Well Alice, I don't think your situation and that of the young athletes are
comparable. You didn't have corporate sponsorships and millions of dollars
invested in the venues in which you performed. You didn't have parents who
thought that they, or you, might benefit financially with the kinds of
incomes that might take care of you and them for the rest of your lives. In
the August 15 issue of The Nation, on BARD right now, there are a number of
articles about the Olympics and specifically, about Brazil. You might be
interested in them. One of the articles that I was reading this morning,
said that the nature of the Olympics changed radically after 9/11. This
just reminded me that there's a novel about the Olympics on BARD, Gold by
Chris Cleeve which is about the experience of athletes who prepare for them.
Miriam
________________________________
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alice Dampman
Humel
Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2016 1:05 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: The Olympics Are a Colossal Waste and a
Shameful Distraction
I don't think that is the only answer. I don't think sacrifice, generally
speaking, has become a dirty word at all, not for anyone who feels that it
defines what they feel they are doing. But, speaking as one who was involved
in music from a young age, auditions, contests, concerts and recitals, being
the youngest kid to ever play in the high school orchestra, winning the
concertmaster's seat, something that also required choices about how to
spend my time as a kid, I also did not feel that I was sacrificing anything.
I cared much more about practicing than about going to the prom. Music was
more important to me than football games. Playing on the local TV show for
kids or on the stage of the Academy of Music, the same stage that my
teachers and so many famous violinists had played was a much bigger thrill
for me than being on the student council at school. So, it all was not a
sacrifice, it was a preference. And I imagine some, many, though surely not
all, these athletes feel the same way. Not everything is a big corporate
conspiracy.
On Aug 13, 2016, at 9:44 AM, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Probably, it isn't fashionable to use that word, "sacrifice", in an
interview these days. I imagine these athletes have publicists who
advise
them about what to say during interviews. Be upbeat, enthusiastic.
Be sure
to say things that will make the viewers feel good about you, your
sponsors,
and the games.
Miriam
________________________________
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alice
Dampman
Humel
Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2016 6:40 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: The Olympics Are a Colossal Waste and
a
Shameful Distraction
Even as I used the word "sacrifice" in the below sentence,
"But to achieve this level of excellence, it takes dedication, hard
work,
sacrifice of some things in favor of other things, discipline,
focus, and
effort. "
and even with the qualifiers I added, I felt a moment's discomfort
about the
word.
This morning, I heard a report that most of the athletes spoken to
about
"sacrifice" said they preferred the word "choice." Sacrifice implies
deprivation, and many of the athletes say they do not feel a
deprivation,
they are enriched by what they do. Same goes for musicians, dancers,
actors,
all those other things people get up to!
On Aug 12, 2016, at 5:15 PM, Alice Dampman Humel
<alicedh@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Once again, there is no hard and fast rule here. I think I deleted a
message I started to send in which I referred to Dominique Marciano
or
however her name is spelled, a gymnast from a few Olympiades ago.
Apparently, she suffered greatly under an abusive father and
coaches, the
famous ones, who did nothing. But, as in music with which you draw a
parallel, there are also kids who love what they do. Then there is
that fine
line between doing what parents doing what they think is good for
their
child. How many adults say, I'm so glad my parents made me continue
with the
piano lessons, or, conversely, I'm so sorry I made such a stink
about
practicing and that my parents gave in and let me quit. It can all
go any
number of ways. But to achieve this level of excellence, it takes
dedication, hard work, sacrifice of some things in favor of other
things,
discipline, focus, and effort. For some the rewards of excellence
and maybe
prizes are enough to make it worthwhile. For some, it is the love of
the
sport or art itself, be it gymnastics, swimming, music, art, acting,
writing,.
There have been stories of the looks of bliss on some of these young
athletes' faces as they receive their scores or even before when
they know
they've nailed a routine.
