Posted on 05/19/2004 11:16:19 AM PDT by CyberCowboy777
Newspapers all over the world reported this past weekend that Mike Moran, a consultant for the USOC, has suggested that United States Olympians have been instructed to “cool it.” (London Sunday Telegraph; Simon Hart; May 16)
Fair enough. Olympians shouldn’t taunt their opponents under any circumstances, and shouldn’t do Hulk Hogan-like poses with Old Glory, as the 4 X 100 relay team did in Sydney. But Moran, in fact, is also telling the athletes, “Don’t run over and grab a flag and take it around the track with you.”
How dare he? There is a no comparison whatsoever between taunting and celebrating. For anyone to suggest that our athletes shouldn’t celebrate a gold medal with the American flag, in order to please anyone else for ANY reason, is downright incomprehensible and reprehensible.
Right is right, and wrong is wrong. We have to make our choices based on what we believe to be right or wrong, not based on what someone else thinks! And, it is perfectly acceptable to take a victory lap with the flag that we are representing at the Olympic Games, the event that epitomizes what national pride is all about.
The bottom line is that the same people who despise us will not like us any more because we didn’t take a victory lap with our flag. That’s ridiculous and irrelevant. If we marched into the opening ceremonies and threw $100 bills to the crowd, they’d still hate us. Who cares?
We have to compete with dignity and with honor. While displays of bad behavior and taunting should be “cooled” at all costs, it is imperative that United States Olympians celebrate their victories in the manner that any other country would, and that definitely includes the proud display of the Stars and Stripes!
Shame on anyone to suggest otherwise, especially someone retained by the organization responsible for sending us!
Furthermore, why should we change our way of life based on someone else’s beliefs? That’s akin to giving in to those you abhor the fact that we have the freedom that they don’t have.
I expect our athletes will do the right thing, not the politically correct thing. We are proud to be Americans, and we’re going to show it. And, the beauty of living in this great country is that we have the right to celebrate no matter who tells us otherwise, and that I have the right to vehemently disagree with the USOC’s public behavior consultant.
The United States shouldn’t even bother sending a team to the Olympics in Athens if the athletes aren’t told by the United States Olympic Committee that, in no uncertain terms, Mike Moran’s comments were out of line, and that they should look forward to waving our flag proudly. Moran suggests that American flag-waving may be viewed as confrontational. It doesn’t matter if that is true; what matters is that his suggestions are confrontational to us!
The flag that my mother Alice, a Holocaust survivor, gave me to display on the Fourth of July is already packed. And, I can assure you that this son of a nine-time US Olympian (four as a competitor and five as a referee), my father Dan, will be the first to give it to my fencers if they happen to win a medal in Athens. Jeff Bukantz speaking for himself and not for the USOC fencing team (of which he is the captain)
I'd like to know how much this Moran guy is getting paid, and if he's still on the payroll.
I just got this email and was going to post it, thanks for your post.
If we start waving the flag around like "arrogant" Americans we could very well lose all the "hearts and minds" we've tried so hard to win. This, in turn, could have the effect of "creating millions of more bin Ladens."
NP
You must be in Oregon or Washington.. on the Local Show email list!
Hell I think while we celebrate wins with waving our flags, and pull our pants down and moon the whole world while we are at it. Screw em!
Good. God forbid we show our flag and incite all the raving lunatics in the stands that security couldn't keep out.
The flag waving and nationalism shown at olympic events is in fact the very essence of it!
If we cannot show nationalism at this event, we should not participate at all!
Period!
End of statement!
shirleyyoujest !!!
Could I have possibly made it any more obvious?
Do do know = YOU do know
I used to be in Oregon, recently moved over the border into No. California. After 55 years in Oregon, I still keep up with their news. BTW, Sen. Gordon Smith was on CSpan2 this morning giving one of the best speeches I've ever heard him make. He was railing on Kerry and Kerry wanting the UN to take over Iraq. Smith said that made no sense after the UN's "Oil for FRAUD" program.
I hope our atheletes do great and win a lot of medals. I think, however, that whatever they do, they are going to get booed in Athens a lot.
I hope our atheletes never forget that America is cheering for them, no matter what.
Bwaahahahahahahaha
Who cares about the Olympics in any case. I stopped watching them when they started using professional athletes in so many events.
I'd rather go to the local High School track meet, quite frankly.
On another issue: I recommend that nobody go to Greece for the Olympics this year. Greece is just barely above the third-world category except in the major cities. Security along its extensive coastline is going to be thin.
I fully expect some serious terrorism at the Olympics this year.
Softball player Lisa Fernandez agreed: "Hopefully, these Games will go down as the ones that brought unity to the world. It's an opportunity to come together and compete in the tradition the Olympics provides."
Unity to the world. And here I was thinkin' the Olympics was supposed to be about sport.
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