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Flag waving at the olympics; USOC bans US flag waving
Topic Started: May 18 2004, 11:57 PM (628 Views)
lister
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fly on the wall sees all
The US Olympic Commitee is recomending that US athletes not show exuberance and wave the flag because some might take offence to it that we are promoting the greatness of the US and putting others down. This is wrong I think that all participants should show pride for their countryon this world stage
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Swidden
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Adm. Gadfly-at-large; Provisional wRench-fly at large
Really? I had not heard this yet. I would agree that at this time that it might be in our own best interest to not throw out a great deal of the grandstanding efforts that have become so common place in sports (like Terrell Owens Sharpie incident, etc.).

By the way, welcome to SisterTrek Lister... (I am not certain but I believe we are currently out of Chicken Vindaloo...)!
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Dandandat
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Time to put something here
Do you have a link to back this up? it sounds kind of stupid.

If true:

What’s the point of the US even entering the Olympics then? I mean aren’t these athletes suppose to be representing the US? Who would expect them not to wave their own flag.

What utter and complete hours shit is this any way - now the US is not allowed to wave its own Flag because it may offend some people, what’s next are we not going to be allowed to sing our natal anthem at sporting events? or show any pride in our nation at all? Are we suppose to go around life feeling sorry for the fact that we are Americans? I think I’m with Bill on this one - the left is going to far.
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Swidden
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Adm. Gadfly-at-large; Provisional wRench-fly at large
^^^
True, we should not be afraid celebrating our national pride. However, this could go a long way towards curbing some of the over-kill that some athletes engage in these days... It's something that I think got out of hand a while ago and I wouldn't mind seeing some decorum return...
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24thcenstfan
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Something Wicked This Fae Comes
Dante,

How about reading the whole story before you jump on the "blame the left" bandwaggon.

U.S. Athletes Warned to Tone It Down in Athens

There was no ban as far as I can tell...just a cautionary warning by the USOC.

Quote:
 
“That doesn’t mean they should not celebrate when they win, or wave the flag. But what it does mean is that they should act appropriately given the international situation.”


Quote:
 
"It’s up to every athlete how he or she wishes to celebrate their Olympic success,” said a spokesman. “There are no plans to issue any instructions. We are confident every athlete will celebrate in a responsible way.”
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lister
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fly on the wall sees all
It was in th washington times .com national section yesterday. sorry I havn't figured out how to post a link yet
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captain_proton_au
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A Robot in Disguise

How absolutely ridiculous.....

Quote:
 
But what it does mean is that they should act appropriately given the international situation.”


Well, wth does that mean, these altheletes train hard for four years, of course they are going to get excited when they win a gold medal.

America will probably top the medal tally in this olympics as the host country isnt that large.

Quote:
 
Four years ago at the Sydney Olympics the U.S. 100m men’s relay team were forced to apologise for their celebrations after winning the title. They strutted, one naked to the waist, draped in the stars and stripes in a manner that was widely considered to be arrogant


I dont remeber anyone calling them arrogant, the 100m track stars were some of the highlights of the game, there was a bit of hero worship going on over here with them.

No fist pumping etc, how stupid, its sport! - without that kind of stuff it may be a rather dull games.
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doctortobe
Speak softly, and carry a 57 megaton stick!
I suppose next they will want Americans to apologize when they win a gold medal. Wouldn't want to look to prideful.
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somerled
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Admiral MacDonald RN
That's a tad unfortunate, the flag waving of supporters in the audience for this or that team or team-member or sporting hero adds to the ambience and probably gives them just that little bit of extra encourage and incentive to give that extra little bit that so often makes the difference.

Few take offence to an olympic athlete getting excited if they win a gold medal (or any medal) - natural exuberance (after many years of hard work) should not be stopped just because some crazy terrorists might take offence -if people are expected to modify their behaviour because of them them - then they have won.

However - I can understand the concerns and guess people will also be advised to blend in with the locals and other visitors as much as is possible to try to reduce the chances of their being obvious targets for those who will be there (and you can bet they will be) with the intention of causing harm or disruption.
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Dandandat
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Time to put something here
24thcenstfan
May 19 2004, 01:15 AM
How about reading the whole story before you jump on the "blame the left" bandwaggon.

Maybe I should have - and so I apologize for speaking before getting the whole story. But I still think its crazy.


Quote:
 
Some of the stuff we do, gestures, pumping fists, high fives, they should think about in terms of this unusual environment we’re in.”


Why is it that the US (for so many years not just this one) has to live up to this "unjingoistic" behavior in the eyes of the world, while no other country seems to do it? We are Americans - we should act like Americans, if that offends some one they are the ones with the problem. They should be tolerant of our ways just as we are expected to be tolerant of theirs.

Case in point
Quote:
 
The British Olympic Association said it had no plans to warn its athletes to subdue their celebrations.


If this is an attempt at not making a target of them selves by terrorist - I can under stand. But that is not what I get when I read the article. There was no mention of terrorism, all it said was that we didn’t want to offend any one with our American ways.


If people come this country they should be expected to fit into our culture. If we go to another country we should fit into theirs. If we meat in a fashion that is suppose to represent the coming together of all cultures, then all cultures should be represented for what they are, and all involved should be tolerant of each other. Is that not what the Olympics are all about people from all over the world coming together and sharing each others cultures – why even go at all if we shouldn’t part take in ours?
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Fesarius
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Admiral
Quote:
 
What’s the point of the US even entering the Olympics then? I mean aren’t these athletes suppose to be representing the US? Who would expect them not to wave their own flag.

Perhaps we should just fix all events to end in a tie. That way, no one would be offended.
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somerled
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Admiral MacDonald RN
There is some talk that Australian Olympic Atheletes will be flown home almost immediately after they compete in their personal last event - for safety / security reasons.

Reported a few days ago , but I can't recall where.

OK - I'm a terrible typist - so sue me !
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Admiralbill_gomec
UberAdmiral
Better yet, EVERYONE WINS! Everyone gets a trophy, and they're all the same size, just like some of the whiny anti-achievement types do with little league and soccer.
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Fesarius
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Admiral
Quote:
 
Better yet, EVERYONE WINS! Everyone gets a trophy, and they're all the same size, just like some of the whiny anti-achievement types do with little league and soccer.

No kidding. I wonder where we went wrong....
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Swidden
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Adm. Gadfly-at-large; Provisional wRench-fly at large
^^^
Too many crying children of over indulgent parents...
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