I’m having a really tough time finding hope in something like the Olympics. I’m left wondering how immigrants & the non-fascists felt during the 1936 Olympics where multiple fascist countries were allowed to compete while they actively were in the middle of harming & killing ppl. I think of all the buckets of money being spent for these “games” & reminded of the Gladiator events in Rome where the people were starving & barely surviving and were given a “circus” to take their minds off their hungry bellies & abject suffering. This current Olympics cost approx $4.2 billion. That’s JUST the cost for Italy. Not each country sending athletes over. What can 4.2 billion do? Well it could build 42,000 homes at $100,000 each. We could be helping 42,000 families have their first homes ever. Instead, we waste it on circuses, ballrooms, secret police abductions of our neighbors, & making the rich MORE rich. So, yea. I’m not feeling the Olympics this yr bc I’m finally seeing how we continue to allow the rich to pull the wool over our eyes while we can’t even afford the wool & have to put our own blinders on credit.
As your reader I think I understand your worldview.
This is the saddest piece of yours I have read .
I hang and hold my head in the corner in shame for my country.
I failed in my duty to my country to call out sooner the sins we commit. Every time I looked away not seeing what was right in front of me. Or pretending not to see. Did I do that too?
No wonder I feel battered. The feds have been battering me/us and now I see I brought it on myself/ us.
I complained about injustice but did not go to any meetings about how to stop injustice like in the actual world.
I have not acted as much of an American.
I voted.
I kept informed.
I stopped at the dynamic part.
The town halls and city council meetings and the school boards.
I did not go.
I complained.
Yes, I feel and believe I have/had the correct ideas being that The Constitution is King and Queen in America.
I did not make sure that that is what was happening .
This has been slipping awhile now. We were not vigilant. Or did not listen to those who were.
And so I feel shame. I feel as much shame as any bad guy in this saga you could name should feel . I can be named as guilty too.
To feel shame can be a killer or a motivator.
Now the put up or shut up part.
It feels free.
To decide.
To be unafraid of my failure.
To stop failing.
To stop letting the shame kill my country by my inaction.
I realized that I wasn’t having my usual reaction to the Games starting this month - didn’t care about Opening Ceremonies, don’t know what event is when - and yep, thanks to you, MIB, I get it now!! 🤦♀️🤦♀️
The "booing" of Vance at the opening ceremony is the best thing to probably happen at the Olympics. The worst, so far, is that NBC muted the sound of the booing crowd on the tape delayed feed last night.
I care about the athletes and wish them well, but I find no pride in what America represents today. It's not the athletes' fault, yet they do represent the country, and that connection is impossible to ignore.
This morning I attended a local Democratic activist meeting with fifty-two people. When the host asked if anyone wanted to lead the Pledge of Allegiance, one person stood. I stood too, out of habit or respect for the room, but I couldn't speak the words. I don't believe them anymore. For decades I'd omitted "under God," a small act of conscience. Now I omit everything. I stood in silence. Half the room didn't stand at all.
I remember reading a few years back that flag ceremonies and mandatory pledges are hallmarks of autocratic states. Among democracies, we're an outlier in this practice. That realization has stayed with me.
I now prefer to say I am a citizen of Earth. What time I have left will be spent trying to keep the peace and make the world a better place for my grandchildren.
I watched the crowd boo Vance and I could relate. Then I watched them boo the Israeli contingent and felt 10x worse. They didn’t boo the American athletes. You see, that’s antisemitism at work. And at the Olympics, where half a century ago terrorists killed Israelis. The same types of people probably cheered that as well. People suck. Full stop.
The only way our nation becomes a true nation of all peoples and creeds, Mike, is to return all lands and governships of those lands to the Indigenous peoples who first settled here and ask for leniency in colonist descendants remaining. It's the only reparation that might make a small dent in our necessary reckoning of ourselves. We're not a true advanced nation-state because it was all founded in blood and greed and fear, competition instead of cooperation. There's only two roads that move progress forward, but one of them inevitably circles back on itself. History is the proof pudding. You can't sustain a nation of empire. Nobody ever did, nobody ever will.
I don't necessarily disagree with you but I don't see how such a thing would be possible. Maybe it's not and we're just watching our blood circle down the drain.
