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SunSeeker

(58,366 posts)
Mon Feb 9, 2026, 06:17 PM Feb 2026

Flag American Man Chooses To Wave at Italy's Winter Olympics Goes Viral

Last edited Tue Feb 10, 2026, 03:16 PM - Edit history (1)



A post about a spectator at a figure skating event in Milan holding up a United States flag with an apology message has gone viral on social media.

The post by Threads user @jedayal has amassed almost 1 million views since it was shared on February 9. In the caption accompanying the photo, the poster wrote: "This photo shows an American spectator at a figure skating event in Milan holding up a U.S. flag with a message apologizing to the world. A public acknowledgment, in a global space, that many of us do not consent to the damage being done in our name."

The image—credited in the post to Vincent Alban / The New York Times—shows a man raising a U.S. flag emblazoned with large capital letters that read: "Apologies to the world for our bad behavior, we will fix ourselves."

The viral post arrives at a moment of ongoing unrest and political tension across the U.S., striking a chord among viewers both within the country and abroad.

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/us-flag-apology-message-american-man-2026-winter-olympics-11490255



47 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Flag American Man Chooses To Wave at Italy's Winter Olympics Goes Viral (Original Post) SunSeeker Feb 2026 OP
There is a REAL AMERICAN... Moostache Feb 2026 #1
This is Brilliant News.. Mahalo, SunSeeker & Cha Feb 2026 #2
It gives me hope! SunSeeker Feb 2026 #5
It Gives Me Hope, too.. It's Contagious! I'm so Cha Feb 2026 #14
Please make that..... MyOwnPeace Feb 2026 #16
I 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷 Love This! sheshe2 Feb 2026 #3
I love the optimism! SunSeeker Feb 2026 #6
NOT masked, I notice. Maru Kitteh Feb 2026 #4
ding . this AllaN01Bear Feb 2026 #7
K&R orangecrush Feb 2026 #8
A patriot!!! surfered Feb 2026 #9
THANK YOU mysteryowl Feb 2026 #10
Thank you, sir Grim Chieftain Feb 2026 #11
represents how the MAJORITY of us feel Skittles Feb 2026 #12
He's a patriot MustLoveBeagles Feb 2026 #13
No wonder Dipshit Donnie didn't attend. llmart Feb 2026 #15
Can I give that guy a heart? Arthur_Frain Feb 2026 #17
Awesome, just awesome! True patriotism. Wonder Why Feb 2026 #18
Reminds me of the "I'm Sorry" posts that were made Shipwack Feb 2026 #19
Cool! I remember. It was a wonderful thing! electric_blue68 Feb 2026 #37
I recently saw a flag of the world. The top read, "Dear World, We Are So Sorry" niyad Feb 2026 #20
Can't wait to see JokeHer Feb 2026 #21
Probably will be detained Jimbo S Feb 2026 #22
Yes, that really is our country now. SunSeeker Feb 2026 #23
American Individualism: "we will fix ourselves" RockCreek Feb 2026 #24
I am glad we have help from many places. SunSeeker Feb 2026 #25
Well done! UpInArms Feb 2026 #26
Thanks for the photo LittleGirl Feb 2026 #27
This is what I see JoseBalow Feb 2026 #28
Weird. Do you see it below? SunSeeker Feb 2026 #29
Can be seen here (n/m) Soul_of_Wit Feb 2026 #30
Good. I added that link to OP. SunSeeker Feb 2026 #31
I can see it on LittleGirl Feb 2026 #34
Yes, I do see that. JoseBalow Feb 2026 #33
What other picture hosting service do you recommend? nt SunSeeker Feb 2026 #35
I'm not sure if they have started using quotas JoseBalow Feb 2026 #36
IMGUR blocks traffic to the UK, so DUers there won't see whatever image you post Emrys Feb 11 #41
I didn't know that JoseBalow Feb 11 #42
Many thanks. Emrys Feb 11 #43
This is the image they show? JoseBalow Feb 11 #44
Any image from IMGUR displays in the UK as a purple rectangle Emrys Feb 11 #45
Yes, I see the purple box JoseBalow Feb 11 #46
reminds me of the heartbreaking website years ago after bush 2004 orleans Feb 2026 #32
Is this for real? ornotna Feb 2026 #38
Definitely real. Photo is by Getty Images. SunSeeker Feb 2026 #40
Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to. Mark Twain Ping Tung Feb 2026 #39
BRAVO! some_of_us_are_sane Feb 17 #47

Moostache

(11,265 posts)
1. There is a REAL AMERICAN...
Mon Feb 9, 2026, 06:29 PM
Feb 2026

Now juxtapose that image with masked ICE agents dragging people out of cars, executing citizens and terrorizing children.

