
No doubt. I know she would have rather been out there setting new records but when you lose all sense of direction while spinning... she is the GOAT, hands down.
We only wish he is our only national embarrassment. The list is long and disgusting.....MT Green, M Gaetz, multiple members of Congress, Desantis, Abbot, and the biggest NE of all, Trump and his tards. But in reference to the subject, yes he is.
The dickhead deleted his tweet.
An action that is always too late.
Naturally they always do because they can't hack it when the tables are turned...
Next he will be bleating his words were taken out of context..
Ordered to by his boss, apparently.
I am proud of Biles, she is an American, she is a past champion, trained hard, did the best she could and did nothing embarrassing
Excellent comment.
I don't know how to feel about what she did. The article I read said she just didn't feel mentally prepared for the competition. I don't know if that means something deeper than simply not being prepared or not but what I wonder is, how would everyone feel if a soldier did that? I'm withdrawing from this deployment to a combat zone because I want to focus on my mental health? How would that work out? She had people and a nation depending on her. If she's on the verge of a breakdown, then I can certainly understand that but the way they worded it, it sorta seems like she just didn't feel ready.
Also, before all the hate starts, I think this Aaron Reitz guy seriously messed up in his tweet.
Biles has mentioned that she has the "twisties", which is how gymnasts describe getting so disoriented in the air that they can't land properly after a vault, tumbling run, or beam or bar dismount. Considering that landing wrong can lead to broken bones, including her neck, I think it's wise for her to have withdrawn. She would have risked serious, life-threatening injury to herself, as well as jeopardizing her team's chance at a medal. They got the silver. That's nothing to sneeze at. She's still the GOAT.
Agreed.
Anyone that watched her on that first night could tell she was slightly off on her landings after tumbles (Especially on the floor routine where she stepped well out of bounds). She made errors that she simply doesn't normally; and she was still the best gymnast there.
If the Olympic qualifiers are her last competition, then so be it. She will still be the G.O.A.T. no matter what.
She proved she is a class act by staying and supporting her teammates. I notice that her teammates and other gymnasts fully support her. They understand what she is going through. It is not a joke.
Well, that would be understandable. I know you aren't saying it was definitely that, since it doesn't mention it but I get what you're saying.
And her vault was so difficult that judges were expected to score it purposefully lower to discourage others to not do it.
I don't know that it was definitely that. As I'd be extremely surprised if I could still do a cartwheel without injury, I humbly defer to her as an expert on her sport and her own condition. She's been struggling. I am willing to accept her explanation as to why.
This I can understand (better). Because in the back of my mind I questioned why she did not let someone else have her 'slot' on the team ahead of the travel arrangements. This 'twisties" comes upon you and overtakes you (I'm guessing).
What the hell does this have to do with a soldier and combat?
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
A agree, there is no reason to politicize her issues but some have do that no matter what.
Neither side is lily white in that regard. Not even close.
Spot on.
I saw that 1996 jump and marveled at it! Nearly the whole 'world' was rootin for her that she would not further injure herself and she took a risk and won. Kudos to 1996 gold medalist Kerri Strug! Kudos for her responding 'today.'
I do not know what is occurring in Simone Biles' life right now, I can only imagine it is personal and bad for her to pull out 'wholly' like this. I hope she has counted the cost and having done so - be better after. One more thing, I surely wish Simone does not do any harm to herself over perceived disappointment of the masses.
Simone, we're be fine 'in a minute.' You take care of you.
Nothing certifies gop bonafides like white men being racist sexist pricks to young black woman, in Texas...
What makes you think this had anything to do with race?
This guy would have been just a big ass if Biles were Hispanic, Asian, White, or anything else.
He believed being an ass was political gold!
To appeal to the gop's lowest denominator...
I think it is highly likely this had something to do with race.
The tweet is a case in point of why some statements can be considered "politically incorrect" or "PC." Stepping up and firing off about "Grit" and who has it based on a scheme, without taking stock of the human beings involved can leave one open for positive and/or negative interpretations.
Think before you. . . leap (tweet)!
It is just not in TX.
A Texas politician running for office in Texas.
He won't get votes in New York or California.
He who shall for now now remain unnamed may not linger far behind with a pejorative about "Choking." I hope "he" doesn't do it. But, experience is a teacher.
trump opened a Pandora's box of bigotry and loathing and now every bitter, angry oaf lashes out at will.
Good point Pat.
