President Joe Biden on Thursday presented the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to 17 people, including gymnast Simone Biles, the late John McCain, Arizona Republicans, with whom Biden served in the Senate, and gun control advocate Gabby Gifford. .
“Today she adds to the medal table,” Biden said as he introduced Biles, a former foster girl whose 32 world and Olympic medals make her the most decorated American gymnast in history.
“I don’t know how you’re going to find space,” Biden joked for another medal. The 25-year-old is an advocate for the mental health of athletes, children in foster homes and victims of sexual abuse. He is also the youngest person to receive the medal, Biden said.
The Democratic president, who took office at a critical time during the coronavirus pandemic, also paid tribute to Sandra Lindsay, a nurse from Queens, New York, who was the first person to receive a COVID-19 vaccine outside of the United States. tests during a live event. televised address. December 2020.
It was the first time Biden had awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His list of recipients included living and dead dignitaries, some of whom represented different stages in the president’s life, from the Catholic nuns who taught him as a child in Claymont, Delaware, to the Republican lawmakers he served with in the Senate. college. . The professor, like his wife, Jill, advocates stricter access to firearms.
Biden described Giffords as “one of the bravest people I’ve ever met”.
The former Arizona congresswoman founded an organization called Giffords to campaign for an end to gun violence and restrict access to guns. The Democrat nearly died after being shot in the head during a January 2011 event in Tucson.
Biden noted that he just signed the most comprehensive gun control legislation in decades, though he and others want even more restrictions, and that families like his, whose lives were changed by gun violence, helped make that happen.
“He is the embodiment of what defines American quality: never give up,” Biden said.
Biden also acknowledged former Republican senators Alan Simpson of Wyoming and John McCain of Arizona, recalling a less partisan era in Washington when members of different parties discussed issues during the day and then gathered for dinner at night.
McCain died of brain cancer in 2018. He spent more than five years in captivity in Vietnam before serving in the US Navy. He later represented Arizona in the House and Senate and was the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, running for office. against Democrats Barack Obama and Biden.
Biden said he doesn’t value political competition, but “I’ve never stopped admiring John … I’ve known his honor, his courage and his commitment.”
The 17 award recipients “overcame significant obstacles to impressive achievements in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to defending the most vulnerable among us, and acted courageously to make a difference in their communities and around the world, paving the way for the future. . generations,” the White House said in the statement.
Biden himself knows what it’s like to receive a medal. Then-President Obama honored Biden’s decades of public service by awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom “with distinction” during a ceremony before stepping down in January 2017.
Biden closed the ceremony and declared that “this is America”.
The remaining 13 medalists are:
and Simon Campbell, member of the Sisters of Social Work and former executive director of Catholic social justice organization NETWORK.
Juliet Garcia, former president of the University of Texas at Brownsville. According to the White House, Garcia was the first Latino to become president of a university.
Fred Gray, one of the first black members of the Alabama Legislature since Reconstruction. He was a noted civil rights attorney who represented Rosa Parks, the NAACP and Martin Luther King Jr., and continues to practice law at age 91.
Steve Jobs, co-founder, CEO and president of Apple Inc. died in 2011.
Father Alexander Karloutsos, Assistant to Archbishop Demetrius of America. According to the White House, Carloutsos consulted with several US presidents. Biden said he is “one of my dearest friends”.
Khizr Khan, an immigrant from Pakistan, son of Khan’s army officer, was killed in Iraq. Khan gained national fame and became the target of Donald Trump’s wrath after speaking at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Diane Nash, founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, which organized the most important civil rights campaign of the 20th century and worked with King.
Megan Rapinoe – Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women’s World Cup champion, captain of OL Reign in the National Women’s Football League. She is a leading advocate for gender pay equity, racial justice and LGBTQI+ rights. Biden said she is the first football player to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Simpson, who served in the Senate with Biden and has been a leading advocate of campaign finance reform, responsible government and marriage equality. Biden called Simpson “the real deal” and joked that he “never takes himself too seriously and never takes me too seriously.”
Richard Trumka, who at the time of his death in August 2021, had been chairman of the 12.5-member AFL-CIO for over a decade. He was a former president of the United Mine Workers.
Wilma Voth. As a Brigadier General, Watt is one of the most decorated women in US military history, breaking down gender barriers as she rises through the ranks. When Vaught retired in 1985, she was one of seven women generals in the military.
Denzel Washington, actor, director and producer who won two Oscars. He also has a Tony Award, two Golden Globes and a Cecil DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a longtime representative of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Washington was unable to attend Thursday’s ceremony after testing positive for COVID-19, the White House said. Biden said Washington will receive its medal “when it can get here.”
Raul Izaguire. A civil rights activist, Izaguirre served as President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza for 30 years.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
