Shut up and dribble

[Operator 1,925]

When athletes talk politics some say "stick to sports".  When athletes avoid political topics we call them out for it????

 

Let's unpack one of my new favorites, Eileen Gu.  If you don't know about her you should look her up.  Born and raised in the US and just won Olympic gold skiing for China.  The press keeps hounding her about what passport(s) she holds and people wonder why she isn't speaking out about human rights abuse.  If my respect for the press wasn't at an all time low it is now.

 

Sure China doesn't allow dual citizenship, but they typically give mixed race kids some slack until they reach 18.  Why are people so concerned?  Do they feel like she turned her back on her country? 

 

My opinion is "GET OFF HER BACK".  Maybe this is the type of thing that will begin the process that would eventually allow kids like my son to keep both passports.

[millefleur 5,039]

**Topic is moved to CEHST from Off Topic as it concerns a current event: the 2022 Winter Olympics**

[LIBrty4all 3,749]

It didn't end very well for Kapernick and Rapinoe.  Let's see how this plays out.

[B_J 2,752]

On 2/10/2022 at 10:27 AM, Operator said:

When athletes talk politics some say "stick to sports".  When athletes avoid political topics we call them out for it????

 

Let's unpack one of my new favorites, Eileen Gu.  If you don't know about her you should look her up.  Born and raised in the US and just won Olympic gold skiing for China.  The press keeps hounding her about what passport(s) she holds and people wonder why she isn't speaking out about human rights abuse.  If my respect for the press wasn't at an all time low it is now.

 

Sure China doesn't allow dual citizenship, but they typically give mixed race kids some slack until they reach 18.  Why are people so concerned?  Do they feel like she turned her back on her country? 

 

My opinion is "GET OFF HER BACK".  Maybe this is the type of thing that will begin the process that would eventually allow kids like my son to keep both passports.

I couldn't care less if she speaks out or not. For me, it has nothing to do with speaking out.

 

She had a choice to represent one of two countries.  She chose the country where there are legitimate human rights abuses including genocide, forced abortions, forced sterilizations, reeducation vocational training camps, religious restrictions, constant surveillance, and torture.  But hey, it's where her mom's from and she's getting rich.  She doesn't need to speak, her choice has said enough.

[Dashinka 23,357]

21 hours ago, LIBrty4all said:

It didn't end very well for Kapernick and Rapinoe.  Let's see how this plays out.

All I know is all the activism being done by the various leagues, etc., has turned me off sports and in particular professional sports.  I cannot remember the last time I watched any professional sporting event.

[MarJhi 925]

On 2/10/2022 at 9:27 AM, Operator said:

When athletes talk politics some say "stick to sports".  When athletes avoid political topics we call them out for it????

 

Let's unpack one of my new favorites, Eileen Gu.  If you don't know about her you should look her up.  Born and raised in the US and just won Olympic gold skiing for China.  The press keeps hounding her about what passport(s) she holds and people wonder why she isn't speaking out about human rights abuse.  If my respect for the press wasn't at an all time low it is now.

 

Sure China doesn't allow dual citizenship, but they typically give mixed race kids some slack until they reach 18.  Why are people so concerned?  Do they feel like she turned her back on her country? 

 

My opinion is "GET OFF HER BACK".  Maybe this is the type of thing that will begin the process that would eventually allow kids like my son to keep both passports.

She went for the money, pure and simple. An Olympic gold medalist in skiing for the US will be forgotten in 5 minutes once the games are over, but in China an Olympic gold medalist who dumps on the US has a chance to be a superstar for propaganda purposes and she knows this. She sold her soul for money and she will ignore all of the human rights abuses you alluded to earlier because she doesn't want to think about that while she counts her cash. 

 

And by the way, it's not just her, so don't get the illusion that she is being picked on. Most of the biggest voices in US sports, business, politics and Hollywood are doing the same thing. There is a lot of money to be made if you play nice with China. Lebron James fancies himself a social justice leader, but he makes a fortune off of China so anything goes. He is very vocal when it comes to criticizing the US, but he will never utter a negative word about China even though he knows the situation over there.

[yuna628 9,541]

I don't really care what country she wants to represent at the games. And any athlete is free to speak just like anyone else, however it doesn't absolve them of consequences, blowback, or criticism.

[Operator 1,925]

2 hours ago, B_J said:

I couldn't care less if she speaks out or not. For me, it has nothing to do with speaking out.

 

She had a choice to represent one of two countries.  She chose the country where there are legitimate human rights abuses including genocide, forced abortions, forced sterilizations, reeducation vocational training camps, religious restrictions, constant surveillance, and torture.  But hey, it's where her mom's from and she's getting rich.  She doesn't need to speak, her choice has said enough.

