Arthur Ashe Award - Tommie Smith & John Carlos

Wynn · Jul 20, 2008

I apologize in advance for offending anyone but there is no way these two individuals deserve an award for their "gestures" on the medal stand at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Once they decided to represent their country as Olympians, they made commitments to place their personal agendas in the background and abstain from projecting the interests of any special movements while they were in uniform. They chose to represent the United States and not just its civil rights movement.

If the honor of winning medals for their country and then showing the same respect for their country as every other Olympic medal winner does on the award stand was not enough, then they had no business being there. No doubt, there were a lot winners who felt just as strongly about other causes, but they were not so selfish as to demonstrate on the medal stand.

TheFunkMonkey · Jul 20, 2008

Why stand on a silent platform?

VIEJODINOSAUR · Jul 20, 2008

Civil Rights Movement was real, and most of America refused to see what was happening during that era...as I got older, the more I realized that it wasn't such a bad thing....plenty of athletes have done similiar....I believe their actions to be one of the most controversial events in sports history...Wynn, I see your point, you can argue that Jesse Owens did the right thing in front of Hitler and just showcassed his talent without demonstrating....

Wynn · Jul 20, 2008

The Funk Monkey said:
Why stand on a silent platform?

Because receiving the medal, getting the country's flag raised and hearing the national anthem is the Olympic medals ceremony and that's what every athlete signs up for.

Railbird · Jul 20, 2008

I dont think USA should participate in China. For what they have done to Tibet, to what they do to people practicing religion, to what they do in general. This country does nothing but take, they dont share, they come to this country dont try to mix in and are very cheap. What do we get in return? products that are defects, products that are poison, products that threaten are childrens lives.

VIEJODINOSAUR · Jul 21, 2008

I am biting my tongue, but all I can say Rail, is that your President is going to the Olympics...

quantumleap · Jul 21, 2008

Railbird said:
I dont think USA should participate in China. For what they have done to Tibet, to what they do to people practicing religion, to what they do in general. This country does nothing but take, they dont share, they come to this country dont try to mix in and are very cheap. What do we get in return? products that are defects, products that are poison, products that threaten are childrens lives.

While all the abuses may be going on I believe the best way we can get them to shape up is to integrate them into the world's economy, not shun them politically. Carter's boycott of the Olympics did nothing for relations.

Capitalism is the great peace maker. Countries see how well capitalist countries have it and they want that good life too. The countries who trade together would never thing of attacking each other. This works also for abuses. Once it was known that lead was found in Chinese toys their industry worked to clean up. They didn't want to lose the income that comes from trade.

Wynn · Jul 21, 2008

VIEJO DINOSAUR said:
Civil Rights Movement was real, and most of America refused to see what was happening during that era...as I got older, the more I realized that it wasn't such a bad thing....plenty of athletes have done similiar....I believe their actions to be one of the most controversial events in sports history...Wynn, I see your point, you can argue that Jesse Owens did the right thing in front of Hitler and just showcassed his talent without demonstrating....

I wasn't trying to slight the 60's Civil Rights Movement , but my point is that if every athlete from every country avails themselves of the same opportunity to stage similiar protests for causes about which they believe just as strongly, the Olympics would be doomed.

Jesse Owens was a hero for making a statement to Hitler at the Munich Olympics while still honoring the code of conduct. I really admire that.

Wynn · Jul 21, 2008

Railbird said:
I dont think USA should participate in China. For what they have done to Tibet, to what they do to people practicing religion, to what they do in general. This country does nothing but take, they dont share, they come to this country dont try to mix in and are very cheap. What do we get in return? products that are defects, products that are poison, products that threaten are childrens lives.

Rail, stop hijacking my thread.

VIEJODINOSAUR · Jul 21, 2008

Wynn said:
I wasn't trying to slight the 60's Civil Rights Movement , but my point is that if every athlete from every country avails themselves of the same opportunity to stage similiar protests for causes about which they believe just as strongly, the Olympics would be doomed.

Jesse Owens was a hero for making a statement to Hitler at the Munich Olympics while still honoring the code of conduct. I really admire that.

I think Owens did that in Berlin, Germany...and I do see your point! :103631605