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Should diversity be a factor in Olympic team selection?
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Anonymous
Of course not, they're Canadian. It's white American children who raced in white-only government-funded pools and got every advantage. The United States has a long, disgraceful, but not surprising history of segregated swimming pools. Robert Moses spent tens of millions of federal dollars to construct pools in white neighborhoods in New York City. Washington, D.C. operated white-only swimming pools near the Washington Monument. Desegregation did little to remedy the problem. In 1957, Marshall, Texas sold its pool to the Lions' Club to avoid integration. Once in the hands of private owners, the pool continued to ban blacks for years. In 1959, Montgomery, Alabama closed its public pools for ten years rather than integrate. In 1971, the city council of Palmer, Mississippi argued before the U.S. Supreme Court that it could not integrate its pools for economic and safety reasons. The Supreme Court upheld the city's decision to close the pools rather than allow blacks to swim in them. That's right: If you were born in 1970 -- you're not even 50! -- the Supreme Court affirmed the decision to close a government facility rather than allow access to blacks as constitutional in your lifetime. Read it for yourselves, disbelievers: Palmer v. Thompson, 403 U.S. 217 (1971). Every white American claims to respect Martin Luther King, Jr. Well, here's a story about the man you pretend to revere but know practically nothing: On June 11, 1964, MLK was arrested for eating at the segregated restaurant at the Monson Motor Lodge in St. Augustine, Florida. The motel had a pool, and MLK and his associates thought, "Hey, we were so well received on our first visit! Let's go back and take a dip in their pool!" On June 18, 1964, a group of black protesters did exactly that. The motel manager responded by pouring acid on them. Yeah, that happened. In defense of the Monson Motor Lodge manager, it was cleaning acid. But pouring cleaning acid in swimming pools after blacks used them was standard operating procedure in the 1960s and 1970s. Read all about it: https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/motel-manager-pouring-acid-water-black-people-swam-pool-1964/ In those locales where public segregation could not maintained, white Americans did what white Americans do -- They fled. Millions of white homeowners abandoned public pools and built ones in their backyards, and millions more joined private clubs where those pesky black people wouldn't bother them. Despite having paid the fee to use the pool, black swimmers were told to leave the Valley Swim Club in Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania, because their very presence scared white children. The club publicly defended its stance, citing fears that too many blacks would "change the complexion" of the club. That was in 2009. Yay, America! So, please, tell us more about this BS advantage black people have received in races because of their skin color. And, while you're at it, can you explain to us why this thread is now four pages deep, and not a single person has objected to the biggest demonstration of affirmative action in athletics -- women's sports. Honestly, if merit is paramount and to be upheld to the exclusion of anything else, white women in this thread have a lot of explaining to do. To complain about some mythical BS advantage in athletics that blacks never received but remain silent about the protection from stronger, faster male athletes than women receive is pretty damn brazen. |
Anonymous
That's actually a good point. Take Gymnastics. For the all around medal, each country could only advance 2 athletes. However, the top 3 were from the USA so our 3rd place gymnast got bumped by a lesser athlete. |
Anonymous
Um. What? |
Anonymous
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No. They have to qualify and then there are limits and who knows what else.
Funny, my idiot DH said that it was not fair that some countries had so few people and some have several hundred. "Ofcourse Canadians and Scandinavians are going to win most of the medals."He thinks if his South American homeland could afford to send 1000 people, they would win some medals too. I hope he was joking, he is not usually that stupid. No, we are not really married-married. US could do much better at the Olympics if more sports were available for all. Most winter sports also don't command lots of money, so why bother spending lots to get your kid iceskating and you don't get the investment back. You want your kid playing in NHL and not jumping and twirling in world arena. |
Anonymous
The US has the highest medal.count over history in the winter olympics. |
Anonymous
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I was suprised at how entirely white Canadas olympic team is.
Do they not have black or brown people in Canada? The contrast with the US was striking. |
Anonymous
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Diversity should not have to be a factor in Olympic team selection AS LONG AS diversity IS a factor in providing opportunities for all children to participate in organized sports and athletics.
Unfortunately, participating in organized sports is not an option for working poor or low income families. At the Title I school where I work, with over 90% children of color, virtually none of our students participate in organized sports. Their parents cannot afford it AND many of the parents don't have the wherewithal to get their kids to practices and games. |
Anonymous
| Nothing should be based on diversity, only the best qualified |
Anonymous
Huh? You are a bright one aren't you? |
Anonymous
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The only event where this could even remotely be a factor is figure skating, which has the artistic element/judges' discretion factor. The new system is perhaps better in that regard, making things more impartial.
Surya Bonaly was seriously discriminated against, not only for being black, but for not being "feminine" enough, not being a waif. She was a tremendous athlete and a beautiful performer. It was a shame she skated under the old judging system. That being said, non-white skaters have had much success, so I don't know how big of a factor this is, even in figure skating. |
Anonymous
| Here is the argument Fox news should have made. There are barely any non white athletes on the US Olympic team. Why is the focus/coverage of the media so heavily tilted towards the non-white, gay members of the team. If they are medal contenders that's one thing. Coverage should be based on the competitiveness of the athlete not what they look like. MLK one day we will not be judged by the color of our skin works both ways. |
Anonymous
Girl, please. Ashley Wagner coverage still continues to drive the figure skating conversation, when she didn't even make the team, because she performed poorly. The attention should be on the women who DID make the team: Bradie Tennell, Mirai Nagasu, and Karen Chen. Marai has a triple axle, for crying out loud. First American woman to have one in a LONG time. That's a story. |
Anonymous
Not to mention Ashley's Toyota ads, coverage in Vogue, etc. She's on the cover of People's Olympic skating issue, FFS, and she is not on Team USA! |
Anonymous
| Insisting on diversity as a factor in US olympic athlete selection would be yet another way to demonstrate the stupidity and failure of this political concept, and therefore I'm all for it. |
Anonymous
Canada didn't have slaves, you fool. |