Gabby Douglas hounded online

I’m genuinely baffled by this one.

Is putting your hand on your heart a genuine protocol requirement in the US, or is it just a bit of tub-thumping faux-pride bullshit that has now become de rigeur and you get panned if you don’t conform?

I strongly suspect there is a genuinely nasty racial agenda behind this (what with the comments about her hair as well). If so, and the non-hand-over-heart is being used as another stick to beat her with, it is just awful – and says a lot about Uncle Sam.

As a nation no one does empty, vomit-inducing nationalist sycophancy quite like the yanks, but this seems another level with a big spoonful of prejudice thrown in.

Dunno the story, apart from the obvious. But “I’ve been trying to stay off the internet”.. just stay off it!
If I had an Olympic gold medal and a load of losers and racists on the net were slagging me off for nothing. **** em.

Unfortunately I think your suspicions are true.

Americans ,say no more

A nation soon to be following Trump

Americans ,say no more

it’s a big place with lots of people, I doubt all of them are abusing her online.

A lot of Americans need their internet commenting privileges revoking.

Sadly, their right to free speech supercedes their responsibility to not be a dick.

I think it is Trump, Fox News, shows like the Savage Nation that appeal to a bigoted minority who can hide behind the anonymity of the tinterweb. I mean Trump alluded that gun holders should stop Hilary, that to me sounded like a man saying it would be fine to shoot the Democratic nominee. Of course he denied it but what else was he saying.

Poor girl I hope she realises what utter bobbins they are speaking.

Does anyone actually know if it is a proper protocol thing about the hand on the heart, though? I mean, it is proper protocol not to be wearing headgear etc, but I suspect the hand on heart thing is just the usual nationalistic, sanctimonious and ultimately shallow American bullshit(?)

it is just awful – and says a lot about Uncle Sam.some people

I think the hand on the heart thing is the same as the Corbyn non singing of the Nat anthem here. People with an agenda will use whatever they can find to attack the person they want to attack.

Jesse Owens didn’t follow medal ceremony protocol, I wonder how most of “those Americans” would feel about that…

It’s Americans with an ‘opinion’ – who else GAS what they think.

Sadly, their right to free speech supercedes their responsibility to not be a dick.

Sadly, so very, very true. 😐

As a nation no one does empty, vomit-inducing nationalist sycophancy quite like the yanks, but this seems another level with a big spoonful of prejudice thrown in.

You might want to check your own prejudice. “Yanks” used describe the general American population is a common denigration by the ignorant.

I knew a kid who’s family moved to America, he was English, but going to an American school he was basically required to do hand on heart and pledge allegiance to the flag every day or be kicked out of school.

Patriotism is huge in America and if you aren’t patriotic you’re a terrorist (or in the old days you were a communist).

I doubt all of them are abusing her online.

The literacy rates of the country dont permit that 😉

I doubt all of them are abusing her online.
The literacy rates of the country dont permit that

Patriotism is huge in America and if you aren’t patriotic you’re a terrorist (or in the old days you were a communist).

Wow! Just WOW! The amount of bigotry levelled towards America and Americans on this forum never ceases to amaze me. There are so many haters here. Do you look next door and call the neighbours new car a piece of shit too. What a miserable way to live.

Do you look next door and call the neighbours new car a piece of shit too.

depends if it’s made in Detroit or not.

The amount of bigotry levelled towards America and Americans on this forum never ceases to amaze me

as does the inability to spot humour or work out what 😉 means 🙄

Do you look next door and call the neighbours new car a piece of shit too. What a miserable way to live.

Granted I am miles behind you in the little ray of sunshine score

Chill its largely piss taking and the more you react the more folkwill take the pisss. Its not racism its how we roll

If I remember correctly 4 years ago, one American gymnast as slagged off, in the US media, having won a gold medal because the flag on her leotard wasn’t considered to be big enough 😯

Absolutely nothing like the hoohaa caused by a certain politician not singing GSTQ. definitely nothing like that! 😆

I spotted the ironic emoticon but, an insult followed by a “didn’t mean it,” is still an insult and neither funny nor ironic.
Don’t try pretend your comments wouldn’t be insulting if I could understand your humour.
I don’t need to chill. I am simply making a point about double standards. It doesn’t make sense to focus questions about a minority of misguided idiots by stereotyping the entire nation as stupid, illiterate and xenophobic.
Where’s your funny in that?

I read this earlier and then googled her haircut, it looks fine to me. Just a bunch of very nasty people, she’s only 20 and has won their country medals.

