I was listening to a great conversation on the radio today about whether or not Olympic athletes should use their world platform to create awareness about the social injustices that exist around the world.
I have personally been processing the tension of supporting the Olympics (an amazing world event that I thoroughly enjoy) in a country that is known for numerous documented humanitarian offenses.
What do you think? How role does/should sports play in world affairs? Are athletes morally obligated to speak out (or not speak out) against the injustices they are passionate about?
This post is tagged Beijing Olympics, Humanitarian Rights, Injustice, Olympic Athletes
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I believe that if anyone be in the publics eye and is aware of injustice, regardless of their profession should make their primary goal to use that platform to stand and fight for those that are exploited.
The Summer Olympic Games and any other public form of competition, including X-Games and the Winter Olympics, is the perfect place to share ones view, ideologies, and beliefs. These competitions are the world’s stage and athletes should be able to express themselves.
The 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City witnessed one of the greatest displays of freedom of expression in Olympics history. Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised the Power of the People fists on the platform as they received first and third place medals in track. They both went shoeless, wearing black socks to raise awareness about black poverty in America. And Carlos wore a black beaded neckless in memory of those who were lynched during the Civil Rights era.
Pro skater, Bob Burnqhist, is a huge “green” guy. Every time he skates, Burnquist makes sure he’s wearing organic clothing and plugs some of the non-profits he works for during interviews.
These public competitions give us a voice. They give us the opportunity to express the voices that God gave us and exercise the passions we are willing to die for.
Let the Olympic Speaking begin.
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