Response to My E-Mail from USOC

I am completely appalled by USOC’s recent pronouncement that American athletes should down play their Americanism during the Olympics. It is a gutless and ignorant decision.

Our athletes are there to represent the USA, not to slink about pretending that they come from nowhere, and that pride in America is in bad taste.

The USOC’s position is a disgrace to our great nation. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Statement From United States Olympic Committee Chief Executive Jim Scherr Regarding U.S. Athletes Celebrating With The American Flag At The Athens Olympic And Paralympic Games

"The United States Olympic Committee wants to make it absolutely clear that we have not -- and will not -- instruct our athletes to refrain from waving the United States flag during the upcoming Athens Olympic and Paralympic Games. Any suggestions or statements to the contrary do not reflect the official position of our organization.

Athletes will be free, as always, to celebrate their performances in an exuberant, respectful way during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We will remind our athletes that they are guests of the Olympic movement, Greece, and the city of Athens and to be good ambassadors of our country, their communities, families and sports. We want our athletes to be champions who conduct themselves with class and, if it is the case, to lose with grace and dignity. Additionally, we are reminding them to treat the United States flag with the respect it deserves.

One of the proudest moments of my life was to put on my USA warm-up and represent my country at the 1988 Olympic Games. I know our athletes feel the same way today and we will not in any way infringe upon that honor.

Accomplishments of athletes and teams such as the 1980 United States Olympic Hockey Team, the great Billy Mills, swimming legend Janet Evans and countless others have inspired our nation. We are certain that the athletes who represent the United States at the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games will do the same."

Original story here.

Mike Moran is described as: "a veteran former spokesman for the US Olympic Committee who has been retained as a consultant to advise athletes about the correct way to behave."

The London Telegraph quotes Mike Moran with the following statements:

"What I am trying to do with the athletes and coaches is to suggest to them that they consider how the normal things they do at an event, including the Olympics, might be viewed as confrontational or insulting or cause embarrassment."

"Unfortunately, using the flag as a prop or a piece of apparel or indulging in boasting behaviour is becoming part of our society in sport because every night on TV we see our athletes - professional, college or otherwise - taunting their opponents and going face to face with each other. We are trying, for 17 days, to break that culture."

"What I am telling the athletes is, 'Don't run over and grab a flag and take it round the track with you.' It's not business as usual for American athletes. If a Kenyan or a Russian grabs their national flag and runs round the track or holds it high over their heads, it might not be viewed as confrontational. Where we are in the world right now, an American athlete doing that might be viewed in another manner."

So it appears that a former memeber of the USOC, and a current consultant to the USOC did, in fact, tell the athletes not to wave the flag. Then, along comes the official statement from the USOC to the contrary. Maybe the appropriate response if for the USOC to dump this loser.

Olympic atheletes from the US will not abandon their country when the win medals. They are among the most patriotic, toughest Americans you can imagine.

This, IMHO, is a leftist plot, to try to shame Americans into, being ashamed they are Americans.

Win-win for us, for flag waving, and I include the crowd. scenarios:

1. The atheletes wave the flag, and the socialists go nuts. Watch America rally. Bad news for socialists.

2. The atheletes wave the flag, and the crowd incites riots, burning, etc. (how dare they wave that flag!). Watch America REALLY rally. Blood lust, and an awakening.

3. The atheletes take thier medals, no flag, and go home. The crowd boos, and it makes CNN for weeks. The entire country is demoralized for years.

4. The Atheletes win, the crowd waves flags, the crowd is attacked, and the US goes nuts, and stomps on socialists for 30 years.

There is a reason socialists degrade and dismiss us as "flag wavers." Because it is powerful when we do. They hate the U.S.A and they hate us. They know the power of waving the flag which stands for Freedom all over the world. The flag rallies us, inspires us, makes us bind together. Insult the flag; insult us. Not a good idea to do to the most powerful, most free, civilization the world has ever seen.

They hate the Pledge of Alegience (to the flag), they hate the flag, they burn the flag, and now they want our best atheletes, the best in the world, to not wave it.

Whoever is recommending no American flag waving is either an amazing coward, amazingly stupid, or a socialist plant.

I vote for socialist plant.

F' the world. We're Americans, and will wave our flag when we want, whenever we want, and if ya don't like it, come on over and tell me, to my face. Bring your buddies. We kick butt in war, we have the best economy in the world, and we have the greatest atheletes.

The truth is, the rest of this world knows it, and hates it, because they suck.

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