I’m starting to see how this internet campaign gathered momentum.
They appear to be very serious about all things American and woe betide anyone who says or does something anti-septic. 😛

Its true that race relations is a very complicated issue in the USA and that there are nasty racists out there in the world.

As a nation no one does empty, vomit-inducing nationalist sycophancy quite like the yanks

But strangely you’re just perpetuating bigoted views yourself with that sentence.

gears_suck – Member

haters

Obviously an American plant, as you were gents, nothing to worry about.

Patriotism is huge in America and if you aren’t patriotic you’re a terrorist (or in the old days you were a communist).

Lived there for a bit when younger. There’s definitely a grain of truth in that. My younger brother and sister were required to pledge alligence to the flag of the United States etc – this for Scots kids who think twice before pledging alligence to any flag, never mind an American one.

Patriotism is huge in America and if you aren’t patriotic you’re a terrorist (or in the old days you were a communist).

I don’t see a problem here when you remove the idiot factor.

Well I laughed but I am not optimistic that they got it

PS what i said was also factually correct
Facts cannot insult a nation can they?
Even if you dont get the humour its not my fault the truth offends you and is “anti american”

Even if you dont get the humour its not my fault the truth offends you and is “anti american”

The truth? You can’t handle the truth!

The amount of bigotry levelled towards America and Americans on this forum

You do realise which thread your on here? What it’s about?
I can guarantee other threads won’t have the same content. But there’s a reason for it on this thread. Do you think we are “haters” against all Americans except one little gymnast??

No hate. Just observation. I find the difference in patriotism and the attitude towards those who aren’t, between US and UK, just interesting and funny.

igm – Member 
Lived there for a bit when younger. There’s definitely a grain of truth in that. My younger brother and sister were required to pledge alligence to the flag of the United States etc – this for Scots kids who think twice before pledging alligence to any flag, never mind an American one.

Went to an ice hockey game and national anthem being sung, everyone standing with hand on heart, me as a Brit, no way. Did get some funny looks. Though this was less than 6 months after 9/11 and they were going patriotic crazy at the time US flags on absolutely everything, sticking out of almost every car, house, door, on tourist tat, way more than you’d usually have seen before. And anti Bin Laden stuff at the time, on t-shirts, mugs (still got the one I bought), etc.

Compare to Britain. If I stick a union jack/flag outside my house or worse the English flag, and I’ll have the council round complaining because I may offend someone!

That said the media do have a go at Corbyn every time he doesn’t sing the national anthem or disrespects the queen 😉 . That’s just more about having a go at Corbyn though.

The truth? You can’t handle the truth!

So you do get irony and you were just pretending…who knew 🙄

A true patriot who loves all things American and doesn’t understand things that aren’t.

Is he sporting a bit of lippy and eyeliner there?

So you do get irony and you were just pretending…who knew

That’s not irony, It’s humor humour. Opps, don’t want to show my illiteracy. (That’s irony) But wait, isn’t irony used for humorous effect? I’m so confused. Surely you’ll learn me though.

I’ve got a sister who lives in the States & they definitely seem more into that Flag waving,singing the national anthem style of patriotism than we are,so no doubt some of them get upset when someone doesn’t show the same passion for the flag / anthem as they do.
On the other hand a certain GB athlete recieved negative comments about his attitude to the national anthem the other day.

Deadkenny – my views on the Union Jack are probably a little coloured by growing up in Glasgow.

From some idiot – or were the negative comments more widespread than that, as whilst I saw some comments, not much negativity? Certainly not on anything like the scale this gymnast is getting, despite Wiggo arguably being far more disrespectful – which is kind of the whole point in terms of the difference in attitude between the two countries.

On the other hand a certain GB athlete recieved negative comments about his attitude to the national anthem the other day.

Christ, can you imagine being “publicly” criticised by Piers Morgan?!? I think I’d hunt the bastard down. (good response by Wiggins though)

Lets face it. Everything everybody does or says will piss off at least somebody.

Personally I would never sing the UK national anthem. I do not believe in god nor do I think the monarchy is a good thing.

At sporting events ( the only place I am likely to her it) I will stand so as not to cause offence but not to attention nor with hand on heart.

Flower of Scotland I am marginally happier with. Only because of the line “those days are past now, and in the past they must remain”

Most national anthems are disgusting displays of jingoism. I like the tune of the Italian national anthem tho its words are as jingoistic as most