Freedom

 Gold Medalist Tommie Smith, (center) and Bronze medalist John Carlos (right) showing the raised fist on the podium after the 200m in the 1968 Summer Olympics wearing Olympic Project for Human Rights badges. Silver medalist Peter Norman from Australia (left) joins them.Source Wikipedia

In the fast moving world of Facebook , twitter and social media, the modern sportsperson has much to contend with and with it the pressures of and weight of a nation as seen in the Olympics.Australia did not fair as well but as I have blogged I think it was an unrealistic view of  what was demanded of our athletes and the resources and population of a country like Australia.

Having said that , my only means of venting any opinion is this blog read by few and more an indulgence of my record of thoughts and training as a Triathlete .

But with the social media hot spots and access , our thoughts are melding into the screens and iPhone and Ipads of millions if not thousands of people we would otherwise have no contact with.It is a reflection of the speed of comment both sincere well thought and vitriolic bordering on the psychotic crazed mumblings of a madman.

I have steered away from adding my comments mainly for fear of the fact that not all comments may be understood on the one dimensional world of  facebook or twitter.More so everyone has a right to an opinion but am I really that passionate about everything sifting thru the web.

Yet because of the fence sitters and the side liners like me, the world of social media seems littered with the extremist of the world sitting at their extreme corner .They run the jihad of social commentary and abuse .It is angry and sustained and vile.

For the most part it is time wasted and energy misdirected.Will it make a difference , probably not .Sometimes , I wish I could in a world so different calmly explain a rationale point of view and hope to enlighten those whose views I disagree with .But the energy and likely response puts one off trying.Not a good attitude.

Like Sports , we learn to take the hard road and struggle thru the tough spots .Taking the flak and riding the storm are great euphemisms for confronting and taking a stance.

Possibly the one great lesson during these past 16 days , I like many, spent a little less time on social media whilst watching the Olympics ,whilst the sportsmen seemed to have been swamping it.

And one last thought , whilst sports and politics don't mix , it isn't either chalk and cheese , there is a minimum standard or values and decency we must all stand for and make a stand for. It is not for the recognition but for our own soul. For all good comes from all individuals who make that small stand for mankind and common decency. As  Peter Norman did 40 plus years ago and whilst I don't share all the points in the article and by the writer , I do share the view that we do sometimes have to take a stand possibly not popular or against the rules and etiquette of bureaucratic Sporting Bodies .

 The hero too many of us still don't Know -Sydney Morning Herald