« Poor Powell | Main | The End of the World as We Know It »

May 17, 2004
American Athletes Told Not To Wave Flags

How sad is it that our reputation around the world is so bad that our athletes are being told not to wave flags at the Olympics in Athens, for fear of angering the crowd?

It's damn sad.

American athletes have been warned not to wave the U.S. flag during their medal celebrations at this summer's Olympic Games in Athens, for fear of provoking crowd hostility and harming the country's already-battered public image. The spectacle of victorious athletes grabbing a national flag and parading it around the stadium is a familiar part of international sporting competition, but U.S. Olympic officials have ordered their 550-strong team to exercise restraint and avoid any jingoistic behavior.

--snip--

"We're not the favorite kid in the world right now," conceded Bill Martin, the USOC's acting president. "We are sensitive not only to the security issue, but to jingoism in its raw sense. That is why we are sending people around to educate the athletes as to the appropriate behavior."

source

The simple act of holding up our flag is now considered by many to be an act of aggression to the point where we're warning our citizens to display restraint. Personally, I'm all for restraining dumb-ass patriotism anyway, but when's the last time a nation's flag inspired such feelings all around the world? Swastika, anyone?

P.S. -- and no, I'm not comparing the U.S. to Nazi Germany in policy or action, I'm comparing the feelings of the world public toward the two.

Oh, and here's a favorite quote about patriotism:
"Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it." -- George Bernard Shaw

Posted by ahecht at May 17, 2004 10:49 AM
Comments

Previous Comments

I don't know why everyone is so afraid to compare the current administration with the Nazis. They are not 100% similar, but the parallels are astounding.

Posted by: David at May 17, 2004 1:26 PM

^-- huh? no the're not, dumbfuck.

Posted by: rykyard at May 17, 2004 1:31 PM

had guilt for "dumbfuck" comment. so... sorry.

Posted by: rykyard at May 17, 2004 1:33 PM

Well, I would say that I'm not afraid of making the comparison, but I try to be very careful in making it.

In our foreign policy, nor our wholesale extermination policy, there is no comparison.

The style of the administration's propaganda, their seeming inability to tell the truth, and their blanket impugning of the patriotism and honor of anyone who disagrees with them, well that's a little reminiscent. But still, they're not executing people who disagree with them.

Overall, I'd say the similiarities are pretty superficial, and historical comparisons aren't all that useful anyway. Still, they sure can make ya think.

Posted by: Anthony at May 17, 2004 2:27 PM