Maybe so. You’re right, it would require a mass reckoning of the ruling class hubris, and an en masse collective effort of owning our ancestry. It’s more likely we’ll crash as a society first of course. Pax Romana couldn’t do it. Pax Brittania either. Pax Americana definitely isn’t going to do it in time, essentially we’re just a continued edition of Pax Europa. The question really is, which future era of humanity will finally give up their tribal fears and embrace all peoples as one?
You articulated, beautifully as always, the feelings I have had around the Olympics this year. I won't be watching, reading, tracking medals or enjoying in any way the Winter Olympics. I did watch the video of Fancy Pants getting booed, booing along while cringing for the athletes. How is it possible that we have turned into a global pariah in such a short time?
The U.S. medal count this time around might be the same, but the number of American athletes getting laid in the Olympic village will be drastically low. And not because the man who is a Biathlon champion, who can cross country ski and shoot out targets isn't a sexy bitch, but because he's now associated with a group of buzz killing assholes. I hope he wins a medal, cause he's not bringing home an STD.
Okay Mary. If I go any further I fear I might be being rude. These are made up names as I am just crewing around here. I have no idea who competes in the biathlon for any country. I just picked the event because it fit well into my joke. Enjoy the Olympics and let's hope for a US biathlon win!
If other countries’ athletes ostracize them, U.S. athletes might just get off with each other— skiers with curlers, bobsledders with ice skaters, etc 😉
Well, there'll be plenty of untainted things to enjoy. The Super Bowl is Sunday, pitchers and catchers report soon, and next month it's the Oscars.
The Olympics lost their purity for me in 1972 when the officials basically gave the Soviet men's basketball team the gold. (I believe there was some other distraction in '72, too.) Still, they're fun to watch in moderation. Old habits die hard.
I’m having a really tough time finding hope in something like the Olympics. I’m left wondering how immigrants & the non-fascists felt during the 1936 Olympics where multiple fascist countries were allowed to compete while they actively were in the middle of harming & killing ppl. I think of all the buckets of money being spent for these “games” & reminded of the Gladiator events in Rome where the people were starving & barely surviving and were given a “circus” to take their minds off their hungry bellies & abject suffering. This current Olympics cost approx $4.2 billion. That’s JUST the cost for Italy. Not each country sending athletes over. What can 4.2 billion do? Well it could build 42,000 homes at $100,000 each. We could be helping 42,000 families have their first homes ever. Instead, we waste it on circuses, ballrooms, secret police abductions of our neighbors, & making the rich MORE rich. So, yea. I’m not feeling the Olympics this yr bc I’m finally seeing how we continue to allow the rich to pull the wool over our eyes while we can’t even afford the wool & have to put our own blinders on credit.
Not a competitive sports fan…. Except for Red Sox baseball….a little.
I guess we can hope for some statement from the podium…ie raised fist, kneeling during anthem.
As your reader I think I understand your worldview.
This is the saddest piece of yours I have read .
I hang and hold my head in the corner in shame for my country.
I failed in my duty to my country to call out sooner the sins we commit. Every time I looked away not seeing what was right in front of me. Or pretending not to see. Did I do that too?
No wonder I feel battered. The feds have been battering me/us and now I see I brought it on myself/ us.
I complained about injustice but did not go to any meetings about how to stop injustice like in the actual world.
I have not acted as much of an American.
I voted.
I kept informed.
I stopped at the dynamic part.
The town halls and city council meetings and the school boards.
I did not go.
I complained.
Yes, I feel and believe I have/had the correct ideas being that The Constitution is King and Queen in America.
I did not make sure that that is what was happening .
This has been slipping awhile now. We were not vigilant. Or did not listen to those who were.
And so I feel shame. I feel as much shame as any bad guy in this saga you could name should feel . I can be named as guilty too.
To feel shame can be a killer or a motivator.
Now the put up or shut up part.
It feels free.
To decide.
To be unafraid of my failure.
To stop failing.
To stop letting the shame kill my country by my inaction.
To stop waiting for someone else to come with me.
I realized that I wasn’t having my usual reaction to the Games starting this month - didn’t care about Opening Ceremonies, don’t know what event is when - and yep, thanks to you, MIB, I get it now!! 🤦♀️🤦♀️
Really well said. Thanks. 😞💕🇺🇸
I might watch hockey and root for Canada to beat us. That’s it, otherwise I can’t watch and root for our country. Sad.
