Usually, Olympic athletes are wonderful ambassadors for their home countries. Proud and patriotic, these skilled Olympians compete on behalf of the flag stitched onto their lapels, helmets, tank tops, and caps. It turns out New Jersey Olympian Ibtihaj Muhammad is a different kind of athlete, and that’s not because she openly wears a hijab.
After standing side-by-side with her fellow US teammates at the Olympics Opening Ceremony, Muhammad decided to give a series of interviews to fawning mainstream media outlets by blasting the United States for its supposed Islamophobia, a meaningless phrase co-opted by the Left to demonize anybody that dares speak critically of regressive 7th century ideas, terrorism, or the clear links between violence and radical Islam.
Although none of her teammates appeared to harbor any sort of ill will toward Muhammad, she felt compelled to exploit her newfound stardom to push a CAIR-inspired agenda.
Here’s what she had to say about America, the same country she was sent to Rio to represent:
[I feel unsafe] all the time. I had someone follow me home from practice and try to report me to police. And this is right on 28th and 7th in New York City.
I’m very vocal about these things because I want people to know I’m not a novelty, I’m not special in any way, I’m a woman who wears hijab and these are my experiences.
I want people to know that as hard as [these racist incidents] are on me, they don’t come even close to things we’ve seen like the shooting in North Carolina or the rhetoric around the Khan family at the DNC. It’s ridiculous and we as a country have to change and I feel like this is our moment.
As The Daily Beast notes, Muhammad, “came second to Michael Phelps in the vote for who should carry the U.S. flag at the Opening Ceremony on Friday.” Yup, Muhammad, a relative unknown, who almost won out against the most decorated Olympian of all-time carry to the US flag on the international Olympic stage is now trashing the Red, White, and Blue.
According to Hot Air, Muhammad “has become a bit of a cause célèbre for the mainstream media and NBC Sports as they have attempted to make her the poster child for the American team.” Throughout her media tour, Muhammad has made no mention of the recent terror attacks in the United States and Europe.
Instead, she opted to become another talking head, crying foul play while enjoying all the perks and privileges of American citizenship.
“It’s ridiculous and we as a country have to change and I feel like this is our moment.”
Ibtihaj Muhammad
Kenneth Roth, the Israel-bashing director of Human Rights Watch, even jumped on the grievance train, taking advantage of the low-hanging fruit:
Despite politicians’ Islamophobia, she’s Muslim and proudly representing US at Rio Olympics. https://t.co/mWDUD8EUXV pic.twitter.com/dHW5gLoeW2
— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) August 8, 2016
While Muhammad ultimately lost to France’s Cecelia Berder in her second match of fencing on Monday, she has suggested that she will continue her social justice warriorship for as long as she has a platform to speak out.