08-25-2008, 03:14 AM
[quote rgG]I think it probably varies according to what they have been taught to do, probably by their coaches. I noticed that the USA gymnasts and the swimmers, the ones that I watched, did place their hands over their hearts.
What i learned watching the Olympics is that the American women apparently know the lyrics of our national anthem, and the American men do not. Either that, or they consider it unmasculine or otherwise unseemly to sing. Which, to me, is just silly.
[quote RgrF]Nationalist jingoism isn't conducive to real sportsmanship; it's, if anything, a distraction from sportsmanship and in the end destructive.
Were you referring to anything in particular here? I wouldn't consider hands-over-hearts to be jingoism, especially in an international athletic competition where people compete, not as individuals, but as representatives of nations.
You can dislike that this is the design of the Olympics, but it unquestionably is. One cannot compete in the games except as a representative of a nation. For that matter, there are requirements (albeit oft abused) governing who is eligible to compete on behalf of a country. To divorce this kind of competition from patriotism and national pride would be counter to the spirit of the games. One should always remain sportsmanlike, of course, but nationalism is at the center of the Olympics.
Edit: typo correction.
What i learned watching the Olympics is that the American women apparently know the lyrics of our national anthem, and the American men do not. Either that, or they consider it unmasculine or otherwise unseemly to sing. Which, to me, is just silly.
[quote RgrF]Nationalist jingoism isn't conducive to real sportsmanship; it's, if anything, a distraction from sportsmanship and in the end destructive.
Were you referring to anything in particular here? I wouldn't consider hands-over-hearts to be jingoism, especially in an international athletic competition where people compete, not as individuals, but as representatives of nations.
You can dislike that this is the design of the Olympics, but it unquestionably is. One cannot compete in the games except as a representative of a nation. For that matter, there are requirements (albeit oft abused) governing who is eligible to compete on behalf of a country. To divorce this kind of competition from patriotism and national pride would be counter to the spirit of the games. One should always remain sportsmanlike, of course, but nationalism is at the center of the Olympics.
Edit: typo correction.