Monday, July 26, 2021

Protests Over Evils Imagined or Real Still Alive and Well in the Olympics

 

The Olympics were perhaps first politicized in 1936 not by the athletes but by the state
As  Hitler wanted to showcase to the world its domination by the Master Aryan race would await
Effort and best laid plans went down the drain
As Jesse Owens Hitler’s plans with 4 golds restrained
In 1968 this time 2 athletes tried to in sports politics inject
Smith and Thomas on the podium with the black power fist held high and erect
In Tokyo the political protest virus is still alive and well
The USA Women’s Soccer Team kneeling to the need to racial “injustice quell”
Focused on the myth of systematic racism to be stamped out at any cost
These heavily favored  athletes by Sweden were then skunked in a 3 to zip loss
Sadly not only is the U.S. infected by his politicization disease
Costa Rican gymnast Alvarado ended her routine with a kneel and raised fist salute to the BLM to please
Israeli judoka Butbul reached the quarterfinals because 2 competitors withdrew to Israel’s policies in Gaza complain
He lost but the protesters will be sent out of the Olympic Village on a plane
Athletes are citizens and should not lose their rights of speech and protest
But to get to the Olympics is more like a paid job from a nation’s  largesse
And like the ideal of the ancient Olympics that during the Games saw a truce to war
The Olympics today should remain not a venue for protests over real or imagined evils to soar
© July 26, 2021 The Alaskanpoet

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