Boycott Beijing Olympics?

cbax5 · #1 04-07-2008, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wagner

The best "non sport" accomplishment the Olympics have ever achieved was kudos for the Civil Rights movement and a smack down of CCCP boosting cold war egos in the States. In Munich it simply showed that terrorists knew no bounds.

I thought Jesse Owens winning 4 gold medals in Nazi Germany had way more significance than the 1980 boycott. Or any other event. To me, that was the most significant political statement in an Olympics on many levels.

Interesting both the US and Germany had their own versions of second class citizens then. And both countries were heading in different directions on that issues. One creeping, ever so slowly, but towards intergration. While the other raced quickly in the other direction. At least Jesse Owens was representing the US. Germany didn't even have one Jew representing Germany in that Olympics.

HBO Sports had a great documentary on this.

Eric5273 · #2 04-07-2008, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbax5

I thought Jesse Owens winning 4 gold medals in Nazi Germany had way more significance than the 1980 boycott.

Wagner · #3 04-07-2008, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbax5

I thought Jesse Owens winning 4 gold medals in Nazi Germany had way more significance than the 1980 boycott. Or any other event. To me, that was the most significant political statement in an Olympics on many levels.

Interesting both the US and Germany had their own versions of second class citizens then. And both countries were heading in different directions on that issues. One creeping, ever so slowly, but towards intergration. While the other raced quickly in the other direction. At least Jesse Owens was representing the US. Germany didn't even have one Jew representing Germany in that Olympics.

HBO Sports had a great documentary on this.

Again, no political influence so to "ban" a games is just silly.

Joe Lewis vs Max Baer in '35 was far more symbolic then that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kzpECJjefI

cbax5 · #4 04-07-2008, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wagner

Again, no political influence so to "ban" a games is just silly.

Joe Lewis vs Max Baer in '35 was far more symbolic then that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kzpECJjefI

I agree, banning serves no purpose.

However, it should be noted that there was some political pressure on Germany before those Olympics. The threat of removing the Olympics from Germany did force them to include some Jews in the selection process...

They used Margret Lambert as a symbol of a fair Germany. She was cut from the high jump team weeks before the opening ceremony. Even though she was the best in the nation and could have medaled. Check out, HBOs Hitler's Pawn

There was so much at stake in that Olympics. So coupled with that, to have the grandson of a slave, a skeleton from America's past, and win 4 gold in front of Hitler and the Nazis, in their backyard, at their showcase Olympics??

That's what I call significant.

Scottie · #5 04-08-2008, 02:49 AM

Jeez I thought this thread was about whether to Boycott Beijing Olympics? and not about America, Germany and history.

I say boycott the games.

Wagner · #6 04-08-2008, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottie

Jeez I thought this thread was about whether to Boycott Beijing Olympics? and not about America, Germany and history.

I say boycott the games.

It was then that morphed into "do boycotts serve a political or a social means".