Current Events > House Republicans want to ban free speech for Americans at the Olympics

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https://nypost.com/2021/07/08/house-gop-concerned-about-us-olympic-athletes-protesting/

The 39 Republicans wrote to US Olympic and Paralympic Committee Chair Susanne Lyons and CEO Sarah Hirshland, urging them to comply with Rule 50 of the International Olympic Committees charter that prohibits political expression by athletes, Fox News reported on Thursday.
We are deeply concerned by the growing trend of American athletes taking advantage of the international platform afforded by the Olympic games to perpetuate divisive, hateful and anti-American ideologies, the letter signed by the 39 Republicans said.

What do they consider anti-American speech
'equal rights for humans'?

Republicans view someone saying "the lives of my race matter" as divisive, hateful, and anti-american ideology.

lmao
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So banning Trump from Twitter bad and 1A violation but this shit isnt?

Why tf is it so hard to be consistent with your views lol like they arent even subtle anymore about the fact they are 100% hypocrites.

Republicans again proving their official motto is Rules for the thee but not for me

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Free speech!!! But only when it benefits us

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I can see somebody making an argument that "speech at a job is not the same as speech outside it, thus it can be punished/treated differently."

That said it would still be the Olympic organizations decision and not the governments, the republicans are out of line. Unless the US government is the "employer" in some context of olympians, which I don't think it is...

Either way I'm pro free speech so I think these people should be able to do whatever, that said IMO national pride isn't as shit as some people treat it, this country has a lot of good things and good people, but also a lot of bullshit for sure.

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Republicans should stfu

Sounds like theyre just salty that the Olympic platform wont be used to spread their rhetoric.


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Republicans being hypocrites, who would have guessed

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Background_Guy posted...

to perpetuate divisive, hateful and anti-American ideologies

But none of the Olympians are Republican politicians!

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Athletes should speak out against the hateful shit America does, especially if America makes it illegal.

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We need some sort of document that says the government cannot infringe upon a persons freedom of speech...

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SSJPurple posted...

Republicans should stfu

Sounds like theyre just salty that the Olympic platform wont be used to spread their rhetoric.

They should stfu, but hopefully some sense of american pride isn't a republican exclusive idea.

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Republicans are stupid assholes. More at 11.

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joe40001 posted...

IMO national pride isn't as shit as some people treat it, this country has a lot of good things and good people, but also a lot of bullshit for sure.

But national pride in America means never speaking on the bullshit. The Republicans in Congress bitching about this want America to be some totalitarian state where you don't dare criticize any facet of the greatest country in the history of the world.

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hockeybub89 posted...

But national pride in America means never speaking on the bullshit. The Republicans in Congress bitching about this want America to be some totalitarian state where you don't dare criticize any facet of the greatest country in the history of the world.

Unless its something a liberal did. Then you can criticize and attack it all day long they went a conservative dictatorship.

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TheVipaGTS posted...

Unless its something a liberal did. Then you can criticize and attack it all day long they went a conservative dictatorship.

Yeah they don't consider anything they disagree with to be "America". Republican politicians told me anyone that hates the President and get upset that they lose elections should move to North Korea, yet now that went out the window because an election went against them. Now the government is actually the enemy of "America".

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joe40001 posted...

They should stfu, but hopefully some sense of american pride isn't a republican exclusive idea.

Its notAre the American athletes participating not competing on their countries behalf?

Lets not sugarcoat it, Republicans just dont want black Americans up their using their platform saying stuff they dont like.

Thats what this is really about.

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but it's not (or it shouldn't be) "political expression" to say "racism is bad"

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No political expression? Okay so no athletes can put their hand over their heart or stand for the anthem or sing along, etc., etc., because all of that stuff is blatantly political. In fact, the Olympics itself is so political that merely by having athletes represent different nations, political statements are already being made (this country has more gold medals than that country, and is therefore "better", and so on and so forth). So the only real choice is to cancel the Olympics! I'm sure that will make the Republicans happy.
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hockeybub89 posted...

But national pride in America means never speaking on the bullshit. The Republicans in Congress bitching about this want America to be some totalitarian state where you don't dare criticize any facet of the greatest country in the history of the world.

No, you can speak on the bullshit. I just dislike how unfashionable it has become to like any part of the US.

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SSJPurple posted...

Its notAre the American athletes participating not competing on their countries behalf?

Lets not sugarcoat it, Republicans just dont want black Americans up their using their platform saying stuff they dont like.

