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Freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy shocked his fans and followers when he posted a picture of a graphic anti-ICE message, which appears to have been created by urinating on ice. The post, which quickly went viral across social media, sparked an intense debate over the boundaries of athlete activism. While many of his supporters lauded the skier for his “unfiltered” and bold approach to political protest, others questioned the graphic nature of the post.
In an Instagram post, Kenworthy shared it, urging people to call their senators to speak out against ICE. He also shared a format or a sample script that he said people could use.
What did he share?
He posted, “Hi, my name is (Your Name), and I’m a constituent from (Your City, State). I’m calling to urge Senator (Name) to refuse to support any final Department of Homeland Security funding agreement that fails to meaningfully rein in ICE and Border Patrol. Innocent people have been murdered, and enough is enough. We can’t wait around while ICE continues to operate with unchecked power in our communities. Senators still have leverage right now, and Senator (Name) must use it to demand real guardrails and accountability — including getting ICE and CBP out of our communities, ending blank-check funding for brutality, and establishing clear limits on warrantless arrests, profiling, and enforcement at sensitive locations like schools and hospitals.”
What did social media say?
An individual wrote, “10/10 amazing rooting for you at the Olympics.” Another added, “Thank you for using your platform to speak about this incredibly important issue. Many are silent, too many.”
A third commented, “Really sick of so-called celebs putting politics in everything.” A fourth expressed, “Damn, this is a shame.”
Will he be punished?
Kenworthy will not be punished for the post, the BBC reported. “During the Olympic Games, all participants have the opportunity to express their views as per the athlete expression guidelines. The IOC does not regulate personal social media posts,” a spokesperson from the International Olympic Committee told the Press Association, reported the BBC.
Who is Gus Kenworthy?
He was born in Chelmsford, England. However, he had lived in the United States for most of his life.
The 34-year-old, while representing the US, won silver in the ski slopestyle at the Sochi 2014 Games. However, he switched to team Great Britain (GB) in 2019.
