A former NFL player and retired U.S. Army Ranger criticized the Biden administration for sticking up for anti-American Olympian Gwen Berry, who turned her back on the American flag this past weekend during the U.S. Olympic trials.
Jake Bequette, a former player for the New England Patriots and the University of Arkansas Razorbacks as well as a retired Army first lieutenant, called Berry’s actions “very upsetting” during a conversation with “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday.
“I was very blessed to be able to play football for the University of Arkansas and for the New England Patriots. And standing there on the sideline before a game watching that flag wave while the national anthem played always filled me with pride,” he said.
“And I felt that way because I thought about the generations of warriors who fought and died to make this country free, and to give we as athletes the opportunity to play a game that we loved.”
Bequette earned a championship ring in 2015 after the Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. After he left football behind, he joined the Army and fought in Iraq.
“[W]earing that flag on my shoulder serving in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division was the greatest honor of my life,” he said of the experience.
“It makes me very upset to see some athletes and even President Biden blatantly disrespecting our flag and the great country that flag stands for,” he added.
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“So if Gwen Berry wants to you know, if she hates this country so much, then she should quit the U.S. Olympic team and go compete somewhere else.”
After she placed third in hammer throwing over the weekend in Eugene, Oregon, Berry drew the ire of patriots across the country when she turned away from the flag upon hearing the “Star-Spangled Banner” while her competitors proudly stood and placed their hands over their hearts.
Why does the Left hate America?
Sure, we have our faults, but no nation in the history of the world has liberated more people from captivity, has lifted more out of poverty, has bled more for freedom, or has blessed more w/ abundance.
God bless America. https://t.co/7hH1FMzEn0
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 28, 2021
What is wrong with people?
Growing up, everyone stood for the American flag. Didn’t matter your politics, race, sex, income, religion; everyone stood for the flag. It was one of those civic rituals that brought us together. It still should today. ??https://t.co/sCidRZr05T
— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) June 27, 2021
Gwen Berry should switch from hammer throwing to hammer and sickle throwing.
— Lavern Spicer (@lavern_spicer) June 28, 2021
Berry qualified for the U.S. Olympic team by coming in third, but said later her mission is to represent people who have died at the hands of “systemic racism” and not the country at the Olympics.
Gwen Berry turned her back from the American flag during a medal ceremony at the Olympic trials.
“My purpose and my mission is bigger than sports,” Berry said. “I’m here to represent those who died due to systemic racism.”#BlackLivesMatterhttps://t.co/5WmF9COeFM
— Democratic Coalition (@TheDemCoalition) June 28, 2021
On Monday, the Biden administration commented on the controversy by entering on the side of Berry during White House press secretary Jen Psaki’s daily media briefing.
“This weekend, Gwen Berry, who hopes to represent the United States as an Olympian on the hammer throwing events, won a bronze medal at the trials, and then she turned her back on the flag while the anthem played,” Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy said.
“Does President Biden think that is appropriate behavior for someone who hopes to represent Team USA?”
Psaki on Gwen Berry turning her back on U.S. flag: “Part of that pride in our country means recognizing there are moments where we as a country haven’t lived up to our highest ideals, and it means respecting of people granted to them in the Constitution to peacefully protest” pic.twitter.com/vIKV8JwQdH
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 28, 2021
“Well, Peter, I — I haven’t spoken to the President specifically about this, but I know he’s incredibly proud to be an American and has great respect for the Anthem and all that it represents, especially for our men and women serving in uniform all around the world,” Psaki said.
“[Biden] would also say, of course, that part of that pride in our country means recognizing there are moments where we are — as a country, haven’t lived up to our highest ideals, and it means respecting the right of people, granted to them in the Constitution, to peacefully protest.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.