snoopydad24's doghouse

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

Baron Pierre de Coubertin the founder of the modern Olympics said these words in his Opening Day speech at the first modern games in 1896 at Athens. The intent was to revive the ancient Olympic games where athletes would compete in various athletic events. As with the ancient games the Olympics would be held every four years. A time where the world can set aside what they were doing and watch the athletes compete.

Since 1896 the Olympics were cancelled three times due to World War I and II (1916, 1940, 1944) due to safety for all the world’s athletes. Hilter even tried to use the Olympics to prove that his white German athletes were far superior than the rest of the world. However it would be Jesse Owens a BLACK AMERICAN athlete who would be the star of the 1936 Olympic games. After World War II the Olympics for many countries would be used as a political tool to bring forth political objectives from the boycotting country.

The boycotting of the 1980 and the 1984 games were proof that the Olympics only prevented athletes from competing in the games. The games continued despite allies of various countries boycotting the Olympics. The United States under the “leadership” of Jimmy Carter was protesting Russia invasion of Afghanistan in order to curtail the rising of Muslim extremist. Russia boycotted the 1984 games in retalation of the US boycotting the 1980 games and remained in Afghanistan until 1989.

In 1985 after the 1980 and 1984 games the IOC instituted a “no boycott” rule to prevent countries from boycotting the Olympic games for the sake of political gain. The purpose of the Olympics is to engage in friendly competition not promote one political lifestyle over another. During the ancient games wars and/or conflicts would stop in order to hold the games. The joke during 1980 was to stop the games to have a war. But now if a country boycotts the Olympic games their athletes will also miss the next Olympics. So that could be up to twelve years that athletes could miss an opportunity to compete in the Olympics because some politician doesn’t agree how another country lives. For most of the athletes who compete in the Olympics they have one or if talented and lucky enough two chances to compete in the games.

So here we are in 2008 and the Olympics will be held in Beijing, China. The games will go on despite the protests. But leave it to the bleeding heart Democrats who want to use athletes as a political tool because they don’t agree with how the Chinese live. Boo Hoo. Stop trying to save everybody and everything. Again the only people who will be affected by a boycott will be the athletes. Not to mention if the US were to boycott the Beijing games that means they will not be able to participate in the 2012 games to be held in London.

I am so glad to hear President Bush has no intention of boycotting the games. Better yet I am glad he will be attending the Opening Ceremonies where he can see our athletes walk into the stadium tall and proud. Plus President Bush and you will also see the American flag fly straight and true, as our flag will not dip for any other country or any other country’s leader(s). Remember the Olympics is a sporting event not a political event.