On Aug 12, 2016, at 2:43 PM, Miriam Vieni
<miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Alice,
You might read Dave Zirin's book, Brazil's Dance With The
Devil which
responds to some of your points about Brazil and its
history, as well as the
present situation. But there was another point in this
article which gave me
pause, and that was what kinds of training children go
through from a very
young age in order to develop the skills that permit them to
compete and
whether it is the children who want to go through the rigors
of the training
or the parents who impose the training on them for their own
self
gratification. I'm sure that happens sometimes, as it does
in other fields
such as music. I actually knew a family who had three
children. The father
was in an auto accident with two of them, the son and one
daughter. The son
died. The daughter was brain damaged and visually impaired
as a result. The
younger daughter hadn't been in the car. She was much
younger and had
musical talent. Her parents groomed her to become a concert
pianist until
she rebelled and refused to play the piano anymore. I
understand, in
retrospect, what was driving them emotionally, but to that
little girl, it
felt like abuse.
Miriam
________________________________
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Alice Dampman
Humel
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2016 1:27 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: The Olympics Are a Colossal
Waste and a
Shameful Distraction
So the upshot of this article, which we actually all know,
is that Brazil
had serious problems before the Loympics came to town, and
the question is
how much worse has it gotten BECAUSE, as in as a result of
the Olympics?
What is on the other side of the balance? Have some
improvements in the
lives of the poor come about? I don't know.
And to compare Rio, with its pre-Olympic enormous social
problems, to cities
like London, Atlanta, Tokyo, and other host cities is a
little disingenuous.
I've also read that the Brazilian and local Rio governments
have been very
slow to make any demands on the IOC, to take advantage of
whatever economic
or infrastructure improvements could have been negotiated or
even accepted
by their city.
Ah, Ted, I quote your tag line, there are at least two sides
to every story.
Oh, yeah, to comment on something from an earlier post.as
for the idea of
nation competing against nation, too bad we can't settle our
differences
this way, that has been a component of the Olympic games
since ancient
times, and besides the individual athletes, there are teams,
so here we have
an example of cooperation, teamwork and competition existing
side by side.
And what is the difference whether people distract
themselves with the
Olympics every 4 years or with the local baseball, football,
soccer,
basketball, hockey, teams of the home town every weekend?
On Aug 12, 2016, at 11:42 AM, Miriam Vieni
<miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Truthdig
The Olympics Are a Colossal Waste and a Shameful Distraction
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/rio_olympics_are_a_colossal_waste_and_a_
shameful_distraction_20160811/
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Posted on Aug 11, 2016
By Sonali Kolhatkar
The Olympic torch being carried in front of the Christ the
Redeemer
statue
on the way to the opening ceremony of the Summer Games in
Rio de
Janeiro on
Aug. 5. (Felipe Dana /
AP(http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/APTOPIX-Rio-Olympics/98bb210281c64
6229cee14ed7928f84d/1/1) )
Everyone loves the Olympics. They allow people all over the
world to
set
aside their political and religious differences and enjoy a
few
weeks of
healthy competition between a few thousand people who have
spent
years
honing their skills.
At least, this is what we tell ourselves.
In fact, not everyone loves the Olympics. Often, the poorest
sectors
of
society within the host countries experience displacement
and other
forms of
oppression as authorities work hard to impress visiting
athletes and
spectators. In Brazil, the first South American country to
serve as
the
international showcase, this was certainly true; more than
20,000
families(https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/28/brazil-officials-evic
ting-families-2016-olympic-games) were displaced to make
way for
Olympics-related infrastructure. In fact, the state of Rio
de
Janeiro, where
the games are being held, is in such desperate financial
circumstances that
state workers are not being paid and health care centers
cannot even
afford
to take on the Zika virus crisis. Rio declared bankruptcy
ahead of
the
games, and the state's governor declared a "state of
calamity(http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/18/482593048/rios-go
vernor-declares-state-of-calamity-ahead-of-olympic-games) ."
