One thing I’ve learned in my 50+ years of stomping dirt and kicking rocks on this here good ol’ planet Earth is the aspect of a little thing called respect. I define this term simply as treating others as you would like to be treated, which is the basis for the so-called Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12) Respect is not one-sided as the level of courtesy you expect from others is the same amount you should give out.

However, there are those of us who feel we should always receive the utmost respect despite the amount we hand out; many of us are selfish like that. This kind of thinking, in my book, produces a self-righteous and arrogant attitude bent on self-gratitude and aggrandizement. In other words, this level of selfishness is usually a sign that its source is seeking attention to itself. A person with this attitude could care less about how they treat others, yet they feel offended when they are the target of disrespect. The resulting atmosphere of hypocrisy due to this attitude can be so obvious, one could cut it with a proverbial knife.

This brings me to one Gwen Berry, the melanin-skinned young lady who won a bronze medal in the hammer throw at the Olympic tryouts on June 26, 2021. This gal took it upon herself to turn away from the US flag during the National Anthem, thereby disrespecting the country she’s supposed to support during the Tokyo Olympics.

They say that the darker the berry, the sweeter the juice, but I think Ms. Berry is a glaring exception.

In all honesty, not too many people (myself included) took kindly to Gwen’s antics. After the heat starting to descend on her, Sour Berry came up with this excuse:

“I feel like they did that on purpose, and I was pissed, to be honest,” she said. “I was thinking about what should I do. Eventually, I just stayed there and just swayed. I put my shirt over my head. It was real disrespectful. I know they did that on purpose, but it’ll be all right. I see what’s up.”

I think Ms. Berry thinks this situation is all about her. She also held up a shirt that said “Activist Athlete” and put it on top of her head. In my honest opinion, you can be an athlete or an activist, you can’t be both, but I digress.

She says she was ticked off by the playing of the Anthem, but girlfriend failed to realize that this event wasn’t about her. She even said that it was disrespectful for officials to play The Star Spangled Banner, I guess because she was out there. However, I think the disrespect came at the expense of her opponents, most notably DeAnna Price, who had shattered records during the competition. Instead of allowing Ms. Price to enjoy her moment, Berry decided to make an unnecessary political statement, a la Kaepernick.

Gwen Berry would go on to tweet several ridiculous Twitter posts confirming her status as a misinformed SJW. Another ridiculous statement by Berry:

“I never said I hated this country! People try to put words in my mouth but they can’t. That’s why I speak out. I LOVE MY PEOPLE.”

Uh, someone needs to familiarize Ms. Berry with the phrase “Actions speak louder than words.” In other words, one doesn’t actually have to verbalize their hatred for their country when their body language does all their speaking for them; Ms. Berry’s anatomical expressions were all we needed to see to realize she hates the US. Turning away from the flag of your native country and getting flicked off at the National Anthem? You hate the country. Also, let’s interpret what she means by “I love my people.” This statement isn’t made out of love for people in general, but is made in respect to black people…her people.

What I find perplexing is why Olympic officials didn’t immediately kick her off the team and have her replaced with someone who will respect their country. Apparently, she doesn’t and if you have no respect for your country, it’s hard to convince me that you’ll be a good representation for your homeland.

Sporting events aren’t platforms at which to make a political or social justice statement. Many spectators attend these events because it helps them to unwind, if you will, and escape from the turmoil in their everyday lives. The last thing many people want to see at a competition between opponents is someone “protesting” some social ill. Colin Kaepernick, LeBron James, and, now, Gwen Berry would do well to know this.

I agree with Texas Republican Representative who made this statement:

“We don’t need any more activist athletes. She should be removed from the team. The entire point of the Olympic team is to represent the United States of America. It’s the entire point.“

I totally agree.

Another issue Ms. Berry has is with the National Anthem, the third verse in particular. Gwen and her constituents believe the third stanza of this song supports slavery and disrespects black folks. So she says:

“If you know your history, you know the full song of the national anthem, the third paragraph speaks to slaves in America, our blood being slain…all over the floor,” she said. “It’s disrespectful and it does not speak for Black Americans. It’s obvious. There’s no question.”

The stanza reads as so:

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

I love the part where she says the stanza “speaks to slaves in America, our blood being slain.” I didn’t know Ms. Berry is a slave and how is your blood slain?

I also find her statement about the Anthem being disrespectful and not speaking for black people very interesting.

One thing that boils my potatoes is when the members of the Apostles of Blackness act as if they speak for all black people, especially when I can read that stanza myself and fail to see what the fuss is all about. Speak for yourself, Gwen! I don’t know you and you have no say in my experience in this great country of ours.

So, there you have it; another SJW to add to the ranks of the Apostles of Blackness. Expect product endorsements and million-dollar deals to follow soon. She may not win the gold in Tokyo, but she’s gonna get paid!

You all have a good day and I’ll see you on the rebound.