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No Bushmen at Olympics 2004 !
... remember John Carlos and Tommie Smith ?
In 1968, Smith and Carlos were two of the world's
best sprinters. At the Mexico City Olympics, Smith set a world
record in the 200 meters, Peter Norman of New Zealand won the
silver medal and Carlos won the bronze. But the upset took place
on the victory stand when Carlos put a black glove on his left
fist and Smith put one on his right. They pulled off their shoes
and stood on the stand in black socks. As the national anthem was
played and the American flag was raised, the two thrust their
fists skyward and bowed their heads.
The black socks symbolized the economic and social
disenfranchisement of so many blacks in the United States, Smith
once said. And the gloves symbolized the unity, mounting anger,
frustration and fury of so many African-Americans, impoverished,
brutalized and marginalized in the world's greatest democracy.
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