Saturday, Fox News Channel’s Jeanine Pirro slammed athlete Gwen Berry for protesting the national anthem.
Berry turned her back on the U.S. flag during the Olympic trials as the National Anthem was played, which Pirro declared as Berry not having “a clue.”
Pirro also hammered “The View” co-host Joy Behar for defending Berry.
Partial transcript as follows:
PIRRO: She is living the American dream and she doesn’t have a clue.
Tomorrow, as we celebrate Independence Day, sadly, in our country, it is far too common to see people who do not respect our National Anthem or our flag.
So this week, we see another woke activist athlete who turns her back on the American flag and is outraged that the National Anthem is playing as she is recognized for hammer throwing at the Olympic trials in Oregon.
Toward the end of the song, she covers her head with a black t-shirt with the words “activist athlete.” Her competitors, first-place winner, DeAnna Price; and second place, Brooke Andersen stood tall, faced the flag, and put their hands over their hearts.
Now, in the upside-down world that we live in, if you criticize this woman for turning her back on the American flag, you’re a racist or you’re un-American for not supporting her free speech. The symbolic rejection of the very country she represents, of course, can be resolved with a simple fundamental decision. If you hate the national anthem, if you disrespect the flag, then don’t participate in Olympic trials that actually segregate people based upon the country they represent.
If you believe the flag and the National Anthem are disrespectful to black Americans, then maybe you don’t participate in games where you’re brought in through the auspices and under the umbrella of the United States of America, the very country whose National Anthem and flag you hate.
Now, my favorite, Joy Behar, however, insists that this activist athlete is fulfilling her patriotic duty by protesting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, HOST, “THE VIEW”: Protest is the very definition of patriotism. It basically is the basis of the country.
She is basically doing her patriotic duty by saying, I am making a point here. That’s all she’s doing. She’s not hurting anybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PIRRO: Joy, she is not hurting anybody? She is hurting every man and woman whose blood was spilled for that flag, including patriotic black men and women who chose to enlist and chose to fight for what you find so repulsive.
She is hurting every parent who lost a child, every spouse who lost a loved one, every child growing up without a father and every veteran who can’t stand up because he lost his legs, but who still dreams of what it was like when he had legs, what it was like when he didn’t need to ask his kids to pick him up when he falls.
No, Joy, you’re wrong again. She is hurting people. She is hurting the soul of a nation that grieves every day for lost, injured, and maimed loved ones. She is hurting America on the international stage where other countries laugh at the disrespect and downright hatred, people like her have for our National Anthem and our flag, allowing them to then laugh at us and ridicule us when they are so much worse.
But most of all, she is teaching young children for whom she is a role model that it is okay to hate America, and it is okay to insult her on the world stage.
You are at the Olympic trials representing the United States. I have an idea. How about you respect the country you represent or just don’t represent it because we both know that that was your ticket in. Without that ticket, you need another country to sponsor you. Get it.
And if you move to the International Olympic Games, it is globally unacceptable for you to protest in any way. You say it bothers you that you have to wear the bold letters USA on your chest. You Madam are a self-centered, clueless, third place winner who actually says the folks knew you didn’t like the National Anthem, but they played it anyway.
Are you really that self-centered to think it’s about you?
Let’s say, let’s just give you the benefit of the doubt that you want to support reform and stand up against social injustice. What have you done other than draw attention to yourself? You tell me the last time you sat on a jury. You tell me the last time you joined a School Board or fought for laws and help people you supposedly want to help. When was the last time you voted? The last time you wrote a letter to your legislator? Your congressional representative? Your local Mayor?
How about helping women at a domestic violence shelter?
And if you want to convince America, that you’re embarrassing us is all about your free speech, social justice, and the Constitution, then maybe do something positive for the country that is giving you fame and fortune.
America has been incredibly good to you from the time you displayed talents in sports, America allowed you to shine and become financially prosperous, you, because of where you are can impact social justice, instead of disrespecting this nation. The nation that has allowed you to be a hero to young girls who don’t know any better, who will take their lead from you because they don’t know any better.
Shame on you, shame on you, and shame on you.
And that’s my open.
Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor
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