Morning...but with luck fast as they open it, the majourity will shut it down...as we see quite often now..
The people, have spoken and the minority morons beat the retreat...
Morning Pat...things are a changing well over here anyway..no longer the silent majourity especially since the virus rolled up...
Idiots down Melbourne threw a demo last week anti lock down, mask and anything else you can think of..
So their faces were on the news in papers etc... thousands of people including family and friends of these morons have rung the cops identifying them.
Here to dob someone in is one of the lowest things you can do... and the dobber is often ostracised... especially at school etc...
But that way of thinking is fast disappearing now with the virus. People look upon them as selfish, arrogant and totally obnoxious and putting everyone else at risk..and happy to dob them in to the cops...and don't give a second thought about it now..
A cadeau ...
Am growing weary, tired of the MAGA. Upfront and in your face the MAGA dislikes anything and everything American in favor of the 'orange blob' currently infesting Bedminster.
As far as Reitz, he's a dirty politician, as crooked as The Summer Soltice's daylight is long.
He just apologized.
Not because it was the right thing to do, but because he clearly pissed off Ken Paxton.
And PS: From now on, I'm from uh, hmmm, well...how about...Montana. Montanans (politicians or otherwise) haven't pissed off the masses recently, have they?
I think Reitz ran his insult to Biles up the flagpole to see if Trump would throw him a bone. (Approval from El Maga might be nice to have on a Texas resume. )
Reitz got in over his head.
I had no idea who this guy is/was/were. Seriously, I had never heard of him. I guess Kenny P. appointed him last November. Birds, feathers, etc.
And to add to my disappointment regarding Mr. Reitz, he served in the Marines. That makes him a dickhead and a hypocrite.
I dont buy the idea that he just got carried away with disappointment. He's not a ten year old, is he?
I hope Reitz 'reaps the whirlwind'! It is clear he did not get Karri Strugs' permission to invoke her against another Olympian. Epic failure. "Ride the Rail," Reitz.
He saw disappointment tinged with opportunity to play on. Epic failure.
His apology can go where the sun does not shine.
This is ridiculous. While I think Olympic athletes should be respectful of their country and represent it with dignity, they are not performing for me or anyone else specifically. We are not at war. We are not relying on them for anything. It’s a celebration. If they can’t compete for some reason, we should respond with compassion, not anger.
When did we become such a cold-hearted country?
When the MAGA arose. That is the answer to your question.
That is the sic part. He thought the gop would agree!
He thought being an ass would be cool to his base...
Everyone knows she is the greatest, whether she competes or not. Medals are meaningless when you’re at that level. She can do whatever she wants and it won’t change her status. She’s the Tony Hawk of gymnastics.
The problem isn't the people who tweet crap like this. The problem is the people who believe the crap, embrace the crap ......
This entire episode has been one group of morons competing with another to see who can overreact the most completely.
Simone Biles is not the first great athlete to have her anxiety get the better of her. The situation is so thoroughly common we actually have a term for it. She choked. Oh well. It happens. More often than you might imagine. It's not the end of the world.
It certainly doesn't make her a "national embarrassment" (for fuck's sake), but neither is it some sort of courageous defense of her mental health, and it has nothing to do with Donald Trump. Seriously, how long are some of you going to let that man live rent free in your heads?
Ms. Biles joins a long and illustrious list of stellar athletes who have experienced the same adversity, from Marcus Rashford earlier this month all the way back to Ben Hogan in the 1950s and beyond. Tom Brady, Larry Bird, Roberto Duran, Roberto Baggio, David de Gea....all on the "I choked" list.
Every player that chokes gets blasted in the media. Now they get blasted on social media, as well. The people doing the blasting are almost never athletes or coaches, and usually have no clue what they're talking about. That's all part of the program. If you compete at that level, you know what you're signing up for.
If you imagine this is about racism or Trump, you haven't been paying attention. This process goes back at least 100 years.
The Texas deputy attorney general called Simone Biles a "national embarrassment".
This is Katie Ladecky , an American olympian
Some consider her the GOAT in women's swimming.
If Ladecky had said the other day "I'm dropping out because I don't feel I can do my best in this race because I'm afraid I might drown" , do you think Aaron Reitz would have said "Katie Ladecky is a national embarrassment. "
I have serious, serious doubts if that would have happened.
Honestly? Yeah. He seems like the kind of pundit who get his self esteem by abusing others.
I can't speak for him and would not attempt to speculate as to what goes on in somebody's head that causes them to say what he has.
