If it was a mistake not to boycott the 1936 Olympics in Germany...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Why is not a mistake to not boycott the 2016 Olympics in Russia?

Hitler used the Olympics to legitimize his regime.

[former9thward]

1. Your use of a double negative makes it impossible to know your view.

Do you think it is a mistake or not a mistake to boycott?

[uriel1972]

2. It's the Grammar Police, Run for your life!...nt

[former9thward]

8. I have no idea if the OP is for or against a boycott.

Do You? I think not since you didn't respond to the question just posting snark.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. The OP was for the boycott then and now

I realized it was a double negative but I took the Winston Churchill approach to grammar when he wrote that "Not ending a sentence with a preposition is a bit of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put."

[former9thward]

12. Thanks for clarifying.

Although the quote from Churchill is not something I wish to dissect. The 1936 Olympics were not quite the feel good that some posters are implying because of the Owens victory. The only two Jews (Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller) on the American team were not allowed to run by the coaches (Avery Brundage the fascist sympathizer) because he did not want to embarrass Hitler by having American Jews on the victory stand. They were replaced by Owens and Ralph Metcalfe.

I think a boycott would be a mistake. This is a one time event for many athletes and they should not be punished to try and punish Putin because he would not care.

[aikoaiko]

3. Was it a mistake to not boycott the 1936 Olympics?

[ripcord]

5. Was it a mistake not to boycott in 1936?

[coldmountain]

15. But Germany easily won the Olympics

[ripcord]

16. But on movie theatres around the world

people were seeing a black man defeat the pride of Aryan Germany, even better was the Nazi state having to honor him, no matter how grudgingly.

[coldmountain]

18. And in newspapers around the world they looked at thr medal count and Germany won

The 1936 Olympics overall were a huge success for Germany and we're gonna let putin do the same thing.

[stevenleser]

4. Yep, the lessons of 1936 should have an impact on the US and the IOC

Sadly, they are not. http://www.democraticunderground.com/113732158

[ripcord]

17. I think the U.S. should field an all gay Olympic team

[uriel1972]

6. You know the Olympics are not about politics (cough) (cough)...

I doubt most of the governments and many of the people in the competing countries, give a single damn about what's happening to LGBT people and others in Russia. OOOOOH shiny, shiny medals, We're number one!
It kinda makes me sick.

[jberryhill]

7. Having Jesse Owens win was no mistake

Jesse Owens' victories were a refutation of Hitler.

Hitler was already legitimized by having been elected.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. Ole Adolf promised the Olympic Committee he wouldn't exclude eligible Jews from the Olympic team

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/german-jewish-high-jumper-reflects-on-career-cut-short-by-nazis-1.280850

What a sham. She would have won.

[Initech]

11. Comparing things to what Hitler did has become so overused that it's now a logical fallacy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hitlerum

[SheilaT]

13. Had we boycotted the 1936 Olympics,

there would not have been the amazing triumph of Jesse Owens.

Nor the 8 oar crew form the University of Washington that won the gold. Excellent book about this, by the way: "The Boys in the Boat" by Daniel James Brown. I highly recommend it.

[coldmountain]

14. Germany won the most gold medals and most total medals and were impressive hosts

Hitler did quite well at the 1936 Olympics in medals and showcasing German efficientcy and technology.


Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total

1 Germany 33 26 30 89
2 United States 24 20 12 56
3 Hungary 10 1 5 16
4 Italy 8 9 5 22
5 Finland 7 6 6 19
6 France 7 6 6 19
7 Sweden 6 5 9 20
8 Japan 6 4 8 18
9 Netherlands 6 4 7 17
10 Great Britain 4 7 3 14


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1936_Summer_Olympics

[1000words]

19. Frankly, I think politicizing the Olympics in any way diminishes the true spirit of the games.

The ancient games were organized specifically for nations to put aside their differences and express their "superiority" via athletic competition. Warring nations literally ceased hostilities for the event and came together in good faith.

[TeamPooka]

20. Who says it was mistake in 1936? Not Jesse Owens