President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced his delegates to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. And, in what may be a thumb in the eye to Russian President Vladimir Putin over his crackdown on gay rights, two of Obama's delegates are openly gay.
Billie Jean King, the tennis legend, and Caitlin Cahow, an Olympic medalist in women’s ice hockey, are both part of the U.S. delegation. Both are out lesbians.
Another member of the U.S. delegation, figure skating Olympic medalist Brian Boitano, routinely declines to answer questions about his sexuality, saying "everybody's got their own path" to discovering who they are.
Others in the delegation include University of California President Janet Napolitano, the former Homeland Security secretary; U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul; White House Deputy Chief of Staff Rob Nabors; Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, and speed skating Olympic medalists Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden.
In what may be another slight to the Russian president, Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the opening ceremony. This marks the first time since the 2000 Summer Olympic Games that a president, vice president, first lady or former president won't be part of the opening ceremony.
God I love this President!
My daughter and I had quite the giggle about this yesterday.
However she said that a lot of her friends were simply planning to boycott watching the Olympics and wish the US had done the same.
I argued that by doing so all we do is punish our own athletes who have been training for years to compete, and reminded her of my own personal frustration as a young gymnast when our incredible male gymnastic team of 1980, was denied their shot at the gold due to the Russians invading Afghanistan. (Ironic isn't it?)
I also reminded her that in1936, when Adolph Hitler was attempting to use the games to demonstrate the supremacy of the Aryan race, that America did not boycott, but rather sent their best, whihc resulted in this iconic photograph.
She asked what would happen if gay athletes, or their supporters, were assaulted while in Russia, and I said then they would tell the world and that is how change is brought to a society that does not want to be left behind by the rest of the world.
We are so glad to have an awesome President! Sarah Palin is pals with Putin now.
ReplyDeleteA&E Duck Dynasty was proud to stand up tall with Sarah Palin. She needs to back them up now they are being so bold for Christ.
http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/12/18/duck-dynasty-anti-gay/
“I myself am a product of the 60s; I centered my life around sex, drugs and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Savior. My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together."
Meanwhile, A&E has remained mum on Robertson’s controversial comments
The Duck family stood tall and proud with Sarah Palin, will she stand with them now? Is she too cowardly to face up to Pope Francis now?
Palin fans say over and over they need her leadership to fight the devil and atheists, Why is she forsaking Ducks at such a critical time?
Where is Sarah Palin now her book tour failed? Is that all she cared about? Money?
was that a rhetorical question?
DeleteI assume we taxpayers foot the bill for this 9 person junket. But at least it's good to annoy Putin.
ReplyDeleteWell if you want to look at it like that, and I am not sure your point since we do this for every Olympic games, then the President is in fact saving a substantial amount of money by not going himself with his huge Secret Service detail in tow.
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DeleteOh, please! !! GTFOH.
Although I sympathize with your daughter's sentiments, I agree with you. If America had boycotted the '36 Olympics, Jessie Owens would have never made history. We would not even know his name.
ReplyDeleteI am crossing my fingers, hoping an LGBT Olympian rises above the ignorance darkening the 2014 Winter Games, and changes the world.
Agree 100%!
DeleteWhat would Brian Boitano do???????
ReplyDelete(H/t South Park)
He'd slice a figure eight on that bitch, Putin! Oh, yeah!
I generally don't get too excited about the Olympics, but this year I'll be cheering four our athletes - ESPECIALLY our LGBT athletes.
ReplyDeleteI hope they take the gold away from Russia at every turn.
Delete"I said then they would tell the world and that is how change is brought to a society that does not want to be left behind by the rest of the world."
ReplyDeleteSorry, Gryphen, but you are assuming a helluva lot with that. Where did you get the idea that Russia (read that as Putin!) gives a damn if the world leaves it behind?
This was a great strategy to prevent harming the athletes who have worked so hard. BJK is a hero of my generation.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama was crystal clear and didn't mince words with his address that he was sending this delegation to the Olympics. I've always been a fan of the Olympics. The world sets aside it's differences in the name of sports, The athletes work their entire lives for the chance to compete, then everyone watches the closing ceremonies and the world sees what's possible with teamwork and goodwill. It's a shame the feeling doesn't continue, but it shows that anything's possible.
ReplyDeleteSpot on Gryphen. All of it, especially your last paragraph. And though I wouldn't wish an attack on anyone, I agree with you that it would be highlighted around the world and could be the harbinger of much-needed change.
ReplyDeleteI have read alot about these upcoming Winters Os and none of it is good. There is no way the venue will be ready in time. some of the buildings are structurally unsafe. It seems it is a haven for something really bad to happen.
ReplyDeleteI hope not. Putin is going to be really embarassed I think. I do feel badly for the athletes though. They deserve their Olympic experience to be superb and sounds like it will be marred.