The athletes should compete as individuals, not as Americans or Russians or any other nationality. And quit with the stupid medal counts!
The "booing" of Vance at the opening ceremony is the best thing to probably happen at the Olympics. The worst, so far, is that NBC muted the sound of the booing crowd on the tape delayed feed last night.
Another good one, Michael. Thanks for writing.
I care about the athletes and wish them well, but I find no pride in what America represents today. It's not the athletes' fault, yet they do represent the country, and that connection is impossible to ignore.
This morning I attended a local Democratic activist meeting with fifty-two people. When the host asked if anyone wanted to lead the Pledge of Allegiance, one person stood. I stood too, out of habit or respect for the room, but I couldn't speak the words. I don't believe them anymore. For decades I'd omitted "under God," a small act of conscience. Now I omit everything. I stood in silence. Half the room didn't stand at all.
I remember reading a few years back that flag ceremonies and mandatory pledges are hallmarks of autocratic states. Among democracies, we're an outlier in this practice. That realization has stayed with me.
I now prefer to say I am a citizen of Earth. What time I have left will be spent trying to keep the peace and make the world a better place for my grandchildren.
I watched the crowd boo Vance and I could relate. Then I watched them boo the Israeli contingent and felt 10x worse. They didn’t boo the American athletes. You see, that’s antisemitism at work. And at the Olympics, where half a century ago terrorists killed Israelis. The same types of people probably cheered that as well. People suck. Full stop.
Once again, you echo my feelings perfectly.
You have, once again, nailed it.
The only way our nation becomes a true nation of all peoples and creeds, Mike, is to return all lands and governships of those lands to the Indigenous peoples who first settled here and ask for leniency in colonist descendants remaining. It's the only reparation that might make a small dent in our necessary reckoning of ourselves. We're not a true advanced nation-state because it was all founded in blood and greed and fear, competition instead of cooperation. There's only two roads that move progress forward, but one of them inevitably circles back on itself. History is the proof pudding. You can't sustain a nation of empire. Nobody ever did, nobody ever will.
I don't necessarily disagree with you but I don't see how such a thing would be possible. Maybe it's not and we're just watching our blood circle down the drain.
Maybe so. You’re right, it would require a mass reckoning of the ruling class hubris, and an en masse collective effort of owning our ancestry. It’s more likely we’ll crash as a society first of course. Pax Romana couldn’t do it. Pax Brittania either. Pax Americana definitely isn’t going to do it in time, essentially we’re just a continued edition of Pax Europa. The question really is, which future era of humanity will finally give up their tribal fears and embrace all peoples as one?
You articulated, beautifully as always, the feelings I have had around the Olympics this year. I won't be watching, reading, tracking medals or enjoying in any way the Winter Olympics. I did watch the video of Fancy Pants getting booed, booing along while cringing for the athletes. How is it possible that we have turned into a global pariah in such a short time?
The U.S. medal count this time around might be the same, but the number of American athletes getting laid in the Olympic village will be drastically low. And not because the man who is a Biathlon champion, who can cross country ski and shoot out targets isn't a sexy bitch, but because he's now associated with a group of buzz killing assholes. I hope he wins a medal, cause he's not bringing home an STD.
I completely missed this. Who is the biathlon champion you speak of?
Tony Finnatto? Tim "Eagle Eye" Thompson? Larry "The Rifle" Maholmes? Take your pick. All of them.
Are these biathlon competitors? I've never heard of any of these names.
Okay Mary. If I go any further I fear I might be being rude. These are made up names as I am just crewing around here. I have no idea who competes in the biathlon for any country. I just picked the event because it fit well into my joke. Enjoy the Olympics and let's hope for a US biathlon win!
Nice, tight, sharp, cut-to-the-quick, observation. Love it. 👏👏
If other countries’ athletes ostracize them, U.S. athletes might just get off with each other— skiers with curlers, bobsledders with ice skaters, etc 😉
Well, there'll be plenty of untainted things to enjoy. The Super Bowl is Sunday, pitchers and catchers report soon, and next month it's the Oscars.
The Olympics lost their purity for me in 1972 when the officials basically gave the Soviet men's basketball team the gold. (I believe there was some other distraction in '72, too.) Still, they're fun to watch in moderation. Old habits die hard.