But the mayor of Rio de Janeiro was quick to assure the
world(http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-21/berg-moral-bankruptcy-of-the-oly
mpics/7528680) that the economic disaster "in no way delays
the
delivery of
Olympic projects and the promises assumed by the city of
Rio."
Apparently,
delivering basic services to the city's residents is a lower
priority than
accommodating the Olympics.
In a recent Dallas News opinion column, Andrew
Zimbalist(http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/latest-columns/20160808-andres-o
ppenheimer-hosting-the-olympics-is-an-ego-trip-for-politicians-and-a-bad-dea
l-for-citizens.ece) , an expert on the social and financial
cost of
hosting
the Olympics, said, "The net outcome of the Rio Games is
that they
will have
spent $20 billion, they will receive $4.5 billion in
revenue, and
they will
end up with a $15 billion deficit."
While the fireworks and glittering stadiums overshadow the
social
and
financial problems of this year's host nation, the facade is
crumbling.
Rio's famous
favelas(http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/brazils-olympics-meet-its-fa
velas) are in full view of many venues, and concerns about
sewage-infested
waters are so serious that athletes competing in water
sports have
been
advised(http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/international/ct-olympic-rowing
-dirty-water-20160806-story.html) not to splash in, or
accidentally
drink,
the virus- and bacteria-ridden water.
Brazil is hardly an exception in the long line of host
countries
paying far
too dearly for the privilege of hosting the games. The
billions
spent on
building the required infrastructure rarely translate into
direct,
long-term
benefits for the citizens of host countries. Instead,
ordinary
people pay
dearly for the fleeting enjoyment of spectators around the
world,
while
corporations prosper from building contracts and lucrative
sponsorship
agreements(http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2016/08/corporate-sponsorships-of
-olympics-make-political-investments-look-like-a-very-good-deal/)
and
governments earn little more than bragging rights. This
series of
photos(http://www.businessinsider.com/abandoned-olympic-venues-around-the-wo
rld-photos-rio-2016-8) of abandoned and decaying Olympics
venues
from host
cities around the world is a disturbing testament to the
ugly and
often
invisible legacy of the games.
In addition to poverty, displacement and poor public health
and
infrastructure, Brazil is in the midst of its worst
political crisis
in
decades, as widely discredited impeachment proceedings
against
democratically elected President Dilma Rousseff play out in
the
capital,
Brasilia. Interim President Michel Temer has painted a rosy
hue on
the games
and worked hard to silence political dissent. Security
forces have
deployed
stun grenades and tear gas on demonstrators. But
protesters(https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/brazilian-prote
sters-censored-at-olympics/2016/08/07/c8dfc014-5cca-11e6-84c1-6d27287896b5_s
tory.html) among the crowds of spectators are speaking out,
using
the
international spotlight to get their message across. Ahead
of the
games,
activists launched a creative and concerted effort to
extinguish the
Olympic
torch(http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/08/rio-olympics-torch-brazil-160804
183937431.html) as it was carried through Rio's streets in
order to
express
their opposition to the effort to oust Rousseff. One of the
torch-bearers,
an Afro-Brazilian athlete, took a personal risk and exposed
the
words Fora
Temer (Out with Temer) emblazoned on his behind, as this
video
report(https://www.facebook.com/ajplusenglish/videos/774697316005111/?hc_loc
ation=ufi) shows.
As for the notion that the Olympics help us set aside our
political
and
religious divides for a few weeks, even that is a lie. If
anything,
the
games become nationalistic rituals that amplify existing
divides and
are
simply an excuse to drape oneself with a flag and beat one's
favorite enemy
nation in the arena of sports. Certainly this is better than
actual
war-but
rarely, if ever, is it a substitute for war.
