American pride banned at the Olympics!

I did a search in ATS to see whether this has been discussed yet and couldn't find anything. I can't even put into words how sick this makes me.

NEW YORK � American athletes have been warned not to wave the U.S. flag during their medal celebrations at this summer's Olympic Games in Athens, for fear of provoking crowd hostility and harming the country's already-battered public image.
The spectacle of victorious athletes grabbing a national flag and parading it around the stadium is a familiar part of international sporting competition, but U.S. Olympic officials have ordered their 550-strong team to exercise restraint and avoid any jingoistic behavior.

washingtontimes.com...

What the hell is the point of even attending and competing in the games if you can't take pride and celebrate your nations accomplishments. This is going to be the absolute worst Olympics ever. The US is gonna win the majority of the events, which means you are gonna see a bunch of non-expressive, nuetral victories. Ooooohhhh, what fun! If I had trained my whole life to get to this point and was told I can't celebrate my ass off if and when I won, I'd be devestated. So much for the spirit of the games.

Terrorism is after the Gold Medal...the more things get dampered, the more ground they're gaining.

I'd accept the policy in regards to our flag, instead I would adopt a new one and after winning whatever events - salute the terrorists and anti-American world with a middle finger.

I would say that we take it to far, but people all over the world riot when there teams win, mostly in soccer. But it happens.



I bet it is because so many hate us right now, for many reasons, they dont want people to know the americans are there.

Do you really think the terrorist or the rest of the world who hates us right now are gonna hate us less if we don't wave our Flag and run our vistory laps? I'm sorry but I highly doubt it! All this will do is show the world we are getting soft. Let them hate us for our politics, our wars, our leaders, but screw them if they don't like the way we celebrate our gold medals!

Originally posted by mpeake
but U.S. Olympic officials have ordered their 550-strong team to exercise restraint and avoid any jingoistic behavior.

What the hell is the point of even attending and competing in the games if you can't take pride and celebrate your nations accomplishments. This is going to be the absolute worst Olympics ever.

I just looked up
www.m-w.com...
Pronunciation: 'ji[ng]-(")gO-"i-z&m
Function: noun
: extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy

Well, you learn something new every day.
Sanc'.

I just wonder how waving the American Flag can be considered as "jingoistic".

Sorry to say, but the comments about flipping the bird and stuff like that because "the other country's don't want us to wave our flag" is utter bull#!!

U.S. Olympic officials

If anyone deserves the big flippo in their face, its those dumbass US Officials for comming up with something as stuppid as that. Noone asked for it, noone thinks its wrong for an athlete to be happy about winning.

They really think some terorrist is gona say "awww how sweet, I won't bomb them now".

It shows once more that US policy and lawmakers have their heads up their ass and come up with all kinds of bull instead of something usefull and effective.

O yeah, about those "anti american" country's, you know how many of those there are? Country's that are really anti american? You can count them on 1 hand. Country's hate those dumbass corrupt assholes that pose as the US goverment, only those other religious extremists see the west as its whole as evil. And DUH, THE WEST isn't only the US, the WEST includes Europe too.

It shows once more that US policy and lawmakers have their heads up their and come up with all kinds of bull instead of something usefull and effective.

Exactly! How about we do a little changing of the way we fight our wars, or choose our leaders, instead of punishing our fellow Olympians. If only Mary Lou Rettan (sp) were here...she'd know what to do

Originally posted by mpeake
I just wonder how waving the American Flag can be considered as "jingoistic".

I wonder why the Washington Times used the term 'jingoistic', is it bias?

Was Cathy Freeman 'jingoistic' when she did a lap of Stadium Australia waving both the
Aust' & Aboriginal flags after winning the 400m. I don't think so.

mpeake, I agree
Sanc'.

I say BS. Waive that flag and waive it proudly, in victory and defeat. What an honor just to qualify and be in the Olympics, go, do your best, be proud and represent your country.

Wear the colors, the good ole, Red White and Blue at ALL times.

Originally posted by thematrix
Sorry to say, but the comments about flipping the bird and stuff like that because "the other country's don't want us to wave our flag" is utter bull#!!

