Greek Triple jumper Voula Papachristou has been expelled from Greece’s Olympic team this week for mocking African immigrants and expressing support on Twitter for the far-right Golden Dawn party. Despite the obnoxious content of these views for many of us, I believe that the move raises serious free speech concerns.
Papachristou was removed from the team because her tweets were viewed as “plac[ing her] outside the Olympic team for statements contrary to the values and ideas of the Olympic movement.”
Papachristou is responsible for several retweets and postings of YouTube videos promoting the views of Golden Dawn, which is viewed as a virtually fascist organization by critics. The most serious matter however came with a tweet on a story of the appearance of Nile-virus-carrying mosquitoes in Athens. Papachristou wrote: “With so many Africans in Greece, the West Nile mosquitoes will be getting home food!!!” The tweet produced a firestorm of criticism.
She was also criticized for several of her retweets were original tweets by Ilias Kasidiaris, the Golden Dawn spokesman who recently struck a female Communist MP in the face and threw water at another female MP during a TV talk show. Papachristou tweeted to Kassidiaris on his name day, last Friday, “Many happy years, be always strong and true!!!”
She posted apologetic messages on Twitter and Facebook, stating “I would like to express my heartfelt apologies for the unfortunate and tasteless joke I published on my personal Twitter account. I am very sorry and ashamed for the negative responses I triggered, since I never wanted to offend anyone, or to encroach human rights. My dream is connected to the Olympic Games and I could not possibly participate if I did not respect their values. Therefore, I could never believe in discrimination between human beings and races. I would like to apologize to all my friends and fellow athletes, who I may have insulted or shamed, the National Team, as well as the people and companies who support my athletic career. Finally, I would like to apologize to my coach and my family.”
This is not the first time the games have faced such a controversy. Indeed, these tweets are minor when compared to the protest of African American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Games. Notably, the U.S. opposed the expulsion of the athletes from the games but yielded when the entire U.S. team was threatened with expulsion. I thought the protest in 1968 was inappropriate and deserving of punishment given the tradition and rules of the international games regarding political statements at the competition. In this case, however, Papachristou engaged an inappropriate joke and associated with an controversial party before the start of the games.
The decision to remove the athlete in my view is a core violation of free speech. The political association criticism is particularly worrisome as a cited basis for the action. Many athletes have historically been connected to political parties or movements from black liberation to environmental causes. This appears a case of selective prosecution. Likewise, the joke was tasteless and obnoxious. However, she apologized for it. Moreover, she is allowed to hold anti-immigration views. I agree that she is given an honor to represent a nation and can be expected to refrain from such comments during her participation. However, the impression is that it is the holding of these views and not necessarily the timing that prompted such action. If Papachristou had made such jokes last year, would it still be a basis to bar her from the team? While she insists it was a joke, the controversy does raise the question of whether a racist should be barred due to his or her views. In my view, they should not be barred though they can be expected to refrain from such comments while on the team representing a nation. There are many athletes with known anti-Semitic or anti-Muslim or misogynistic views that are common to their countries. They are not barred from competition. If we start to bar athletes on unacceptable views, where to we draw the line? I understand the uproar and I believe that Papachristou was rightfully forced to apologize because she is representing Greece. However, I am disturbed by the outcry over her political views and the demand for her removal.
What do you think?
Source: Yahoo
AY/Blouise:
Stop it the both of you. It’s very funny.
By the way AY, you’re safe unless you once led a country.
The iconic photo of the black power salute is something we should be proud of forever. A universal display of yearning for real freedom. Ongoing…….
“Then I think we should keep a very close eye on that Tom Selleck fellow . . .” (Gene)
I do, trust me, I do.
Say it ain’t so mespo….. Say it ain’t so…. I have a stake in the outcome……
Also, I’ll continue to call utter nonsense utter nonsense if I so choose.
Because it is accurate.
id707,
I don’t care if you read corrections to your false statements or not.
They aren’t made for you.
GeneH,
Could not resist reading. Good stuff, but all basicly known to me. You missed mentioning the corporate influence, someone here said “the merging of interests” between the government and the corporate interests. I have no depth, just will end by agreeing we had good populists as FFs.
And will cite the ex-congressman from FL, Alan Grayson, who said that he liked Huey Long for saying all should be in reach of the little man—on the low shelves.
One point more, would love to see your summary of the development of fascism and corporatism in America.
PS Tip: Stop aping saying “utter nonsense” Sounds so academic.
mespo,
Then I think we should keep a very close eye on that Tom Selleck fellow . . .
Gene H:
““Populism leads to fascism.”
*************************
Hitler wore a mustache.
Franco wore a mustache.
Hitler & Franco were fascists.
Mustaches lead to fascism.
I am with Mike S. and Shady_Grady on Smith and Carlos. I find the picture very moving and it inspired me to learn more about what was happening in the U.S. at that time. It was, I think, a quiet and dignified statement.
On the other hand, Voula might be able to jump triple whatevers, but her common sense appears to be … well, unable to hop over a small puddle. It’s the Olympics. Whole lot of people from all over. Apparently no one appraised her of the diversity she would encounter. That said: she has a right to say something really stupid. She should be able to participate. I suspect that her endorsement opportunities just took a nose dive. Oh wait! For her that would be a flying leap. Down. Over the cliff. Done.
Also, I have never thought of the Olympics as apolitical. They’ve got to be kidding. Yea. Right. Sure.
GeneH,
Pardon me if I did not read more than the first words of your comment.
I knew someone would call me on that, as really I knew not of what I spoke and said it anyway.
