Olympics Poll

[Kirsten]

Nope, you are not alone. we have neo-nazis and the like here in America.

Can you further explain the details in the article? The English appears off and I'm not familiar with the terms used.

Thanks

I know, they're in many countries; maybe we Germans are especially touchy when it comes to this due to our history. We're still bearing this "collective guilt" with us, and probably will for a long time. I hate that this thing has happened, and that she was allowed to attend the Olympics, even though it it said her team didn't get these information on her private life before yesterday.

Here's another article, maybe this one explains it better.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...-a-848042.html

[mrspunkysmom]

I know, they're in many countries; maybe we Germans are especially touchy when it comes to this due to our history. We're still bearing this "collective guilt" with us, and probably will for a long time. I hate that this thing has happened, and that she was allowed to attend the Olympics, even though it it said her team didn't get these information on her private life before yesterday.

Here's another article, maybe this one explains it better.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...-a-848042.html

Yes it does. I had the feeling reading the first link that the person or machine that translated only had a basic understanding of English grammar, which was why is sounded odd.

At least your country has a collective guilt over the Nazi era. I'm not sure our country as a whole has any guilt or shame (a better word?) over the treatment of the Indians, the Japanese, or the Africans held in slavery. Did I leave any group out? I think a little bit of shame wouldn't hurt.

Wasn't a South African at the beginning sent home for racist comments?

[Kirsten]

Yes it does. I had the feeling reading the first link that the person or machine that translated only had a basic understanding of English grammar, which was why is sounded odd.

Well, yes, that could be. It was the first English article that I could find this morning, that's why I posted it; meanwhile, there are many more.

At least your country has a collective guilt over the Nazi era. I'm not sure our country as a whole has any guilt or shame (a better word?) over the treatment of the Indians, the Japanese, or the Africans held in slavery. Did I leave any group out? I think a little bit of shame wouldn't hurt.

Hmmm, yes, good point. I guess many countries have things in their history they cannot be proud of. The nazi crimes, however, were so extremely evil and so well-planned and organized that it's a unique thing in history - and hopefully always will be.

Wasn't a South African at the beginning sent home for racist comments?

I don't know, I only heard of a Swiss and a Greek athlete being excluded for racist comments.

[Karen]

At least your country has a collective guilt over the Nazi era. I'm not sure our country as a whole has any guilt or shame (a better word?) over the treatment of the Indians, the Japanese, or the Africans held in slavery. Did I leave any group out? I think a little bit of shame wouldn't hurt.

Of course it does! As an American child we learned of those things in school. If there was no shame or guilt felt, we would not have been taught about it, would we?

But we are also taught to learn from our history and strive not to repeat it. One cannot change the past, but one can make the future different.

[Kirsten]

But we are also taught to learn from our history and strive not to repeat it. One cannot change the past, but one can make the future different.

That is true!

[Freedom]

Of course it does! As an American child we learned of those things in school. If there was no shame or guilt felt, we would not have been taught about it, would we?

But we are also taught to learn from our history and strive not to repeat it. One cannot change the past, but one can make the future different.

Not the way I / we were taught, Karen. We were taught the Indians were savages who needed to be conquered and civilized. I can still remember taking a class in COLLEGE and learning a different perspective on this. What a wake up call!

[Karen]

Not the way I / we were taught, Karen. We were taught the Indians were savages who needed to be conquered and civilized. I can still remember taking a class in COLLEGE and learning a different perspective on this. What a wake up call!

Did you go to public school or parochial? Just curious!

[Freedom]

Public school grades 1 - 8, then parochial for high school.

[Karen]

You are somewhat older than me, but maybe the parochial schools - never swift to change curriculum or anything else - were still teaching outdated social studies/history texts in your high school!

[cassiesmom]

I saw a very brief clip of Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina on the balance beam followed by a clip of Gabby Douglas. The reporter talked about how women's gymnastics has changed in the years between them. I also heard on the news that Larisa Latynina was at the swimming event where Michael Phelps won his 19th medal, breaking her record and how happy she was for him. I wonder if the girls on the current gymnastics team will be back 4 years from now. I hope Phelps is still around 4 years from now!