Olympic Hypocrisy

The Captain has turned on the "Fasten Seat Belt" light and asked all passengers to return to their seats. It's time for a short break from story telling to do a little verbal venting
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One of the Ice Hockey players on the US Olympic Team, goalie Jonathon Quick, has a small decal on his helmet. It says simply: "Support Our Troops". The IOC (International Olympics Committee) has told Jonathon to remove it. They say that the Olympics does not allow slogans or political statements. No slogans or political statements? Just what are all those signs that display support like "Go America" or "Canada Rules" or "France is #1"? One of the great things about the Olympics is the competition to bring home the gold and show the world which country is best.

And what happens when a team wins? The national flag of the winning team is raised above the others and everyone stands while they play that countries national anthem. Just how much more nationalistic and political can you get?

The decision by the IOC to have Johnathon remove this sticker is hypocrisy at it's worst.

The United States Olympic Committee should take a page from it's own history. In 1936 the US athletes refused to "dip" the American Flag in salute to Adolph Hitler. They have continued this tradition ever since, the American Flag does not get dipped in salute to any other flag. Many other countries have adopted the same tradition in the years since then. If this is not "political" -I don't know what is.

Our committee should answer this call to remove the "slogan" by having the sticker made an official part of the American team uniform and tell the IOC to go shovel salt.

The tradition of our athletes showing off their pride in American is one thing that has always impressed me and made me feel good about the Olympic Games. Meekly submitting to the whims of the international committee would be a betrayal of our patriotic tradition.

Our troops are out there in constant danger and enduring great hardships. You can be sure that many of them will find ways to watch parts of the Olympics and will take great pride in the success of our teams. When they see a sticker like this one on one of the players helmets, it makes them feel just a little better.

It does not matter if you support the war, that is a separate issue, but we should "Support the Troops". We should stick up for them and let them, and the rest of the world, know we are proud of them.

The "Fasten Seat Belt" light has been turned off. You may now move about the cabin freely.