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By Lisa Fabrizio July 24, 2008 Page 2 of 2 But Smith and Carlos failed to get any athletes to stay away from Mexico City and in the end, neither did they. These two self-proclaimed "traitors" crawled home to an America which had paid their way to compete at the Olympics and whose uniform they hypocritically wore in competition, thus giving them the international platform they so badly sought to air their grievances. An America where, by way of their outstanding athletic ability, they received college scholarships, most likely funded by "racist whites," at a time when most of their fellow young men were at risk of being sent overseas to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country. While Smith and Carlos did experience a backlash after the Olympics, it wasn't all to their detriment. Indeed, Smith felt (web site) that he was blessed by the fallout following his actions in Mexico, in that he had been discharged from the ROTC for "un-American activities:" "I was going to 'Nam, I could see myself in rice paddies. I believe there's a God. Sixty-eight had its downfall, but it had its protection for me. I might not be alive." Many of his fellow African Americans couldn't say the same. In trying to understand the resentment that I and many of my fellow Americans felt toward Smith and Carlos, you must remember that at that time, men like Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis and Jesse Owens were still alive, and so were the people, white and black alike who loved and respected them. Yet, the Black Power movement derided these men and others like them.
It should come as no surprise that, when told that the OPHR had called him an "Uncle Tom," Owens--who, at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin showed just how to defeat true white supremacists--responded as a true gentleman: "I'm old enough to be their uncle, but I'm not their Tom. We don't need this kind of stuff. We should just let the boys go out and compete." And it was Jackie Robinson who said, "Stokely Carmichael's version of Black Power can only get us more George Wallaces elected to office." (web site) Are Smith and Carlos to be commended for speaking out against what they perceived to be injustice? Yes, but to treat them as heroes without an acknowledgement of the harm done by members of the Black Power movement to racial harmony in this country is intellectually dishonest. Most of these groups intentionally fomented a climate of racial hatred and cultural separation that sadly still exists today; even in sports. --- Lisa Fabrizio is a columnist who hails from Connecticut. You may write her at mailbox@lisafab.com. -------------------- Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA. >> Back -- Page 1 2
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