Posted on 08/10/2004 6:02:11 AM PDT by condi2008
I tell you, it's getting tougher to be an American these days. Seems like everyone around the world either hates us or is embarrassed by us, including some of our own.
How else can anyone explain why the U.S. Olympic Committee is telling its athletes— our athletes—to tone down any displays of Americanism while competing in Athens this month?
According to a report in the Christian Science Monitor, the moniker of "ugly American" is being used to describe any displays of national pride—flag waving at the Games, the wearing of American flag or other insignia on clothing, etc.—our athletes may demonstrate.
It seems that because of our war on terror—in response to a war that was actually declared upon us, not the other way around—and our insistence on fighting it alone if need be, has some people in other nations feeling bad about us.
We're arrogant, you see, and displays of patriotism by our athletes could be misinterpreted as, well, arrogance.
You remember such arrogance from the 2000 Games, right? Members of our 4 x 100 relay team wrapped themselves in American flags and celebrated their victory. That apparently offended people, and so our Olympic committee is telling our athletes they shouldn't do that this time around.
Oh, for the love of …
I have a better idea.
Since the Olympic games have been based on nationalistic competition since their inception, we should honor tradition and require our athletes to demonstrate overt patriotism.
U.S. athletes must compete without any overt references to the country and people who sent them? Forget it: Wrap them in U.S. flags. Make them wear flag-studded clothing. Flag doo-rags on their heads. Maybe even require them to don red, white and blue body paint for each event.
Our country is going to get a bad rap no matter what our athletes do in Athens. The jealous criticism has already begun, so our competitors may as well show their pride if they want to show it, and to blazes to whomever doesn't like it.
Because I'll tell you something. If American athletes cannot be openly proud of their country—especially during the Olympics—what is the sense in participating in them? Countries send teams to the Olympics, not sports franchises or privately owned entities.
Practically every other nation participating will no doubt revel in their nationalism in their own way—which is as it should be. But the difference, obviously, will be a distinct lack of criticism of overt displays of nationalism by teams other than the U.S. team.
Americans in general, if not our Olympic committee itself, should be ignoring other nations, other teams, and spectators from other lands who just think they'll be offended beyond tolerance by overt displays of Americanism.
Let them be offended—by our strength, our commitment to our athletes, our national pride and our love of country. Let freedom ring around the world, and let it be annoyingly loud.
I remember hearing about this before.
Apparently, the USOC has denied that any athletes have been told not to display our colors, patriotism, flag, or display any elation over victory.
But this is a popular myth among anti-american americans, who use it as proof that everyone around the world hates us.
"created" oops BIG typo Creator
By the way, the president at the time was Clinton.
For the upcoming Olympiad I'm an unashamed, in-your-face chauvinist.
DOWN WITH ABROAD INDEED (Froggies especially)
I was warning people about this a few months ago when I heard USOC was telling our team to chill the flags.
Did EVERYONE notice how our team was cheered the longest and the strongest last night as they entered the stadium and were announced? Hey, must have been a lot of eastern Europeans there, eh? Man, our team was and is SO LOVED! And that awful Eleanor woman on the McLaughline group was saying they would be boo-ed, that evil woman.
Our team were not waving flags last night. Really sad. WE've got to bombard USOC so they can do their flag-waving victory laps. we always win the most GOLD anyway!
I did see 3 Greek swimmers screaming and running around the pool draped in a Greek flag, then culminating their display by leaping into the pool, flag and all. This received no notice in the papers and no comment during TV coverage or TV news broadcasts, although the tape clip was shown. Just imagine the hue and cry if American athletes had made such an overt display. Similar over-the-top demonstrations by the fans of the various winners have also been frequent, eliciting no adverse comment. I for one am sick of this crap!
The confusion may come from the fact that the athletes have been asked to not make consipicuous displays inside the Olympic Village, as a safety precaution (not advertising their location as obviously to the nutjobs).
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