Despite criticism, George Foreman stands by his patriotism on July 4

George Foreman — boxing nice and entrepreneur — shouldn’t be ashamed to be American and he needs everybody to understand it. The Olympic boxer shared his patriotic 4th of July sentiments with a passionate tweet, studies Newsweek.

• Foreman’s patriotism as soon as once more stood in stark distinction to protests from different Olympic athletes, similar to it did throughout his gold medal win on the 1968 Mexico Olympics, says The Washington Examiner.
• Final week, American hammer thrower and Olympic qualifier Gwen Berry turned away from the flag in the course of the nationwide anthem, the Deseret News reported.
• Foreman didn’t say if his tweet supposed to reply to Berry’s protest, studies Breitbart.

Right here’s why Foreman has obtained criticism and nonetheless stands by his patriotic sentiments 54 years later.

What did George Foreman say about being an American?

Sunday, Foreman tweeted that, “For about 54 years, folks have ask me to not hold saying “I really like America” Nicely I do and I’m not ashamed. Don’t go away it; Find it irresistible. Blissful 4th of July.”

• When Foreman received his remaining boxing match of the 1968 Mexico Summer time Olympics, he paraded across the ring whereas waving an American flag, studies The Washington Examiner.

On the time, different Black American Olympians used their wins to ship a unique message, says Newsweek.

Why has Foreman’s patriotism been criticized?

In the course of the 1968 Olympics, two Black athletes — Tommie Smith and John Carlos — famously raised their fists in protest of the therapy and poverty of Black folks in America whereas on the medal podium, studies Newsweek.

Foreman didn’t.

• In a 2012 interview, Foreman mentioned that “I had a number of flak. In these days, no one was applauded for being patriotic. The entire world was protesting one thing. But when I needed to do all of it once more, I’d have waved two flags,” per The Washington Examiner.
• In a 2018 interview, Foreman has maintained that there’s a place for protests, “however, understandably, I’m in love with the nationwide anthem, and wavin’ that flag. I really like that stuff,” per Breitbart.