I reread my post and perhaps I should direct my bird-flipping comment to our Government and the Officials that have maybe not gone the wrong direction with the terror situation, but it seems they're taking us down the bumpiest road...

Yep, thats right, let terrorism scare us from showing our patroitism. Is this what America is turning in to, a bunch of scared lollygagers, afraid to do anything that might result in more hated towards America. These people have hated us for a LONG time, they will always hate us and there is NOTHING we can do about it. Get used to it people, the America we knew is no longer the strong World leader it used to be. We need to show the world ALL Americans believe in this great country we live in. We need to show the world Sept.11th did ruin our desire to live free and sure as hell didn't kill our Patroitism. We are Americans, so go out and show how proud of who you are and what you are, even if you think the President is babbling moron.

Originally posted by muckminer
I'd accept the policy in regards to our flag, instead I would adopt a new one and after winning whatever events - salute the terrorists and anti-American world with a middle finger.

Or how about a mooning salute, we could write (Usama)(Bin Laden) (American)(Loves You) (We Are)(Sorry For) (Trying To)(Kill You) on our butt cheeks. One problem, we need big butted American to win the metals or come up with short messages. I guess the middle finger salute would work best.

Well I am not a nationalist.. I don't wave my American flag around.. especially the way things are today with this illegal iraq invasion....

If all the other countries who's fans come to the Olympics can wave flags.. so can American fans.

I see the American flag is now considered a symbol of terrorism....

Originally posted by muckminer
Terrorism is after the Gold Medal...the more things get dampered, the more ground they're gaining.

I'd accept the policy in regards to our flag, instead I would adopt a new one and after winning whatever events - salute the terrorists and anti-American world with a middle finger.

damn striaght. hey lance armstrong gets to do it in the tour when he wins of course i dont see why it sould be any different. all this is is europe bending to the terrorist. all of europe is a bunch of pussies. we need europe to be taken over by some dictatorship so we can free it again and show europe that they owe there current free status to the united states. any european disagree with me?

your lucky we came along or you would be calling everyon "mein herr" or "mein frau" or even "comrade". you do the math you anti american cowards.

This is really stupid. A part of the games is runing around with your flag when you win, nobody perceives it as hostile or overly patriotic.

A very stupid decision of U.S. Olympic officials

Originally posted by KrazyIvan



all this is is europe bending to the terrorist. all of europe is a bunch of pussies

Dude, read again. The decision was made by U.S. olympic officials, it has nothing to do with europeans. We don't mind the flag waving, we never did.

all this is is europe bending to the terrorist. all of europe is a bunch of pussies

Typical #ing American
As paperclip said, it was US officals,

your lucky we came along or you would be calling everyon "mein herr" or "mein frau" or even "comrade". you do the math you anti american cowards.

lol so all Europeans are Commies and Nazi's eh? Quick history lesson, during World War II, Russia was on our side


well anyways, the reason why the US officals done this is probably cause they don't want to come across as "spreading the american way" to the world. I still think its a odd decision, nothing wrong with being proud of your country.

So, if an American wins a medal and celebrates with the flag or acts joyful, what will they do? Take thier medal away? If I were an athlete and I won, I'd shout my victory cry as loud as I could, and let them try to take my medal away. I'd like to see some official try and take a medal away from someone like Rulon Gardner (Greco-Roman Wrestler who won the gold in 2000) Good luck with that!

As a belgian, I'm 100% behind being proud of your nation. Belgians are at least as much patriotic and proud of their country as any other nation.

Belgians history is one of 'belonging' to other nations around it and being fought over and swapped ownership, then fighting for its independance and getting it, then becoming a prosperous and one of the top 10 most advanced nations in the world.
This in a shorter time then the US itself. Belgium as a free nation is younger then the US ya know. And we're proud of it.

Being proud of your legacy is something noone can take from you, no matter how crappy the goverment in office is.

Wave that flag, sing your national anthem and beat down whoever tells you not to. Even if its your own president, king, queen or prime minister. Beat them out of office for denying you the right to be proud of your ancesters.