Well, she could of course pursue the latter course of action, but she presumably believes she can accomplish more as an activist who continues to compete. What do you think would be accomplished by the course of action you’d mentioned in that first sentence, there?
This is what happens when patriotism isn’t taught in P.E. Why are athletes required to be nationalistic shills?
This is what happens when people in this country don’t know what “patriotism” is, other than the blind worship of a piece of cloth and the unquestioning obedience to the desires of the willfully ignorant and scoundrels.
Hey, don’t forget the respect demanded of the music. Do you know how many soldiers died so that patriots can demand people stand at attention during a song?
Oh, yeah. Thank you for reminding me that a dashed off, war-mongering poem set to an old drinking song should demand rigid attention from everyone (unless I’m in line for a beer, of course.)
Just has the UPS guy come by. He had the local AM talk radio on. They were talking about this. I didn’t listen long, but I heard the word “brat” used at least 3 times.
Certainly is the word of choice for the offenderati on the right about this.
Clearly she doesn’t respect freedom since she won’t comply with rigid uniformity of thought and deed.
Indeed. It is only through unquestioning obedience that we can ever be free.
Not acting like a brat isn’t exactly demanding obedience.
Indeed. The only way we can beat back authoritarianism is if we all submit unquestioningly to required nationalistic rituals!
I see you and OP both like the term “brat” without any actual support for your usage of the word.
So are you okay with her protesting, just not in the manner in which she did so?
Maybe she should have just bowed her head? Or perhaps raised a fist, like Carlos and Smith? Maybe taken a knee, like Kaepernick?
Or all of those bratty behaviors as well?
A brat is a badly behaved child, throwing a temper tantrum on the medal stand definitely qualifies as brattish behavior.
So was Rosa Parks “throwing a temper tantrum” when she refused to give up her bus seat for a white rider? I don’t see anything childlike or akin to a “temper tantrum” in this woman’s behavior, just a lot of angry boomers triggered by a woman of color expressing herself politically–in her capacity as a private citizen as is her innate right as an American.
Is it possible to both not know who this woman is and not care what she did on the podium while also thinking that her opinion that the anthem being played directly as a shot at her is likely wrong? Or do I need to be outraged at her behavior and/or outraged at the outrage?
“Brat” is clearly being used in an attempt to infantilize Miss Berry.
I think it’s entirely possible the anthem being played was a mess up in the control room or whatever. I don’t think there’s any clear evidence of why it was played when she was on the podium. It also was played out in the stadium, not the room where they were taking the podium pictures. That being said, I guess she is well known in the community (which I don’t follow this sport, so had never heard of her before this) as being a political activist. It was also known in advance that there was zero expectation that the anthem would be playing when/if she ended up on the podium, so in the moment, I can see her being a little suspicious of why they deviated from the daily schedule of playing the anthem and just so happened to do so at the same time she was on the podium.
Does that mean she was right and it was done to target her? No, it doesn’t. But it’s not a totally crazy thought, either.
AFAIK it seems like the other people in the room, even though the anthem was being played outside, took the “attention” stance out of respect for the anthem. In that context, her choosing to turn her back to the flag makes sense, there was a specific political display going on, that she did not want to participate in.
How vain do you have to be to think the playing of the national anthem is a passive aggressive attack on you, and you weren’t even the winner?
So raising a fist, or kneeling, or turning her back would be acceptable behavior?
Vain enough to accept a request for a TV interview about your activism, I suppose.