On the flip side, the Olympic Games offer yet another
platform to
display
all the societal ills we struggle with on a daily basis,
such as
sexism(http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/08/sexism-olympics-katie-led
ecky-is-amazeballs) and
racism(http://racerelations.about.com/od/hollywood/a/Racial-Controversies-An
d-The-Olympic-Games.htm) . Even the debut of the "refugee
team(https://www.olympic.org/news/refugee-olympic-athletes-deliver-message-o
f-hope-for-displaced-people) " at this year's games may do
little to
humanize the toll of wars (but what about Brazil's own
internally
displaced
refugees that the Olympics have generated?). Pentagon
officials who
draw up
war plans are hardly going to be moved by the humanity of
Yusra
Mardini(https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/06/yusra-mardini-100m-but
terfly-heat-win-refugee-olympic-team-rio-2016) , a Syrian
refugee
swimmer,
and stop bombing her fellow Syrian
civilians(https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/07/21/an-ai
rstrike-in-syria-killed-entire-families-instead-of-isis-fighters/) .
It may
cause some individuals in Western nations to think twice
about their
bigoted
attitudes toward incoming refugees (or it may amplify
existing
stereotypes,
such as those elicited by a hijab-wearing Egyptian
volleyball
player(http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2016/08/09/beach-volleyball-player-wear
ing-hijab-met-criticism-not-fitting-rio-olympics/) ). But
basic and
fair
media coverage of the issues refugees face when wars
displace them
could
achieve the same end without the high price of the Olympics.
But aren't the Olympics a wonderful venue for young,
talented
athletes who
have spent years honing their skills? As the hilariously
prescient,
satirical video-podcast "Ultra Spiritual
Life(http://uncrate.com/video/what-i-love-about-the-olympics/) "
noted about
athletes at the Rio Olympics, "I'm grateful that this
15-year-old
girl had
parents who were emotionally abusive enough to live through
her.
Nine hours
of training every day since she was 3 years old equals
trauma in her
psyche,
stress fractures in her legs, but it equals national pride
for me."
Stories
about young children in China being trained for the 2012
Olympics
revealed a
shocking level of
brutality(http://www.businessinsider.com/a-chinese-olympian-had-no-idea-her-
mother-had-cancer-because-her-parents-feared-it-would-disturb-her-training-2
012-8) meted out for the national pride of winning a gold
medal.
Additionally, the financial
burden(http://blogs.marketwatch.com/paydirt/2012/08/07/the-true-cost-of-maki
ng-the-olympics/) of training for the Olympics,
particularly in
countries
like the U.S., which does not provide subsidies for
athletes'
families, is
huge and often leads to bankruptcy.
Even heartwarming stories of underdogs winning Olympic
medals are
not worth
the price of the games. The story of a young Afro-Brazilian
girl,
Rafaela
Silva, who hails from the famed City of God favela and won a
gold
medal(http://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/37024492) , provided
just
the
"inspiration" fodder that many people, including liberals,
like to
tout. But
Silva's story plays right into the neoliberal myth of
individual
success
being possible for anyone who simply works hard enough. What
about
the
broader community from which Silva emerged? Brazil's favelas
are
among the
most dangerous places for children to grow up, rife with
poverty,
drugs and
violence, and Silva's story has no practical, positive
bearing on
them. In
fact, the Olympics only ensure that the state will spend
years
paying off
the debt of hosting the games rather than spending the money
on the
welfare
of its residents.
Are the games really worth the collective and individual
sacrifice
that so
many communities and legions of people pay? Ultimately, the
Olympics, like
most global sporting events (such as World Cup soccer),
distract us
from the
real work of solving societal ills, divert far too many
resources
away from
human needs and amplify nationalist fervor and existing
divides. All
in the
service of athletes vying for medals and millions of
spectators who
wrap
themselves in flags while cheering them on.
Criticism of Hillary Clinton Is Not Support of Donald Trump
The Games
Why It's So Hard for Members of the Military to Speak Out
More Bad News About Water Safety Could Affect Millions of
Americans
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