Thats what this is really about.

I don't think the race matters too much, just that they don't like the people saying things they don't like.

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nothanks1 posted...

What do they consider anti-American speech
'equal rights for humans'?

Things that make you go "Ohhhhhhh...."

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More republicans racist

joe40001 posted...

No, you can speak on the bullshit. I just dislike how unfashionable it has become to like any part of the US.

How exactly are you drawing the conclusion that "it's unfashionable to like any part of the USA"? Like... are most of the leading figures in political circles or entertainment etc saying that?

Ruvan22 posted...

How exactly are you drawing the conclusion that "it's unfashionable to like any part of the USA"? Like... are most of the leading figures in political circles or entertainment etc saying that?

If you live on Twitter, it would probably appear that way.

Ruvan22 posted...

How exactly are you drawing the conclusion that "it's unfashionable to like any part of the USA"? Like... are most of the leading figures in political circles or entertainment etc saying that?

idk, where is the last time you remember seeing any mainstream "proud to be an american" sentiment in media.

Like post 9/11 car commercials sure, but idk it's been a while.

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Olympics is supposed to be peaceful competition and besides it doesnt take place often so they should leave their egos at the door.

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The right's MO has always been anti-free speech. This shouldn't be surprising.

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joe40001 posted...

idk, where is the last time you remember seeing any mainstream "proud to be an american" sentiment in media.

Like post 9/11 car commercials sure, but idk it's been a while.

A) Not seeing that sentiment in media doesn't prove the opposite - you'd have to show change to state something "has become"
B) NCIS LA comes to mind, I believe one of the highest watched shows currently

joe40001 posted...

idk, where is the last time you remember seeing any mainstream "proud to be an american" sentiment in media.

Like post 9/11 car commercials sure, but idk it's been a while.

Jesus Christ you never stop with the fucking trolling do you

Some Congress member probably binged "Black Mirror" and saw the Bryce Dallas Howard episode.

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Ruvan22 posted...

A) Not seeing that sentiment in media doesn't prove the opposite - you'd have to show change to state something "has become"
B) NCIS LA comes to mind, I believe one of the highest watched shows currently

I haven't seen NCIS, maybe old people shows are still very pro america, like bluebloods or whatever.

But I think it's safe to say post 9/11 was very patriotic, so if there is a big gap in patriotism now it stands to reason there was a state change.

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GOP taking a morally reprehensible postion. I'm shocked.

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Yeah, post 9/11 "patriotism" was just fueled by fear, and it allowed the government to invade whoever and pass whatever laws it wanted under the guise of keeping people safe.

The growing sentiment of being critical of America's culture and policies is a well deserved correction

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joe40001 posted...

I haven't seen NCIS, maybe old people shows are still very pro america, like bluebloods or whatever.

But I think it's safe to say post 9/11 was very patriotic, so if there is a big gap in patriotism now it stands to reason there was a state change.

A) So your complaint is that among young people "being patriotic has become unfashionable"? Because that's different from your next statement "a big gap in patriotism". Are you saying that people pretended to be patriotic because it was "fashionable" (your word)?

B)Taking NCIS, half the viewership is under 55 so it seems it's relatively popular among younger audiences
https://www.statista.com/statistics/876511/ncis-viewership-age/

C) It would be helpful for me if you provided some specifics - what speech/song/social media post/etc do you wish there was more of now?

nothanks1 posted...

What do they consider anti-American speech
'equal rights for humans'?

yes

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joe40001 posted...

I can see somebody making an argument that "speech at a job is not the same as speech outside it, thus it can be punished/treated differently."

That said it would still be the Olympic organizations decision and not the governments, the republicans are out of line. Unless the US government is the "employer" in some context of olympians, which I don't think it is...

They are not. You can be punished in the UCMJ for criticizing the president or similar things. But they're also not civilians. Olympians are civilians and aren't subject to the UCMJ or any nonsense the GQP wants to cook up like this.

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Well then maybe republicans should stop trying to perpetuate divisive, hateful and anti-American ideologies and then people wont need to use their worldwide platforms to speak about the hatred and bigotry from the right.

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Tyranthraxus posted...

They are not. You can be punished in the UCMJ for criticizing the president or similar things. But they're also not civilians. Olympians are civilians and aren't subject to the UCMJ or any nonsense the GQP wants to cook up like this.

Yeah, I suspected as much.

Republicans are way out of line.

Going after this is also a losing tactic if they want to pretend to be the party of free speech.

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