Tea Party hack and Radio talker David Webb made a fool of himself on Fox News a couple of days ago.
He was invited to offer his fashion opinion regarding the uniforms of the American Women's Gymnast uniforms, evidently a topic in which he specializes, and one which apparently passes for news over at Fox. It turns out, not surprisingly, that Gabby Douglas' accomplishments are overshadowed by the soft anti-Americanism she displays by not wearing the American Flag as a uniform.
Without irony, Webb literally laments her lack of jingoism.
This is not a post to defend Douglas' patriotism. Of course, one could make the argument that the fact that her father, Staff Sgt Timothy Douglas, has missed most of the last four years of her remarkable journey because he is deployed in Afghanistan speaks volumes about that.
Rather, I'm writing to wonder at the crass vulgarity of a man to use this moment, this peak of Olympic accomplishment, to make his stupid point about American Pride.
Webb has confused the display of patriotism with patriotism itself. And every time I hear people like him insist on the greatness, the exceptionalism, the weird jingoistic pride of being American, I get sick to my stomach.
But when I look at Gabby Douglas, the first African-American female gymnastics gold medalist, and remember the sacrifices she has made, sacrifices her father had to watch from a distance because of his obligations to our country's security, my heart swells with pride, for her, for her team and coaches, and for America.
There's no need to wave the flag. The moment speaks for itself.
But for Webb, it's not enough. She should have worn old glory, painted her face red, white, and blue, and sung the Star Spangle Banner while she took her final tumbling pass during the floor routine. Then, maybe, she will have met the litmus test for properly representing our country on the world's greatest stage.
With his ill timed remarks, Webb has tarnished what should have been a glorious moment, for Douglas and for America. David Webb is a small man, made smaller by his small mind, and his big mouth. Shame on him, and shame on Fox News for this bizarre carnival sideshow.
Gabby Douglas deserves better than this.