If you are for the later and oppose the former, I cordially invite you to step back and fuck your own face.

Cha

(320,404 posts)
2. This is Brilliant News.. Mahalo, SunSeeker &
Mon Feb 9, 2026, 06:38 PM
Feb 2026

the American in Milan, @jedayal on Threads,!

I love Patriots! ❤️💔☮️🌺🌻🕯️🕊️💜

Cha

(320,404 posts)
14. It Gives Me Hope, too.. It's Contagious! I'm so
Mon Feb 9, 2026, 08:39 PM
Feb 2026

glad and grateful you found it for us! 💔☮️🌺🌻🕯️🕊️💜and Bless that American Patriot in Milan and his Positiveness!

Happy it's Viral!!

MyOwnPeace

(17,605 posts)
16. Please make that.....
Mon Feb 9, 2026, 08:59 PM
Feb 2026

TRUE patriots - not the evil, idiot frauds destroying the Constitution and individual rights in the ‘American dream’ that we so dearly love and want to share.

llmart

(17,716 posts)
15. No wonder Dipshit Donnie didn't attend.
Mon Feb 9, 2026, 08:55 PM
Feb 2026

He knew very well how he'd be greeted. It's happened to him at many, many places.

Shipwack

(3,099 posts)
19. Reminds me of the "I'm Sorry" posts that were made
Mon Feb 9, 2026, 10:43 PM
Feb 2026

On a dedicated website after Bush the Lesser was re-elected.

I contributed and even bought the book they made.

niyad

(133,826 posts)
20. I recently saw a flag of the world. The top read, "Dear World, We Are So Sorry"
Mon Feb 9, 2026, 11:23 PM
Feb 2026

the bottom read, "Love, Sane Americans"

RockCreek

(1,496 posts)
24. American Individualism: "we will fix ourselves"
Tue Feb 10, 2026, 02:15 AM
Feb 2026

Although laudable, it has many down points too. And we are not fixing ourselves alone. We have help from many places. For example, Canada, both politically and with the choices of millions of individuals there to boycott US products, travel etc. France, going after Musk. And it goes on and on. We are not in this alone.

SunSeeker

(58,366 posts)
31. Good. I added that link to OP.
Tue Feb 10, 2026, 03:17 PM
Feb 2026

Not sure why the original photo link didn't work for some people.

JoseBalow

(9,707 posts)
33. Yes, I do see that.
Tue Feb 10, 2026, 06:00 PM
Feb 2026

That Postimages site has a quota for non-paid accounts, so after so many views that blue box is displayed instead of the image you tried to host there for free. There are some other sites that do the same thing too. After so many views of your post, that's what is displayed, though you might still be able to see it if it's cached.

I can see the image above, but if you just re-uploaded it for free on the same site, that might also get blocked after so many views. Best is to use a different image hosting service for high traffic sites and forums like DU, or you could get a premium account with Postimages if you want to pay for it I suppose.

JoseBalow

(9,707 posts)
36. I'm not sure if they have started using quotas
Tue Feb 10, 2026, 07:22 PM
Feb 2026

but my go-to free image hosting is usually imgBB or Imgur

Emrys

(9,202 posts)
43. Many thanks.
Wed Feb 11, 2026, 03:22 AM
Feb 11

It's surprising how many folks on DU do use IMGUR. When they do, all we in the UK see is:

Emrys

(9,202 posts)
45. Any image from IMGUR displays in the UK as a purple rectangle
Wed Feb 11, 2026, 05:10 AM
Feb 11

with the words "Content not viewable in your region" in white. This should render properly for you (it's larger than what we see):

JoseBalow

(9,707 posts)
46. Yes, I see the purple box
Wed Feb 11, 2026, 11:51 AM
Feb 11

That makes sense, like the blue box that Postimages displays for blocked images.

ornotna

(11,544 posts)
38. Is this for real?
Tue Feb 10, 2026, 07:51 PM
Feb 2026

The header and the fly end are reversed.
I like the sentiment behind it but it looks odd.

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