Gwen Berry walks away from the American flag while the U.S. National Anthem plays. This is a predictable move and one that will anger a large portion of the country. Getty ImagesGwen Berry is a patriot.They are not the whiny-ass, petulant terrorists that tried to overthrow government and kill former Vice president Mike Pence and other elected officials because they lost an election that was rigged against them through voter suppression.AdvertisementBerry was made a two-time Olympian on Saturday. She will be representing her country at the Tokyo Games in the hammer throw in a few weeks. But, nobody is talking about it right now. You can search for national anthem on Google and you'll find that all articles under the top stories feature Berry. Because the Olympic hammer throwers are not a major topic in these conversations, the sport has never been the Summer Games' marquee event. It becomes news when the story involves a unapologetic Black woman stepping away from the American flag at the podium. The anthem was playing, USA Track and Field said to Reuters that it was performed at trials according to a pre-arranged schedule Berry turned her back towards the flag and not the stands. Berry even wore a shirt that said activist athlete over her head. It was a random coincidence, according to the powers that be.Berry described how the anthem was performed while Berry was on the podium. It felt like they were deliberately doing that, and I was very pissed. I thought about what I should do, but eventually I just swayed and stayed there. I pulled my shirt up over my head. It was really disrespectful. It was intentional, I'm sure. But it will be okay. I can see the problem.People are pissed. People are pissed.Because it is not important, I don't want to talk about anthems. I don't believe the anthem speaks for me. Berry said that it never has.Berry, a bold and successful Black person, continues to bite at the hearts and minds of not only the terrorists from home who attacked the Capitol earlier in the year but also those who stayed home and secretly funded and organized it. It is because when a dark-skinned Black woman, 6' tall and with natural hair, says "f*ck that song to the tune with a verse glorifying slavery", it upsets Republicans and other conservatives.AdvertisementThey are not as angry as they should be about January's events.There were rioters and vandals. Let me make it clear: there was no insurrection. To call it an insurrection, in my view, is a bold-faced lie. Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde, a Georgian representative, spoke last month about the failed coup that left five people dead, including a Capitol Police officer, and 140 officers injured.AdvertisementClyde explained that the TV footage showing people entering the Capitol and walking through Statuary Hall revealed that they behaved in a orderly manner, avoiding the ropes and stanchions, and taking pictures and videos. It's possible to mistakenly believe that the TV footage is from January 6th.AdvertisementPeople were outraged when Kevin Seefried was photographed with the Confederate Flag inside Capitol. Some people were outraged that Berry was carrying the Confederate Flag inside the Capitol.Berry said that it is very important for me and my community to be able represent. Sports is distracting. Sports are entertainment. My purpose, my voice, and my mission are more important than the sport. It is my ability to represent my communities, my people, and those who have been victims of police brutality and systemic racism. That's what I consider the most important part. This is why I am here. That's why I am here today.AdvertisementBerry raised her fist two years ago when she won gold at the 2019 Pan American Games. The incident caused a stir, and there were sanctions. However, in March, the U.S. Olympic Committee allowed athletes to raise their fists or kneel after winning gold at the 2019 Pan American Games. However, the IOC plans to ban such gestures.Berry will be the center of attention if she manages to make it to Tokyo. Berry hasn't made a decision yet. She said that she will find something to do when she gets there.AdvertisementGwen Berry will be my favorite Tokyo athlete. I hope she protests in a way that we have never seen before. If she does, I ask you one favor. You can start a conversation with someone upset by your tweets and ask one question: Was your face red in January?I didn't think so.
