In a post on X, political commentator Dustin Grage contrasted two high-profile athletes with Chinese heritage: Alysa Liu and Eileen Gu.
With the post was an image of Liu in a gold sequined dress, smiling wide, waving the American flag, and wearing her newly won Olympic gold medal from the team figure skating event at 2026 Winter Olympics.
Alysa Liu’s father fled China after Tiananmen in search of freedom in the United States.
She chose to represent America.
American-born Eileen Gu chose to represent the CCP for money.
These two are not the same. pic.twitter.com/ZYwpj8XbeE
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) February 11, 2026
Her father, Arthur Liu, fled China after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. He came to America for freedom.
Years later, his daughter stood on an Olympic podium representing the United States.
That’s the American Dream in real time.
Grage then compared that to Gu’s decision in 2019 to stop competing for Team USA and instead skate for China.
According to public reporting from outlets like Forbes, Gu went on to earn more than $10 million a year in endorsements tied largely to Chinese brands and markets.
Different paths. Very different messages.
One athlete honored the country that gave her family a second chance. The other followed the money.
Replies to Grage’s post were mixed. Some defended Gu, saying Asian athletes face discrimination in U.S. sports. Others blamed American foreign policy or said dual-heritage athletes should be free to choose whatever country they want.
Whatever the reason, choices still mean something.
When you compete in the Olympics, you’re not just wearing spandex or skates. You’re wearing a nation’s colors. You’re telling the world who you stand with.
Nevada is full of families who came here for freedom. Cubans. Vietnamese. Ukrainians. Chinese. You name it.
They came because America lets you speak freely, worship freely, and build something with your own hands.
Walk through Las Vegas, Reno, or Henderson and you’ll meet small business owners who escaped communism and tyranny. They work long hours. They pay taxes. They fly the American flag outside their shops.
They didn’t come here to hedge their bets.
They picked a side.
Critics say conservatives are being unfair. They argue athletes are just doing what’s best for their careers. They also point to reports of bias in U.S. sports systems.
Those concerns shouldn’t be brushed off.
But here’s the other side.
America gave both Liu and Gu world-class training, safety, and opportunity. Only one chose to give something back.
Liu’s win wasn’t just a medal. It was a thank-you note to the country that took her family in.
That matters.
At a time when too many elites treat America like a brand instead of a home, moments like this remind us why patriotism still counts.
You don’t have to be perfect to love this country.
You just have to be grateful enough to stand for it when it matters most.
And for a lot of Nevadans watching that gold medal moment, Alysa Liu did exactly that.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. Digital technology was used in the research, writing, and production of this article. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
