What does this image say to you?
To Jonah Goldberg, it says: "This is why Terrorists killed Israeli athletes and why 'divisiveness' marked the period of the 60s from which this protest comes."
That's right. Blame the Black people.
In his column today, Goldberg seeks to take the Espys to task for daring to honor the outrageous, world-wrecking protest of two black men giving a black solidarity salute during the Olympics. How dare the Espys, Goldberg says, for honoring an event that dares to "politicize" such an obviously non-political event as the Olympics.
Too bad he's so utterly, categorically wrong.
Goldberg says,
In today's culture, is it even worth trying to remind people that the black power salute was, for those who brandished it most seriously, a symbol of violence -- rhetorical, political and literal -- against the United States?
The black power salute was a threat alright-- it was threatening to those who were the status quo, i.e. racists. The very existence of black dignity, much less black power, was a threat to the Jim Crow south-- a place where, even then, in 1968, blacks were expected to mumble and avoid eye-contact with whites.
We're talking about the 60s; we're talking the very year of, and mere months after, Martin Luther King's assassination for daring to declare his equality-- and Goldberg blames these men for protesting?
"A symbol of violence-- rhetorical, political and literal against the United States."
Yes. Against country that was at the time and for years before it, using literal violence, political suppression and rhetorical hatred against them.
"In today's lingo, you might even say black power was "divisive."
That's right, ladies and gentlemen-- if only those negroes were a little more accommodating the 60s wouldn't be marked by such "divisiveness."
Another important distinction that should matter is that this was 1968, not 1938. By the end of the 1960s, the United States had seen two decades of steady -- if too slow -- racial progress. The black power vision of an irredeemably "racist Amerikkka" was all but blind to the desegregation of the military, the accomplishments of Owens and Robinson, and the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, 1964 and even 1968.
This is where Goldberg tries to save himself, just a little, by saying the "decades... of racial progress" was "too slow." Thanks, Jonah! Little mind that it took not only Civil Rights Acts but cultural protests, opposition to violent suppression (political- as in voting- and social) and the uncovering of government programs whose existence was in order to undermine, suppress and destroy the Civil Rights movement. Why were those Panther fellas so angry? Good Times were just around the corner!
Lord knows, the 70s were the time of milk and butter for blacks.
But here's the piece de resistance:
In 1972, Palestinian terrorists -- grateful for 1968's lesson in the propaganda value of the Olympics media attention -- slaughtered Israeli athletes.
That's right, it was none other than Tommie Smith and John Carlos who caused those Israeli Athletes to be murdered. Never mind that Olympics have always been political-- hell, the torch relay tradition started at Berlin, as the Nazi's wanted a nice, Nordic display of racial solidarity to begin these "non-political events." But yes, it was the black fists that "inspired."
I mean, No one's ever sat out an Olympics in protest, right?
Finally, I'd like to give a little history on the person no one talks about-- the white man, in the photo. His name is Peter Norman. He wore a badge of solidarity with his racist, violent, fellow Olympians.
He went on to suffer for his fellowship with their plight.
The Australian Olympic committee refused his qualifying runs. They choose, instead, to not participate.
His countrymen shunned him-- this is, after all, the nation that had yet to accept its Aboriginals.
He wasn't even invited to the 2000 Olympics and died, continuing to feel shamed by his nation.
Peter Norman suffered for his conviction in the worth of a fellow human being and his solidarity with their protest-- a black glove, yes, for black power--- bare feet, for black poverty-- beats and a scarf, to remind the world we were being lynched.
Jonah Goldberg, you, my friend, need a history lesson-- and its a shame the Espys couldn't give a more thorough one.
I asked what that image means to you. What it means to me? Suffering for the cause-- and having the will to endure. Solidarity. Justice. Fellowship. And strength. Endless, endless strength.
Are those no longer Olympian values?