‘I Never Said I Hated The Country’: Olympian Gwen Berry Responds To Criticism Following Pan Am Games
“I never said that I didn’t want to go to the Olympic Games — that’s why I competed, and got third, and made the team. I never said that I hated the country. I never said that,” Berry said.
During the incident, Berry held up a t-shirt that read “Activist Athlete.” She said she was using the moment to take a stance for athletes who’ve been pushed out and silenced for speaking against racial injustice. She added it was by coincidence that the song was played right as she and the athletes stepped on the podium.
“We were not even supposed to be on the podium during the singing or the playing of the national anthem,” Berry said in the interview. “We were going to be introduced to the crowd before the anthem was going to be played or after the anthem was going to be played.”
Although she also said the “Star Spangled Banner” does not represent Black Americans for its very evident racist language and history, Berry said she would have chosen to do things differently had she had the opportunity, Forbes reported.
“If I knew I was going to be on the podium, I would have chose something else,” she said, responding to the criticism.
Afterwards, Berry expressed her frustrations with the timing of the anthem, telling the Associated Press she felt “like it was a set-up, and they did it on purpose,” Blavity previously reported.
Up until mid-2020, I lived in Valencia, Spain with my wife, son, and dog, having relocated from Oakland, CA in Read more
This is a short video that I did for my Rhetoric, Forgetting and Memory class. My paper is about American Read more
Check out the BEST of Jordan's career as a Chicago Bull with the Michael Jordan mixtape! Subscribe to the NBA: Read more
SCARY TEACHER ALMOST CAUGHT US (Scary Teacher 3D) - Onyx Kids We played Scary Teacher 3D and it got crazy Read more
Check out the best plays of the decade from Stephen Curry! Subscribe to the NBA: https://on.nba.com/2JX5gSN Full Game Highlights Playlist: Read more
As LeBron James celebrates his 35th birthday today, check out his top 35 plays from his career so far. Subscribe Read more
As Black History Month wraps up and Women's History month commences, the Senate saw it fit to swear in Sonceria Read more
Look back at the best moments from MJ's rookie season! The Last Dance continues Sunday, April 26 at 9:00 PM Read more
To celebrate Stephen Curry's 30th birthday, check out his top 30 plays of his career! Subscribe to the NBA: http://bit.ly/2rCglzY Read more
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday that the state is ending its mask mandate, making it the largest state Read more
https://store.urbanintellectuals.com/aff/TinaR/ Welcome to Homeschooling and Oils (formally known as Lakeshore Academy Ideas). I provide information, tips, ideas, consulting and encouragement Read more
TOY POP THE PIG vs Shiloh and Shasha! - Onyx Kids Toy Pop The Pig is out to...EAT EVERYONE!!! Shiloh Read more