Earlier this week, the American hammer thrower Gwen Berry turned her back during the national anthem and expressed her anger that it was being played while she was on the podium in the U.S. Olympic trials.
On Tuesday’s episode of “The View,” cohost Meghan McCain became emotional at times as she fired back at Berry and other athletes who disrespect the flag.
McCain Sounds Off
McCain began by backing Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), who has called for Berry to be removed from the U.S. Olympic team for what she did.
“I just want to first and foremost say that Dan Crenshaw is an American hero. He’s a Navy SEAL that got his eye blown out, among other things, and was on Navy SEAL teams that killed terrorists and did incredible things defending our nation,” McCain said, defending Crenshaw for attacks he’s faced over his criticism of Berry.
Then McCain shifted to attacking Berry directly.
“The problem I have is this woman is doing this internationally,” McCain said. “And if anyone just saw Vladimir Putin’s recent speech when he met with President Biden, he’s using the propaganda that America is an irredeemable craphole against us, saying, ‘You think your country is so great over there? … You don’t even treat your people correctly.'”
Related: Meghan McCain Rips ‘Defund The Police’ – ‘Stupidest Thing I Ever Heard’
“At the same time where he’s literally imprisoning people,” McCain stated. “And we’re having our enemies and propagandic [sic] dictators using our own propaganda against us, which, in turn, turns into a real national security risk.”
“My other problem with this is I don’t understand why we all can’t have shared experiences in this space, or have our own stories, because for some reason my relationship with the flag isn’t allowed anymore,” she continued. “My love of the American flag, my love of the National Anthem.”
McCain’s Vietnam War Story
Not stopping there, McCain went on to recall a story her late father John McCain told her about his time as a POW during the Vietnam War. During his imprisonment, his cellmate Mike Christian sewed a makeshift American flag into his prison uniform so he and his fellow prisoners could say the Pledge of Allegiance every day.
“One day the Vietnamese captors found that and beat the living crap out of Mike Christian, to the point that his eyes and his body was so badly injured that he could barely move. And the second that he was able to move again — do you want to know the first thing Mike Christian started doing?” McCain explained.
“He started resewing the American flag into his prison garb so his cell mates could say the Pledge of Allegiance and remember what they were doing and what they were fighting for in prison for America,” she added.
Related: Meghan McCain Torches Cancel Culture – ‘I’ve Gotten In A Lot Of Trouble’
“So excuse me if I don’t think some of these athletes are representing America in the same way,” she concluded. “I will die on this hill that it is not appropriate or patriotic to go to a foreign country where you’re supposed to be representing America, and act like it’s just about you. It’s not about you, it’s about all of us.”
Check out the full rant below.
.@MeghanMcCain went off on Gwen Berry after the athlete turned away from the flag as the national anthem played, with #TheView host saying she "will die on this hill that it is not appropriate or patriotic."
"It's not about you, it's about all of us." pic.twitter.com/cKFbnlcYvs
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) June 29, 2021
This piece was written by James Samson on June 29, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.
Read more at LifeZette:
Chris Wallace Accuses Republican Rep Of ‘Defunding The Police’ For Not Supporting Biden’s Coronavirus Stimulus
Romney Says He Trusts Biden – ‘I Take Him At His Word’
White House In Chaos Over Infrastructure Bill