Have fun lecturing. Don’t have time to Wiki-check all I write.
Nice to hear from you.
You do write good stuff, at timees, and you know which ones I mean.
“Populism leads to fascism.”
Utter nonsense. Populism can lead to nationalism and/or scapegoating and nationalism is a key feature of fascism, but fascism in any of its forms is inherently anti-populist as it is an oligarchical form of government in all its varieties. However, populism without the nationalism or scapegoating is not inherently dangerous. People very often reject the notion that their political ideology might be populist in part because argumentum ad populum is an informal logical fallacy and perhaps they don’t want the association of the value loaded word, but in its definition “populist” means a member of a political party claiming to represent the common people (especially often capitalized) and/or a believer in the rights, wisdom, or virtues of the common people. This is in effect what a democracy is, which is defined as government by the people; especially rule of the majority and/or a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.
For comparison, you can see this in the Nazi Party which co-opted the language of populism to put fascists in to power. The message of the Nazis on their rise was a populist promise of socialism, but tightly bound to nationalism and scapegoating of the Jews. Once the Nazis gained power, they quickly abandoned any pretense to a populist ideology, purged the party of true socialists during the Night of the Long Knives, and let their fascist nature be known freely. Contrast this to the populist movements that led to the American Revolution, the fall of Apartheid in South Africa and to Glasnost and Perestroika in the former Soviet Union. All populist movements with non-fascist endings. No. Populism doesn’t necessarily lead to fascism any more than wheat necessarily leads to bread. Populism is simply one of several paths to political power – gaining the consent of the people by claiming to give them what they want. A means to an end but not an end of itself unless you are looking to form a democracy.
Rcampbell,
Great piece you wrote. Until you spat in his face for his mistake of interpreting your emotions as he saw them in your words previously written.
I hope you reconsider, or else your talk of fighting bigotry rings hollow. But it does anyway, see below.
And speaking of that, how many such foursomes did you experience, how many dirty looks did you get, how many did not invite you to have a beer afterwards.
Did you have such upstanding practice of your morals in all of life’s experiences? etc etc. I think my point is evident.
Self-praise is the one most suspect. Agreed?
If my words anger you that is a shame, but incorrect condemnation should not anger, should it. Only those touched say OUCH. True?
I seek not to humiliate you, but the reflection of all on the need for civility to the last syllable said.
rafflaw:
The individual olympic committees in each country may or may not be government affiliated. The International Olympic Committee is not affiliated with any government and it puts on the Olympic Games.
czech80
I said that bigotry and intolerance are like vampires and must be exposed to the light of day. I said nothing about killing bigots. There is a long history of outright bigotry in the US. It used to be quite permissable particularly for white males to openly denegrate and blatantly insult blacks, jews, eastern Europeans, Native Americans, gays, Hispanics, etc. with any epithet they chose. We advanced as a society, perhaps only slightly but advanced nonetheless, during the 1960’s and 70’s when such behavior was no longer tolerated as acceptable in public. The phrase “politically correct” came into being. Though derided by those who wish to return to the golden days of Apartheid and anti-Semitism, politcal correctness is truly nothing more than The Golden Rule or your mother’s guidance to be polite to one another.
I can’t tell you the number of time while playing golf with people I didn’t previously know that someone will tell a racist or ethnic joke on the assumption that none of “them” was in the foursome and that they could therefore get away with it. I do not allow these opportunities to pass without comment because, as I said, this is how bigotry spreads. It’s fostered in dinner conversations and barroom talk and unless it’s addressed IN EVERY instance it lives on. As in the old expression, If nothing changes, nothing changes. I choose to change the dynamic away from bigotry, not tolerate it.
Your suggestion that totalitarianism came about by “…small chips at liberty done in the name of benevolence empowered by those fueled by emotions such as rcampbell….” is complete nonsense.
Czech80 was of course with his/her background accustomed to see lofty ideals used to smother ideas and words.
Here in spite of our Bill of Rights we are still fighting to keep what we have.
Populism leads to fascism. And we have fascism already, do we not. And the corps are tyrannies. And do they allow free speech?
If we want to champion free speech there are more
important battlegrounds. Like here at home. Protecting leakers, for instance. And folks who protest in Anaheim.
Funny that the WHITE Australian was not banned despite wearing a political anti-racist pin (you see it above the crest) on the bronze podium.
Anyway, racism should not be tolerated. This is not protected by free speech- it is a privilege to compete- not a right as a good athlete. I also like how you tiptoed around the fact that Golden Dawn is essentially fascist, not a standard conservative party.
Czech80
There is also the difference between people being intolerant and society accepting that intolerance. If I complained loudly about bohunks and pepiks thats my right to be an ignorant bigoted fool. But that does not mean we as a society should not shame me for my bigotry. Particularly if I am representing my entire country. At that point my country and its Olympic Committee has the right to say “You do not represent our ideals or our better nature and we chose to not let you stand before the world as our representative.
czech80,
Intolerance will continue. Her intolerance will probably continue. But there is a difference between thinking and acting. She should put a lid on expressing it when participating in activities that supposedly are done in the spirit of bringing people together. (I’m not ignoring the political and the commercial aspects of the games).
Respect for others is part of a civil society and should be a part of the olympics. There is no need to be insulting to other participants. If she is allowed to speak her intolerance, so should everyone else and it will overtake the games. She can save it for later and deal with the reactions of those who listen, whether they cheer her intolerance or boo it.
I thought the protest in 68 was quite appropriate and not anything close to what Papachristou said.