With everything going on in the States right now, it’s just about impossible not to talk about politics at the dinner table, at the water cooler, or especially at the Olympic opening ceremony. Understandably, many people feel as though non-politicians, such as athletes, shouldn’t have a say in things, but as Americans, one’s freedom of speech should be respected and supported. That said, Freestyle skiers Chris Lillis from New York and Hunter Hess from Oregon couldn’t help but say their piece when they were given the floor to speak. As expected, MAGA-supporting online users tore the two athletes apart.
Olympic athlete Chris Lillis began by saying that all Americans and their rights should be treated with love and respect. He continued, encouraging people watching the Olympics to realize that his team is representing America as a concept, implying the current state of the US isn’t what he’s standing for.
Lillis’s speech is followed by Hunter Hess, who bluntly says how he’s not a fan of what the Trump administration is doing to the country. He says, “Just because I wear the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the US.” Hess concludes, claiming he’s in this just for his friends, family, and supporters.
Naturally, MAGA was none too happy to hear that these Olympic athletes weren’t in agreement with the Trump-supporting way. Some were so upset, in fact, that they called for one of them to quit because of their political stance. “He should quit the team. He’s not an American,” remarks one commenter on X. Another chimes in, calling them “stupid” and “dumb,” saying, “You just lost the vibe of 77 million Americans in your quest for gold. Say you’re there to do Olympic stuff and all politics are off limits.”
Hundreds of others on X shared the same sentiment, calling the American Olympic athletes a disgrace and traitors to the country. Of course, there were also many people praising the young men for taking a stand, yet it was clear: Hess and Lillis lost any respect from Team MAGA. On the flip side, the clip of the two skiers made its way to Reddit, where plenty of people commenting were overwhelmingly sympathetic and supportive.
“I feel so sad for all the US athletes,” sighs a Redditor. “Worked their whole lives to go to the Olympics and have to do it under such dark circumstances.” “True Americans – I love their honesty,” said another. One person makes an excellent point that opposes the stance of keeping politics out of sports: “Alot of people are gonna take issue with this but what they’ll fail to see is that there is nothing more American than being able to speak out against your country with a microphone infront of you.”
