On Monday, NBC Nightly News showed that they would take any opportunity to smear America on the world stage. As part of their so-called “Inspiring America” series, anchor Lester "fairness is overrated" Holt highlighted U.S. Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles as he suggested America didn’t want him as a black man and that the country was trying to kill him. Meanwhile, Holt ignored Belarusian sprinter Kristina Timanovskaya who defected to Poland to escape the oppression of communism and protect her life.
After noting that Lyles had overcome asthma and a learning disability on his way to becoming an Olympian (something that should actually inspire America), Holt guided the conversation to the young man’s “depression” around social justice. “But some of Lyles' light dimmed this past year. He admits he has struggled with the pandemic and the country's racial justice reckoning,” Holt declared.
According to Lyles, the Black Lives Matter protests made him upset because they showed him America doesn’t want him because he’s black and is actively trying to kill him:
HOLT: Is it fair to say you were in depression?
LYLES: It probably wasn't until really the Black Lives Matter movement started gaining a lot of traction, that's really when the depression kind of took over. You're hearing on the news every day that you're not wanted. And as an athlete who's trying to go to the Olympics and representing the U.S., you know, you love your country, but it hurts, even more, to see that the country that you want to support so much is trying to kill you. And it's really hard to get through that.
What’s actually depressing was Holt’s apparent apathy toward the Olympic sprinter fleeing actual oppression and death. Fortunately, Fox News Channel’s Special Report dedicated a full report to Timanovskaya’s defection from the communist dictatorship of Belarus.
“Safely in the hands of Japanese police, this Belarusian sprinter has just defected. Moments earlier, Kristina Timanovskaya claims she was being forced onto a plane on route to Belarus several men for criticizing her coaches. Fearing for her safety, she alerted airport police,” reported foreign correspondent Benjamin Hall.
As Hall was reporting on the events of the past couple of days, it was like watching something out of the Cold War:
HALL: Today, Timanovskaya was taken to the Polish embassy in Tokyo where she received a humanitarian visa, allowing her to travel to Poland and seek asylum. The International Olympic Committee also says it's assisting her.
(…)
HALL: The drama took place after Timanovskaya posted a video alleging she had been entered into the 400-meter relay event at short notice, after some teammates were found ineligible, having missed their doping tests.
Supporters of the Belarusian dictator Lukashenko then started targeting her online and she feared for her life.
“Athletes seeking asylum at sporting events is certainly nothing new. It happened a lot during the Cold War. But it is certainly a far rarer form of political intrigue in this day and age,” he concluded.
NBC’s preference for an America-bashing story over someone fleeing a communist dictatorship was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from ADT Security Services and Ford Motor Company. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they fund.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
NBC Nightly News
August 2, 2021
7:28:12 p.m. Eastern(…)
LESTER HOLT: Lyles plays as hard as he works, on and off the track, whether it's building a city out of Legos, taking on his brother in foosball, or customizing his kicks. But some of Lyles' light dimmed this past year. He admits he has struggled with the pandemic and the country's racial justice reckoning.
Is it fair to say you were in depression?
NOAH LYLES: It probably wasn't until really the Black Lives Matter movement started gaining a lot of traction, that's really when the depression kind of took over. You're hearing on the news every day that you're not wanted. And as an athlete who's trying to go to the Olympics and representing the U.S., you know, you love your country, but it hurts, even more, to see that the country that you want to support so much is trying to kill you. And it's really hard to get through that.
(…)
Fox News Channel’s Special Report
August 2, 2021
6:42:39 p.m. EasternMIKE EMANUEL: There is a major controversy tonight over an Olympic athlete who is requesting asylum after criticizing her home government. Correspondent Benjamin Hall reports tonight from London.
[Cuts to video]
BENJAMIN HALL: Safely in the hands of Japanese police, this Belarusian sprinter has just defected. Moments earlier, Kristina Timanovskaya claims she was being forced onto a plane on route to Belarus several men for criticizing her coaches. Fearing for her safety, she alerted airport police, then released this dramatic video.
KRISTINA TIMANOVSKAYA (via translator): I am asking the international committee for help. There’s pressure against me and they are trying to get me out of the country without my permission.
HALL: Today, Timanovskaya was taken to the Polish embassy in Tokyo where she received a humanitarian visa, allowing her to travel to Poland and seek asylum. The International Olympic Committee also says it's assisting her.
MARK ADAMS (IOC): We have assured ourselves that she had a safe place to stay last night and was under protection.
HALL: The drama took place after Timanovskaya posted a video alleging she had been entered into the 400-meter relay event at short notice, after some teammates were found ineligible, having missed their doping tests.
Supporters of the Belarusian dictator Lukashenko then started targeting her online and she feared for her life.
ALEXANDER OPEIKEN (Belarusian Sport Solidarity FDN, via translator): A person can be jailed, tortured, beaten. There are no laws in the country so they can do anything to you.
HALL: Belarusian authorities relentlessly target anyone expressing decent. In May, they sent a fighter jet to divert a passenger plane in order to capture an opposition figure on board. Well, this weekend, they again showed their total disdain for international law.
[Cuts back to live]
Athletes seeking asylum at sporting events is certainly nothing new. It happened a lot during the Cold War. But it is certainly a far rarer form of political intrigue in this day and age. Mike.
EMANUEL: Benjamin Hall, thank you.
