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Re: Am I the only one who thinks Voula Papachristou should not have been kicked out of the Olympics? Great Lord of Chaos Send a noteboard - 26/07/2012 11:14:39 AM
The Chick-Fil-A controversy started everything. While I don't agree with their stance on same-sex rights at all, and while I think the Henson company is within its rights to pull licensing (if their contract allows that), the notion that the mayor of Boston would try to block a free enterprise by legal action is wrong. Unless and until there are laws that make discrimination based on sexual orientation illegal (something that I would support, by the way), the mayor's actions represent a flagrant abuse of his authority.


If you read the letter to Chick-Fil-A, there is nothing more than a strong "recommendation" that they pull out of plans to enter the city. Nothing about legal action, basically saying "We don't want you here." Officials in Chicago, apparently, are looking into ways to blocking them from entering the city. An alderman is using his prerogative to block their permit. And, I'm fine with that. If the people in his ward don't like it, they can file a petition, or next election, vote him out.

Now I see that Voula Papachristou of Greece was banned from the Olympics for tweets that some could assume were racist. Specifically, when she heard about a West Nile Virus outbreak in Greece, she tweeted, "With so many Africans in Greece, the West Nile mosquitoes will be getting some food!!!"


It was a tasteless joke.

However, I care more about the lack of a Munich memorial during the Opening Ceremony. If the Olympics wanted to act as if they cared about tolerance and respect towards all participants, they would have the decency to do that.
Ὦ ξεῖν', ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτι τῇδε
κείμεθα, τοῖς κείνων ῥήμασι πειθόμενοι.
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Am I the only one who thinks Voula Papachristou should not have been kicked out of the Olympics? Tom - 25/07/2012 10:55:19 PM 1301 Views
Being on a country's Olympic team is a privilege, not a right Dark Knight - 25/07/2012 11:00:24 PM 790 Views
So banning blacks would be cool if it was legal in that country? Cannoli - 25/07/2012 11:08:52 PM 951 Views
If that's how the country wants to run itself Dark Knight - 25/07/2012 11:13:04 PM 823 Views
The IOC can ban nations from participating for that sort of stunt. Legolas - 25/07/2012 11:33:23 PM 973 Views
So that excuses thought control? Tom - 25/07/2012 11:49:58 PM 876 Views
If Hitler could let Jesse Owens run... Cannoli - 25/07/2012 11:07:19 PM 1014 Views
Yes. Political power should not be used to enforce morals. Tom - 25/07/2012 11:53:19 PM 754 Views
The national Olympic Committees aren't the government. Legolas - 26/07/2012 12:02:43 AM 738 Views
Even worse. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:08:05 AM 784 Views
Erm snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:29:32 AM 822 Views
I fail to see how the whole team would be thrown out. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:41:16 AM 814 Views
Because the IOC throws them out if the national government interferes in the national committe. *NM* snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:43:39 AM 437 Views
Well, that's absurd. Tom - 26/07/2012 01:09:41 AM 900 Views
As with most things, I doubt the practice matches the theory snoopcester - 26/07/2012 10:45:55 AM 792 Views
Africans != illegals Tim - 25/07/2012 11:19:32 PM 853 Views
Specious reasoning. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:07:08 AM 718 Views
Who are you to decide that? Legolas - 26/07/2012 12:16:45 AM 884 Views
I'm not the one deciding. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:36:17 AM 715 Views
Essentially you're saying "there are lots of racists in Europe". Tim - 26/07/2012 08:28:26 AM 835 Views
That's an oversimplification. Tom - 29/07/2012 03:13:14 AM 786 Views
You stated it as a fact. Legolas - 26/07/2012 07:49:58 PM 776 Views
Well, it is a fact that a north African could never become ethnically Greek. Tom - 29/07/2012 03:27:50 AM 859 Views
I think any organisation should have the right to choose who represents them snoopcester - 25/07/2012 11:20:36 PM 794 Views
Well, but that's not the end of it. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:12:09 AM 859 Views
It is for me snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:26:25 AM 768 Views
So...conformity ahead? *NM* Tom - 26/07/2012 12:40:03 AM 378 Views
Athletes taking responsibility for their own actions, if that is what you mean. snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:44:56 AM 915 Views
Is that all that happened? nossy - 25/07/2012 11:28:17 PM 730 Views
That and some pro-Golden Dawn statements. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:14:25 AM 917 Views
For me it is more than enough snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:32:35 AM 708 Views
I thought the original ideals of the Olympics were to honor Zeus. *NM* Tom - 26/07/2012 12:38:32 AM 493 Views
I view the long dead Greek Olympics as seperate, despite the shared name, from the modern Olympics *NM* snoopcester - 26/07/2012 12:42:18 AM 392 Views
It's not what happened to her that I typically waver on. nossy - 27/07/2012 03:08:45 PM 744 Views
Difficult question - if you ask me, the key point is a question of authority. Legolas - 25/07/2012 11:40:39 PM 826 Views
I just googled "What did Voula Papachristou say?" and got that. Tom - 26/07/2012 12:16:53 AM 867 Views
