Let Patriotism Rock

July 7, 2004 | Justin

I think America has lost its mind. For many reasons America has tarnished its name among the rest of the world. There is a huge anti-American sentiment and tons of people who hate America, Americans, and everything that our great country stands for around the world. Giving into this attitude, the U.S. Olympic committee has urged its 550 athletes to use discretion and avoid being overly patriotic. Like I said, our country has gone mad.

Evidently “U.S. officials” want the athletes to use restraint when winning an event and appear humble rather then waving the American flag as has been previously done. The idea is that this will help show the rest of the world that America is not a boisterous rebel who likes to make naked Iraqi pyramids. Though telling Olympic athletes not to wave the flag after winning an event is like telling Ted Kennedy he can’t have a bottle of vodka after dinner.

Our country hand selects a group of elite athletes to represent America not because of political beliefs but because of their raw talent. These athletes should be allowed to wear their pride on their sleeve, right next to their American flag. If I had the seemingly once-in-a-lifetime chance to participate in an Olympic event and I happened to medal there would be only one thing running through my head: pride. I wouldn’t care what the current American policy was, all I would be thinking about is how I just became one of the greatest athletes in the world.

The Olympics are supposed to be a seventeen day break from the rest of the world. A place where politics and disputes are set aside and people of every nation can come together as equals. The official publicity statement for the 2004 Olympic Games is trying to portray this very message. They are calling it “Celebrate Humanity.” TV spots will run with phrases like “It doesn’t matter where you come from… all that matters is that you give it everything you’ve got” or “…an athlete aspires to be the best their country has to offer and ends up representing the best humanity has to offer.”

When the Olympic Games begin, if of course the Greeks finish the stadiums by August, our athletes should be allowed to show their patriotism and wave their flags in excitement and pride. After all, isn’t denying them that right against everything that our flag represents?

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Olympics, patriotism, Published, thoughts