However the correct comparison would be if Katie got through 5 lengths of the 1500 meter and THEN climbed out of the pool for fear of drowning.
People would criticize her. That's a fact.
Not a very good comparison. One can swim with pretty terrible form, and manage not to drown. One can be WAY less than perfect at swimming, and, surrounded by strong swimmers and lifeguards (how redundant are they at the Olympics?) the likelihood that one will drown is actually pretty close to nil.
Not so if one is slightly less than perfect at landing a gymnastics skill. Slightly less than perfect could easily equal severely injured or dead. Oh, sure, there are spotters near the uneven bars, but how much good does anybody really think they're able to do in the moment, with the types of skills these athletes are doing? They're more likely to get hurt themselves, trying to break somebody's fall, than to do any good for the person falling headfirst with neck extended from 10-ish feet in the air.
Ladecky isn't likely to drown in the middle of a race, but Biles could easily be severely injured.
How do you imagine they become "perfect"? Every gymnast spends a LOT of time being "less than perfect". These people fall thousands of times in training. Biles is no exception.
You do realize that there is 6-12 inches of foam padding surrounding every apparatus, yes?
Who was the last Olympic gymnast "seriously" injured in a fall?
Adrienne Nyeste (HUN) 2000 Olympic Prelims - Bars
When Gymnastics Goes Wrong
When on their way to becoming "perfect", they're doing skills that are very simple compared to those Biles does. They're not getting the height on their vaults and tumbling runs that she achieves.
Elena Mukhina was paralyzed from the neck down while training for the Moscow Olympics in 1980. She resisted a return to training following a broken leg. She underrotated, landed on her chin, and broke her neck. She died at the age of 46.
Are you seriously implying that a gymnast isn't likely to be injured seriously if they land badly? Padding helps. It's not a guarantee, and padding is hardly the only thing a gymnast can hit - I imagine hitting a balance beam could do a good bit of damage. Mukhina was injured preparing for floor exercises. No apparatus involved.
You clearly know next to nothing about gymnastics. A lot of gymnasts suffer severe injury every year, gymnasts are constantly breaking bones, and tearing tendons and ligaments. All it takes is one mistake and they are dead or paralyzed.
Though I don’t think this should impact our ability to be compassionate for Simone, apparently what happened to her was not anxiety, but a thing called the “Twisties.” It’s a known thing in gymnastics, diving, or any activity that involves a lot of twisting. Something happens with the athlete and she doesn’t know where she is in space. She can’t find the ground. Anyone who watches these sports should see the obvious danger in that. “Blasting” her for it is uncalled for.
Even the retard in the seed should be able to grasp how it is bad when you are spinning through the air and your body and brain cannot figure out where the ground is. Operative word being should.
You have to start with a willingness to put yourselves in the shoes of another. But some people are allergic to empathy.
Which is truly a shame and red flag that a person should NEVER be placed in a position of authority.
Kerri Strug's Unforgettable Determination to Win Gymnastics Olympic Gold | Strangest Moments
I provide this Youtube video for 'context' and not for comparison purposes—as that would be a 'fatal error.' At the very end of the video a statement is made,
"Pain is temporary; Pride is forever."
Do not let the sentiment take away from the sense of what the publisher was conveying at the time. The Simone Biles pull out is a totally separate consideration.
Here, see for yourselves.
In gymnastics balance is key, if it is off that is a type of injury. Other people might not be able to see it but the athlete can feel it, would people treat her badly if she had a swollen ankle that they can see?
Agreed completely. Most people do not realize it because they only see the pros at their best, bust gymnastics is extremely dangerous. They have some of the highest injury rates of any sport. Broken bones, torn tendons and ligaments, concussions etc. For real, look at the shit they do, can you (personally) imagine even ATTEMPTING that? No, because it is suicidal.
So back the fuck off when the GOAT says she just doesn't feel normal or safe trying it.
And oh boy when the arthritis sets in. . . .
Oh fuck that guy.
She is an embarrassment because she doesn’t want to possibly paralyze herself or die? She has what they call the “twistes” which is basically a phenomenon where gymnasts completely lose track of where they are in the air. I am sure even a dipshit like this guy can understand how that could be trouble when you are flipping and spinning through the air.
If anything what she did was the honorable thing by standing down when she knows she can’t perform at the level she needs to and hurting her team. Never mind the smart thing so she doesn’t, you know, break her neck.