So by all means let's vilify an 18 year old for the actions of the CCP.  And it's not like forced abortions or forced sterilizations have ever happened in this country.  I guess we all have our boogey man.

 

22 hours ago, LIBrty4all said:

It didn't end very well for Kapernick and Rapinoe.  Let's see how this plays out.

Kapernick and Rapinoe competed in the Olympics for China?  Or, are you implying that Gu took a dump on the US?  Not sure I understand your comparison.

[Operator 1,925]

1 hour ago, MarJhi said:

She went for the money, pure and simple. An Olympic gold medalist in skiing for the US will be forgotten in 5 minutes once the games are over, but in China an Olympic gold medalist who dumps on the US has a chance to be a superstar for propaganda purposes and she knows this. She sold her soul for money and she will ignore all of the human rights abuses you alluded to earlier because she doesn't want to think about that while she counts her cash. 

 

And by the way, it's not just her, so don't get the illusion that she is being picked on. Most of the biggest voices in US sports, business, politics and Hollywood are doing the same thing. There is a lot of money to be made if you play nice with China. Lebron James fancies himself a social justice leader, but he makes a fortune off of China so anything goes. He is very vocal when it comes to criticizing the US, but he will never utter a negative word about China even though he knows the situation over there.

Man, damn that capitalism.  Something really ought to be done about that.

[B_J 2,752]

1 minute ago, Operator said:

So by all means let's vilify an 18 year old for the actions of the CCP.  And it's not like forced abortions or forced sterilizations have ever happened in this country.  I guess we all have our boogey man.

 

I don't vilify her for what the CCP does.  But I do judge her by who she chooses to align herself with.  And we are not talking about what happened in this country in the past, we are talking about what is happening right now in China.  What is happening is truly evil and we should not look the other way and we certainly shouldn't choose to align ourselves with it.  That is what she has done.

[MarJhi 925]

2 minutes ago, Operator said:

Man, damn that capitalism.  Something really ought to be done about that.

Who said anything about capitalism? I was talking about having principles, or people pretending to have principles. Name the political ideology and you will find plenty of people who PRETEND to have principles but go on to violate them. But nice to see you were paying attention😉

[Operator 1,925]

3 minutes ago, B_J said:

I don't vilify her for what the CCP does.  But I do judge her by who she chooses to align herself with.  And we are not talking about what happened in this country in the past, we are talking about what is happening right now in China.  What is happening is truly evil and we should not look the other way and we certainly shouldn't choose to align ourselves with it.  That is what she has done.

Seems to me like she aligned with the Chinese mother and grandmother who raised and not the American father who chose not to.

[Operator 1,925]

1 hour ago, MarJhi said:

She went for the money, pure and simple. An Olympic gold medalist in skiing for the US will be forgotten in 5 minutes once the games are over, but in China an Olympic gold medalist who dumps on the US has a chance to be a superstar for propaganda purposes and she knows this. She sold her soul for money and she will ignore all of the human rights abuses you alluded to earlier because she doesn't want to think about that while she counts her cash. 

 

And by the way, it's not just her, so don't get the illusion that she is being picked on. Most of the biggest voices in US sports, business, politics and Hollywood are doing the same thing. There is a lot of money to be made if you play nice with China. Lebron James fancies himself a social justice leader, but he makes a fortune off of China so anything goes. He is very vocal when it comes to criticizing the US, but he will never utter a negative word about China even though he knows the situation over there.

 

3 minutes ago, MarJhi said:

Who said anything about capitalism? I was talking about having principles, or people pretending to have principles. Name the political ideology and you will find plenty of people who PRETEND to have principles but go on to violate them. But nice to see you were paying attention😉

😉

 

Edited February 11, 2022 by Operator

[yuna628 9,541]

2 minutes ago, Operator said:

Seems to me like she aligned with the Chinese mother and grandmother who raised and not the American father who chose not to.

I just assumed that her decision had something to do with feeling more a part of her Chinese heritage and family, which is her right to do so. Many of us, if put in the same position would choose to feel differently, but some may not. That's fine too. I hope that her doing so was her choice, and not out of any pressure or obligation though.

[B_J 2,752]

1 minute ago, Operator said:

Seems to me like she aligned with the Chinese mother and grandmother who raised and not the American father who chose not to.

She is representing a country that is, at this very moment, committing genocide.  But at least she's getting rich.  Which, as has been stated earlier, shows a lack of principle.