Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: sveint

Go world!

I hear you can have a good rest and find happiness watching the Olympics.

ORIGINAL: Rebel Yell

Sorry, but the highlight of the opening ceremony was this

ORIGINAL: DD696

I agree with you, but for me I despise the anti whatever country demonstrations that the athletes feel they must indulge in to bring disgrace to the games. So many good athletes, but the few who destroy the meaning of bringing honor to those whom you are supposed to represent I absolutely detest . I choose not to watch anyone who brings disgrace to themselves, their team, and their country.

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: DD696

I agree with you, but for me I despise the anti whatever country demonstrations that the athletes feel they must indulge in to bring disgrace to the games. So many good athletes, but the few who destroy the meaning of bringing honor to those whom you are supposed to represent I absolutely detest . I choose not to watch anyone who brings disgrace to themselves, their team, and their country.

+1
If you do not want to represent your country, then don't. Just don't go - in fact, find another country since the one that you are representing is so bad.

ORIGINAL: Rusty1961

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: DD696

I agree with you, but for me I despise the anti whatever country demonstrations that the athletes feel they must indulge in to bring disgrace to the games. So many good athletes, but the few who destroy the meaning of bringing honor to those whom you are supposed to represent I absolutely detest . I choose not to watch anyone who brings disgrace to themselves, their team, and their country.

+1
If you do not want to represent your country, then don't. Just don't go - in fact, find another country since the one that you are representing is so bad.

So you have a problem with the black guys in '68 Mexico games throwing the "Black Power" salute?

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: Rusty1961

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe




+1
If you do not want to represent your country, then don't. Just don't go - in fact, find another country since the one that you are representing is so bad.

So you have a problem with the black guys in '68 Mexico games throwing the "Black Power" salute?

Yes, I do.

ORIGINAL: Simulacra53

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: Rusty1961




So you have a problem with the black guys in '68 Mexico games throwing the "Black Power" salute?

Yes, I do.

In 1968 that certainly meant something other than disrespect and it certainly took courage, just like Muhammad Ali refusing the draft.

Today is more about posing than protesting, the easy fight and not the hard one. Official sanctions are arbitrary as some countries are boycotted and others can pretend to be righteous…

Political yes, not the first post though.
The Olympics are always tainted by some kind of hot or cold war, 1980-1984 etc, with some short windows of hope.
No I don’t watch the olympics, I respect the athletes but loath the politics, corruption and hypocrisy.

Will stop at that, apologies to the mods.

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: DD696

I agree with you, but for me I despise the anti whatever country demonstrations that the athletes feel they must indulge in to bring disgrace to the games. So many good athletes, but the few who destroy the meaning of bringing honor to those whom you are supposed to represent I absolutely detest . I choose not to watch anyone who brings disgrace to themselves, their team, and their country.

+1
If you do not want to represent your country, then don't. Just don't go - in fact, find another country since the one that you are representing is so bad.

ORIGINAL: loki100

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: DD696

I agree with you, but for me I despise the anti whatever country demonstrations that the athletes feel they must indulge in to bring disgrace to the games. So many good athletes, but the few who destroy the meaning of bringing honor to those whom you are supposed to represent I absolutely detest . I choose not to watch anyone who brings disgrace to themselves, their team, and their country.

+1
If you do not want to represent your country, then don't. Just don't go - in fact, find another country since the one that you are representing is so bad.

there's a huge problem in your framing here. Almost every country has people with different views as to what that country should be or should represent. These differences can stem from political alignment, ethnicity, linguistics, social class, gender, sexuaulity and I'm sure I can think of more.

so who gets to define, to the extent that you should 'find another', what is acceptable and what is not. In many cases those making protests may well disagree with whatever it is you define the 'your country' as, hopefully they do so in the full awareness that alternative views exist (and indeed should be able to co-exist?).

ORIGINAL: SuluSea

No interest at all in watching the olympics as people telling me how bad a person I am by proxy. I already know my failures as a person but those same people fail to acknowledge their own debased mind and offense.

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: loki100

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe




+1
If you do not want to represent your country, then don't. Just don't go - in fact, find another country since the one that you are representing is so bad.

there's a huge problem in your framing here. Almost every country has people with different views as to what that country should be or should represent. These differences can stem from political alignment, ethnicity, linguistics, social class, gender, sexuaulity and I'm sure I can think of more.

so who gets to define, to the extent that you should 'find another', what is acceptable and what is not. In many cases those making protests may well disagree with whatever it is you define the 'your country' as, hopefully they do so in the full awareness that alternative views exist (and indeed should be able to co-exist?).

Well. In many (most?) countries people have the right to protest. And these athletes have the right to say what they want, and protest how much they want when they are not representing their country.

So I see no issue with saying that they do not have the right to do so during the games. Then they represent the country, and should let the representatives of the country to speak for them if any such speech is needed. Because, as you say, a country has lots of people with lots of different opinions. Either they go there and represent all of their country. Or they do not. Plenty of other competitions where they only represent themselves.

Either we forbid protests during the game, or we allow all protests. Or are we going to have a jury, or judges, there who decide what protest to allow, or not. And do all countries in the game have a say in this?

Would be interesting to see this spreading to other fields. So, Ambassador, you are protesting against your own foreign policy? [&:] [;)]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

...

The Olympics are a non-governmental entity so the Olympic organizations are allowed to control what people do. They are allowed to set standards of conduct.

ORIGINAL: Orm

Well. In many (most?) countries people have the right to protest. And these athletes have the right to say what they want, and protest how much they want when they are not representing their country.

..,

ORIGINAL: loki100

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

...

The Olympics are a non-governmental entity so the Olympic organizations are allowed to control what people do. They are allowed to set standards of conduct.

yes but this is you setting standards.

lets try a simple example.

Scottish athletes who want to compete at the Olympics must do so as part of the Uk/GB. Now Scotland is split 50/50 on the question of independence and as ever there are people on both sides who don't fundamentally care as to the outcome and those who do.

So someone from a social background that is based on Unionism wins a race, great, they will probably be more than happy to celebrate with a Union Jack, it reflects the national flag of their team, it reflects their individual identity.

If someone from the nationalist end wins, they will probably look to celebrate with a Scottish flag, it isn't the flag of their team but it does reflect their identity. Note they have no choice, if they are an exceptional athlete in their field they have to compete for the UK (its not like in football or rugby).

Now is it a protest? Probably not but it is a means of celebrating something that is important to them in a way that is important to them. But you'd have them banned and told to compete for another country?

ORIGINAL: Orm

Well. In many (most?) countries people have the right to protest. And these athletes have the right to say what they want, and protest how much they want when they are not representing their country.

..,

in this example their desired country does not exist ... in the rules of the Olympics