Olympics: Is there really One World, One Dream?
The Olympics have finally begun in Beijing, China. The theme of this year’s games is “One World, One Dream.” There are many athletes seeking Olympic glory in attempting to bring home the gold.
The basketball team wants to restore its dominance like the “Dream Team” did in 1992. The forty-one year old swimmer Dara Torres is seeking to push back the hands of time and win a Gold Medal against competitors half her age. Roger Federer is attempting to salvage a sub-par year on the tennis court as he prepares for the US Open.
When I look at the Olympic Games this year I’ll be looking for what happens outside the realm of competition. I’m interested to see if any athletes will step out of their comfort zone and use the world stage as a platform to denounce the genocide in Darfur.
I won’t hold my breath.
Forty years ago in 1968 American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos utilized the victory stand in Mexico City to send a thunderous message to the world. With bowed heads, raised fists, and black socks Smith and Carlos alerted the world through their silent gesture African Americans were still slaves and have grown weary of racism.
While they were received as champions on the track in society they were viewed as second class citizens because of racism. The societal conditions warranted their actions so they did something about it.
Smith won the gold medal in the 200 meter dash and Carlos took home the bronze. The head of the International Olympic Committee, Avery Brundage, sent Smith and Carlos home with their medals because of their protest.
Many felt Smith and Carlos shouldn’t have utilized the world stage of the Olympics to make their feelings known. When activists take stands they are viewed as controversial but overtime they are embraced. Four decades ago Smith and Carlos were vilified for their protest yet today they are largely celebrated. In July Smith and Carlos were awarded the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage because of the stand they took in 1968.
Time does bring about a change.
I find this year’s Olympic Slogan “One World, One Dream” to be a joke. China has its hands dirty and it’s not getting much media coverage. Since 1960 the Chinese have spent 10 billion dollars in the Sudan. Since 2003 China has sold over 50 million dollars in weapons to the Sudanese. China also purchases vast supplies of oil from the Sudanese government.
Why is this important?
The Chinese are essentially financing genocide and ultimately this affects us all.
Africans are being slaughtered with the weapons provided by the Chinese. Arabs who embrace Christianity are essentially being funded by the Chinese government to massacre innocent Africans.
Why is the genocide happening?
The Africans refuse to adopt Christianity. Sound familiar?
A group called the Jangaweed, which in Arabic means “devil on horseback,” rides into African villages on horseback at 5 am to kill and rape. While the natives sleep the Jangaweed burn their homes to the ground forcing evacuation. As the natives attempt to flee they are captured and murdered.
Most of the women are raped before they are killed. To make sure their work is done the Jangaweed does a “final sweep” making sure that every home is burned down, that there are no survivors, and every woman they desire is violated.
One World, One Dream? How can the host country of the Olympics proclaim one thing in public but do another behind closed doors?
The United States is nowhere to be found as they continue to engage in a fictitious war in Iraq orchestrated by George Bush. Bin Laden is known to have financial ties in Darfur and the Bush family has done business with the Bin Laden’s prior to and after 9/11.
Get the picture?
We are in dangerous times once again yet most simply shrug it off and put the blinders on. Gone are the days of athletes taking political stands and making their feelings known. The athletes have been conditioned to succumb to silence and the politicians have to be quiet to protect their images.
We cannot afford be lulled to sleep by the media socially engineering our minds and smooth-talking politicians spinning game to get elected. We must look beyond what we see to find the true essence of what’s going on around us.
The Olympics games and the world at large are a far cry from being “One World, One Dream.” Sad to say, but it’s not about humanity or sports, it’s all about the money.
The basketball team wants to restore its dominance like the “Dream Team” did in 1992. The forty-one year old swimmer Dara Torres is seeking to push back the hands of time and win a Gold Medal against competitors half her age. Roger Federer is attempting to salvage a sub-par year on the tennis court as he prepares for the US Open.
When I look at the Olympic Games this year I’ll be looking for what happens outside the realm of competition. I’m interested to see if any athletes will step out of their comfort zone and use the world stage as a platform to denounce the genocide in Darfur.
I won’t hold my breath.
Forty years ago in 1968 American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos utilized the victory stand in Mexico City to send a thunderous message to the world. With bowed heads, raised fists, and black socks Smith and Carlos alerted the world through their silent gesture African Americans were still slaves and have grown weary of racism.
While they were received as champions on the track in society they were viewed as second class citizens because of racism. The societal conditions warranted their actions so they did something about it.
Smith won the gold medal in the 200 meter dash and Carlos took home the bronze. The head of the International Olympic Committee, Avery Brundage, sent Smith and Carlos home with their medals because of their protest.
Many felt Smith and Carlos shouldn’t have utilized the world stage of the Olympics to make their feelings known. When activists take stands they are viewed as controversial but overtime they are embraced. Four decades ago Smith and Carlos were vilified for their protest yet today they are largely celebrated. In July Smith and Carlos were awarded the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage because of the stand they took in 1968.
Time does bring about a change.
I find this year’s Olympic Slogan “One World, One Dream” to be a joke. China has its hands dirty and it’s not getting much media coverage. Since 1960 the Chinese have spent 10 billion dollars in the Sudan. Since 2003 China has sold over 50 million dollars in weapons to the Sudanese. China also purchases vast supplies of oil from the Sudanese government.
Why is this important?
The Chinese are essentially financing genocide and ultimately this affects us all.
Africans are being slaughtered with the weapons provided by the Chinese. Arabs who embrace Christianity are essentially being funded by the Chinese government to massacre innocent Africans.
Why is the genocide happening?
The Africans refuse to adopt Christianity. Sound familiar?
A group called the Jangaweed, which in Arabic means “devil on horseback,” rides into African villages on horseback at 5 am to kill and rape. While the natives sleep the Jangaweed burn their homes to the ground forcing evacuation. As the natives attempt to flee they are captured and murdered.
Most of the women are raped before they are killed. To make sure their work is done the Jangaweed does a “final sweep” making sure that every home is burned down, that there are no survivors, and every woman they desire is violated.
One World, One Dream? How can the host country of the Olympics proclaim one thing in public but do another behind closed doors?
The United States is nowhere to be found as they continue to engage in a fictitious war in Iraq orchestrated by George Bush. Bin Laden is known to have financial ties in Darfur and the Bush family has done business with the Bin Laden’s prior to and after 9/11.
Get the picture?
We are in dangerous times once again yet most simply shrug it off and put the blinders on. Gone are the days of athletes taking political stands and making their feelings known. The athletes have been conditioned to succumb to silence and the politicians have to be quiet to protect their images.
We cannot afford be lulled to sleep by the media socially engineering our minds and smooth-talking politicians spinning game to get elected. We must look beyond what we see to find the true essence of what’s going on around us.
The Olympics games and the world at large are a far cry from being “One World, One Dream.” Sad to say, but it’s not about humanity or sports, it’s all about the money.
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