I do not often take exception to the opinions of Senor McCaballero Pierce, but in this specific certain particular regard I lament to report that he is talking all my balls.
Not long ago, the invaluable Dave Zirin got a quote from Dr. John Carlos, whose demonstration on the victory platform in Mexico City in 1968 is perhaps the single most enduring image produced by an Olympics since de Coubertin, that foof, brought the whole mess back from antiquity. Carlos was opposed to the idea of a boycott of the upcoming Sochi games, he said, because, "If you stay home, your message stays home." (Carlos, it should be recalled, resisted the call for a boycott of the 1968 Olympics, which is why he was in Mexico City to protest and get thrown out in the first place.) I tend to agree.
Indeed.
But that was then, this is now.
Carlos, a hero of mine, and if he is not a hero of yours, fuck you kindly, exercised bravery largely on the homefront. The Mexicans were not going to throw him in jail or beat him to death or an inch of it.
It was in the USA that he had the trouble.
Honestly, there is not a sensible comparison between Mexico then and Russia now.
***ADDING ED: "I'm broadly in agreement with you, except for the part where you just ignore that the Mexican government had been slaughtering students in the street in 1968." Warren Terra, comments, carry on...****
Let's just focus on Russia and....
I mean, holy shit:
And then:
ARE YOU FUCKING NUTS?
This is not about speed skating.
It's about saying Fuck No.
How can you have a friendly sports competition in a country where people JUST LIKE THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE can GET THE SHIT BEATEN OUT OF THEM FOR BEING WHO THEY ARE where THE THUGS GET PRAISED AND NOT SENT TO JAIL?
Baffled why this is even a question.
No. No. No.
This is not "politics."
This is "we will not negotiate with thugs."
NO RUSSIAN OLYMPICS.
MOTHERFUCKER.