Gabby Douglas Hate - (Hopefully) An End

[Ginger]

you are grown adults and keep commenting on the expression and hadn position of a kid during a competition. i would scold my pupils (aged 9-19) for such behavior. we expect better from them. to me this whole disucssion is (at best!) extremly superficial and ridiculos, hurtful and unkind and bullying at worst.

If that was at me, I was just merely pointing out she was not standing at attention during the medal ceremony, while she (and some of the posts here) claims she did.

Do you call this bullying?

Even my family in Europe noticed her relaxed posture (it was so painfully obvious, 14 gymnasts standing at attention, paying respect to their national symbols, and one at ease) and asked me what's going on. They don't speak English (my parents) so they certainly weren't influenced by social media comments, it was their own observation.

 

[vagymmomma]

Dear Gabby: You have been blessed with great talent and I am in awe of all you have accomplished. I hope as you reflect on your Olympic experience you will smile and realize how special it was. My daughter has not been blessed with the same gifts as you, but she has taken much away from this sport that makes us all proud. She has learned the power of hard work and commitment. She has built a healthy lifestyle. And she has made many dear friends. I hope that you have gained all this and more. No words or actions can take those life lessons from you unless you let them. Take all you have learned and find your next passion.

Good luck and God bless.

VGMA

 

[gasrgoose]

you are grown adults and keep commenting on the expression and hadn position of a kid during a competition. i would scold my pupils (aged 9-19) for such behavior. we expect better from them. to me this whole disucssion is (at best!) extremly superficial and ridiculos, hurtful and unkind and bullying at worst.

Gabby is not a kid, but there are thousands of kids watching her.

 

[LindyHopper]

We try to teach our gymnasts and our children to respect others and not say everything we think out loud if it's not constructive and delivered in a nice way. Why don't we as adults remember that on the internet world?

I agree. I have always told my children It's perfectly okay to think critical thoughts, but sometimes it is rude to voice them. The old adage "if you don't have anything nice to say, better to not say anything at all" still occasionally has some value.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

While it is traditional to put your hand over your heart for the National Anthem, its not actually a rule or required. Standing and taking your hat off is. Go to a game, it gets announced. Please stand and remove your hats for the playing of our National Anthem. Nothing about hands over hearts.

And clearly after Michael Phelps and his cracking up during the anthem gets a bye and Gabby doesn't. Heck yes she is being picked on.

 

[aerials]

I think it's fine to say that you don't like that she didn't put her hand over her heart, but making assumptions about why is only speculating and leads to comments that are hurtful.

This^^^ We don't know what is going through her head at the moment. I'm not a big Gabby fan but also feel all these comments who seem to know her motives and thoughts are what bothers me most.

 

[Terry]

While it is traditional to put your hand over your heart for the National Anthem, its not actually a rule or required. .

Actually it is a law. 36 USC Section 301. Uniformed Military salute. All others face the flag when displayed), stand at attention with hand over heart. Its not a criminal law of course. There is no penalty, criminal or civil attached. But it sets the standard for behavior. And believe me the girls on our national team are told how to behave on the podium.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

And really unfortunately she is stuck with her mother. Her mothers (family) behavior is not her fault and that fact that she deals with it at all quietly and graciously is amazing.

 

[gasrgoose]

While it is traditional to put your hand over your heart for the National Anthem, its not actually a rule or required. Standing and taking your hat off is. Go to a game, it gets announced. Please stand and remove your hats for the playing of our National Anthem. Nothing about hands over hearts.

And clearly after Michael Phelps and his cracking up during the anthem gets a bye and Gabby doesn't. Heck yes she is being picked on.

I thought what Phelps did in the national anthem was disrespectful, BUT we don't typically discuss swimmers on the gymnastics forum?!??! That might be why you haven't seen it mentioned here.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Actually it is a law. 36 USC Section 301. Uniformed Military salute. All others face the flag when displayed), stand at attention with hand over heart. Its not a criminal law of course. There is no penalty, criminal or civil attached. But it sets the standard for behavior. And believe me the girls on our national team are told how to behave on the podium.

I'm sorry I didn't realize Gabby was in the Military (and in uniform). Which service is she in ?

Because I'm pretty sure she qualifies as all others.............. face the flag.

 

[Terry]

This^^^ We don't know what is going through her head at the moment. I'm not a big Gabby fan but also feel all these comments who seem to know her motives and thoughts are what bothers me most.

That is true about anyone. We never know for certain what is going on in anyone's mind. But we make inferences based on people's behavior, facial expressions etc.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I thought what Phelps did in the national anthem was disrespectful, BUT we don't typically discuss swimmers on the gymnastics forum?!??! That might be why you haven't seen it mentioned here.

We were talking about what is being mentioned all over the place. Gabby's mom isn't a gymnast but we have been chatting about her behavior.

 

[Terry]

I'm sorry I didn't realize Gabby was in the Military. Which service is she in ?

Because I'm pretty sure she qualifies as all others.............. face the flag.

That is quite right. She qualifies as non-military. which means the standard is face the flag, and stand at attention with hand over heart. That is what the US code requires and exactly what she did not do.

 

[Terry]

We were talking about what is being mentioned all over the place. Gabby's mom isn't a gymnast but we have been chatting about her behavior.

We are discussing gabby's mother because she is the mother of a gymnast and therefore relevant to the discussion about gabby. surely you can see that.

 

[gymisforeveryone]

Laws like that sound like North Korea to me. Is it an actual law??

 

[Deleted member 18037]

That is quite right. She qualifies as non-military. which means the standard is face the flag, and stand at attention with hand over heart. That is what the US code requires and exactly what she did not do.

President Obama too at various times. I am sure there are tons more.

 

[Terry]

Laws like that sound like North Korea to me. Is it an actual law??

There is nothing North korea about it. It is entirely appropriate for a country to have a standard for respecting the flag. As I said it is NOT a criminal law and there are no penalties for not following the standard nor is there any enforcement mechanism. It merely sets a standard. One which we expect public figures to follow -- certainly our national team athletes at a major international competition. Its called decorum.

 

[kecks]

so your own president does it wrong? i will never get americans and their patriotism. it's just a piece of fabric and some music in the end?! fun to rally around for sporting events, but that's about that.

(perhaps this is just me being german and all. we had enough of the effects of "patriotism", thank you very much. i have been on national team and continue to train athletes at this level. we just stand up and stop talking during any national anthem and that's it.)

 

[Terry]

so your own president does it wrong? i will never get americans and their patriotism. it's just a piece of fabric and some music in the end?! fun to rally around for sporting events, but that's about that.

(perhaps this is just me being german and all. we had enough of the effects of "patriotism", thank you very much. i have been on national team and continue to train athletes at this level. we just stand up and stop talking during any national anthem and that's it.)

I believe there was one report about President Obama, during his 2008 campaign prior to being elected, not putting his hand over his heart while someone sang the national anthem at a campaign stop. He never did that again. Sorry if you do not understand our patriotism. But we do have a very different history than you do.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

so your own president does it wrong? i will never get americans and their patriotism. it's just a piece of fabric and some music in the end?! fun to rally around for sporting events, but that's about that.

(perhaps this is just me being german and all. we had enough of the effects of "patriotism", thank you very much. i have been on national team and continue to train athletes at this level. we just stand up and stop talking during any national anthem and that's it.)

Personally, given the behavior of many folks these days. I would be happy if folks stood and made their kids stand. Take their hats off and get off their devices.