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Nancy Pelosi To US Athletes: Don’t Speak Out Against China At The Olympics And Risk ‘Incurring’ Their Wrath

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Nancy Pelosi advised American athletes not to criticize China at the Olympics in Beijing.

The House Speaker, in a remarkable statement, suggested athletes should not criticize the “ruthless” Chinese communist government over human rights abuses for fear of incurring their wrath.

“I would say to our athletes, you’re there to compete. Do not risk incurring the anger of the Chinese government because they are ruthless,” she said.

“I know there is a temptation on the part of some to speak out while they are there,” added Pelosi. “I respect that, but I also worry about what the Chinese government might do … to their reputations, to their families.”

RELATED: Biden WH Backs Anti-American Olympic Athlete – America Hasn’t Always Lived Up To ‘Our Highest Ideals’

Nancy Pelosi Specifies Olympic Athletes

Pelosi’s comments were accompanied by a recognition that speaking out against human rights abuses in China is a necessity, just that the Olympic games may not be the proper venue.

“If we do not speak out against human rights violations in China, because of commercial interests, we lose all moral authority to speak out against human rights violations anywhere,” she said.

In May, the California Democrat called for a “diplomatic boycott” of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in response to China’s human rights record.

“We cannot proceed as if nothing is wrong about the Olympics going to China,” Pelosi told the congressional Human Rights Commission and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China during a hearing.

China’s government was accused of genocide towards Uyghur Muslims, and other religious and ethnic minorities. They placed them in interment camps sponsored by the state.

RELATED: Cruz On 2022 Olympics: U.S. Should Participate To ‘Highlight China’s Oppression’

Democrats used to embrace Olympic Protests

Still, it’s bizarre to hear Nancy Pelosi tell United States athletes to bow to pressure from the Chinese government and not speak out against human rights violations at the Olympics.

American athletes won’t take a stand if they don’t.

Democrats didn’t always support such a position of obedience to authority in sporting events.

The White House this past June backed Olympic athlete Gwen Berry’s right to turn her back on the American flag, saying pride and patriotism include pointing out when the United States hasn’t lived up to “our highest ideals.”

Democrat protests in the past few years have actually been fueled by sporting events.

In trying to defend Colin Kaepernick’s various protests against the NFL and to lend support to Fidel Castro and police officers in America, the left has failed to recognize its own shortcomings.

Biden’s party and President Obama were thrilled that Major League Baseball moved the All-Star Game out of Georgia last season in protest against a voter law they claimed was more restrictive than it was.

“I think today’s professional athletes are acting incredibly responsibly. I would strongly support them doing that,” Biden said. “People look to them. They’re leaders.”

Now, Pelosi doesn’t want leaders, she wants athletes to cower in the face of fear, the face of the Chinese government.

She didn’t have a problem protesting alleged ‘police brutality’ in America when she and her fellow Democrats kneeled on behalf of the ‘martyr’ George Floyd.

“The martyrdom of George Floyd gave the American experience a moment of national anguish as we grieve for the black Americans killed by police brutality today,” explained Pelosi at the time.

Each Democrat was sporting a ‘Kente cloth,’ a symbol of African heritage.

Democrats – Kneeling to protest America, but standing at attention to China. 

In contrast to Nancy Pelosi, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) urged the United States to go to the Beijing Olympics and “highlight China’s oppression.”

“I think we go and speak the truth. We go and highlight China’s oppression. We go and tell the world about what’s happening,” said Cruz.

He also said he hoped that American athletes go to China and “kick their commie asses.”

Pelosi should, along with her fellow Democrats, warn China not to restrict the speech rights of athletes.