Hard to Have Olympic Spirit During These Times in America
Florida native Erin Jackson will be one of the flag bearers of “Old Glory” at the Winter Olympics in Italy on Friday. Photo courtesy of US Speedskating
The Winter Olympics will begin in Italy in two days. The nation's political and social unrest has stunted the typical buzz surrounding the event. I wouldn’t be surprised if the United States team is roundly booed when it enters the stadium during Friday morning’s opening ceremonies. The world sees the United States as a bully due to its policies and the current administration’s actions against journalists, protestors, and its heavy-handed approach to immigration. Nobody likes bullies.
Regrettably, our athletes and coaches will bear the consequences of this president's actions. However, Americans themselves bear responsibility for this mess, having elected a multiple-convicted felon to the White House. Elections have consequences. Those consequences include being shunned by the world on the biggest stage. U.S. travelers abroad are also facing backlash, and I advise citizens to keep a low profile when traveling internationally these days.
I feel especially bad for Black American speed skater Erin Jackson. The 33-year-old was selected to be one of the flag bearers for the opening ceremony. Not since Private Tripp, played by Denzel Washington in “Glory,” have I felt worse for a Black person who has to carry the flag. Jackson is an amazing skater and the favorite to win gold again in her events, the 500 and 1000 meters. She is now in the spotlight as we question our patriotism and what it means to be American. With a tyrannical government getting worse by the day, many of us are questioning if we still want to be here. Due to our economic power, American citizens are now immigrating to other nations in search of a more peaceful life, which is ironic seeing that the current administration is trying to stop people who want to come to America for the same reasons.
My current television subscription package does not include NBC stations, so I’ll be limited to watching only events that air on the NBC network. Usually this would bother me, but not this time. The world is different right now. It is in a dangerous place, and I’m not optimistic that some good times are ahead. What I see is death and destruction in the world’s future. The destruction is primarily the work of evil men with malicious intentions.
The athletes will do what they always do: compete. My favorite winter Olympic events are ice hockey, downhill skiing, freestyle snowboarding (go Chloe), bobsled (go Jamaica), and biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing with shooting a rifle at a target. Genius. Even though I plan to support Erin by watching her races, my emotions aren't fully present this time. After the last Winter Olympics in 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. I fear what will happen when these games end.