Well it seems a bit of an over-reaction, and I doubt the purity of motives of those doing it, but... Isaac - 26/07/2012 01:49:35 AM 720 Views
Re: Am I the only one who thinks Voula Papachristou should not have been kicked out of the Olympics? Great Lord of Chaos - 26/07/2012 11:14:39 AM 1126 Views
I'm going to boycott by turning off the Olympics and watching Michelle Jenneke nonstop instead. *NM* everynametaken - 26/07/2012 09:02:59 PM 431 Views
It's not a matter of freedom of expression DomA - 26/07/2012 09:49:59 PM 920 Views
This. *NM* ironclad - 26/07/2012 10:26:37 PM 397 Views
I oppose censorship even if it is not comng from the government random thoughts - 26/07/2012 10:16:30 PM 762 Views
How is it censorship? DomA - 27/07/2012 02:33:30 AM 866 Views
try looking up the word censorship and ask yourself would their actions supress speech random thoughts - 27/07/2012 02:59:11 AM 992 Views
I know the definition thank you. How exactly was her communication suppressed? DomA - 27/07/2012 05:54:39 PM 891 Views
you are right public punishment of political expression could never been seen as suppression random thoughts - 27/07/2012 06:20:15 PM 1014 Views
Well nossy - 27/07/2012 07:20:27 PM 764 Views
Where did she ever imply she wanted them to be bitten? *NM* random thoughts - 27/07/2012 08:03:05 PM 453 Views
Hello earth.... "food from home". DomA - 27/07/2012 08:26:15 PM 744 Views
OK I repeat my question: Where did she she WANTED them to be bit? random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:07:01 PM 1042 Views
Um, she referred to them as food? nossy - 27/07/2012 08:38:22 PM 794 Views
No what is silly is inferring that she hoped they would be bitten *NM* random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:09:18 PM 511 Views
No what is silly is inferring that she hoped they would be bitten *NM* random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:09:27 PM 419 Views
I'm with you on this - I don't think she wanted them to be bitten. Legolas - 27/07/2012 09:02:05 PM 820 Views
Re: I'm with you on this - I don't think she wanted them to be bitten. DomA - 27/07/2012 09:32:56 PM 876 Views
Do you have to go to special schools to learn how to read that much into dumb jokes? random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:57:21 PM 888 Views
It was insensitive at best random thoughts - 30/07/2012 09:25:06 PM 1271 Views
Re: you are right public punishment of political expression could never been seen as suppression DomA - 27/07/2012 08:30:26 PM 758 Views
One problem. nossy - 27/07/2012 04:54:52 AM 771 Views
Exactly ironclad - 27/07/2012 12:05:14 PM 774 Views
where do you people get these backasswards idea of what censorship is? PCmart? random thoughts - 27/07/2012 02:01:29 PM 828 Views
We can have this conversation w/o you being mean. nossy - 27/07/2012 02:57:02 PM 776 Views
I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship random thoughts - 27/07/2012 04:18:54 PM 879 Views
Re: I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship nossy - 27/07/2012 05:01:37 PM 792 Views
OK did I miss read what you said? random thoughts - 27/07/2012 06:41:51 PM 938 Views
No, but the disagreement is important. nossy - 27/07/2012 07:09:11 PM 777 Views
Re: I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship DomA - 27/07/2012 06:23:17 PM 721 Views
sorry I forgot the Olympic spirit was about banning athletes for dumb jokes they apologized for random thoughts - 27/07/2012 08:30:08 PM 706 Views
You're really not going to make sense of this if you keep mashing everything together. Legolas - 27/07/2012 08:59:35 PM 738 Views
Re: You're really not going to make sense of this if you keep mashing everything together. DomA - 27/07/2012 09:18:08 PM 809 Views
I know who did the banning but the whole organization seems to infested with a certain flavor of PC random thoughts - 30/07/2012 10:11:26 PM 884 Views
Re: sorry I forgot the Olympic spirit was about banning athletes for dumb jokes they apologized for DomA - 27/07/2012 09:01:07 PM 737 Views
I know you said it but do you actually believe it? random thoughts - 27/07/2012 01:56:35 PM 749 Views
It's a good question, but yes, I do. nossy - 27/07/2012 02:42:28 PM 794 Views
Are going to ban everyone and everyone country who says something about anyone else? random thoughts - 27/07/2012 04:47:51 PM 708 Views
Yes, that is clearly exactly what I said. nossy - 27/07/2012 05:10:37 PM 757 Views
i have a feeling you are being influenced by that pic they run with all the articles about her? moondog - 27/07/2012 02:14:13 PM 769 Views
Surely you don't think... Isaac - 27/07/2012 02:57:47 PM 688 Views
Heh. Rebekah - 27/07/2012 05:53:07 PM 917 Views
Typo? There are limits to our credulity... or to mine, anyway. Legolas - 27/07/2012 06:27:44 PM 769 Views
I can honestly say I would not care as much if she were a man and/or ugly Tom - 29/07/2012 03:29:47 AM 864 Views
Looks like Voula Papachristou agrees with Tom Dark Knight - 27/07/2012 07:09:30 PM 798 Views
Quite understandable. But so's the Greek OC's decision. Legolas - 27/07/2012 07:11:31 PM 799 Views
And now a Swiss footabller has gone as well snoopcester - 30/07/2012 08:22:45 PM 816 Views
That's just poor sportsmanship. *NM* Tom - 30/07/2012 08:53:53 PM 513 Views
And now the next incident... this time about an athlete's partner, not the athlete herself. Legolas - 03/08/2012 09:47:27 PM 863 Views
And an Australian athlete has been sent home now snoopcester - 04/08/2012 10:12:12 AM 641 Views
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