How is it that an Olympic swimmer blatantly lies to the media, his mother and law officials about being held at gunpoint--makes a grand false report, tells an ugly mess of a tall tale...all on an international stage...and yet....
"Boys will be boys."
(Ummmmm.... the lead liar is over 30 years old. That's a boy?)
I left out the word "white" in my description of the swimmer. What if he were a black male athlete who lied on this scale, on this stage? Would we be so quick to chuckle and write it off to the indiscretion of youth for a black male athlete? Absolutely not. Don't even pretend to think that it would be the same. You are only lying to yourself if you say the race wouldn't matter.
I left out the gender in my description of the swimmer. What if that had been a woman swimmer? Being a female swimmer, would they say, "girls will be girls?"
God help us if it had been black female athlete who didn't do her hair properly and didn't put her hand over her heart.
I left out the word "American" in my description of the swimmer. What if the athlete were from a different country? Would we be quick to stand behind them and say, "boys will be boys?" Don't lie to yourself. Don't lie to me.
What if the swimmer were from a country with refugees, the countries of which we must keep out of our country? Wouldn't that just "prove" The Donald's point of why we as a nation shouldn't let "those people" into the country? Don't even pretend that thinking doesn't happen. All you have to do is peruse FB to know that the hate is there and that people would apply his rhetoric.
What if he were Muslim? I know religion has nothing to do with swimming... Um, exactly: religion has nothing to do with swimming, so I'm glad the swimmer's religion wasn't included. You wouldn't hear that a "Christian swimmer in hot water for lying." Would we mention if he were Muslim? I fear some newsfeeds would include this non-related fact. Sigh.
I'm not trying to fuel a race war.
I'm not organizing a gender rights march.
I don't want to argue about religion.
I'm not demanding a vote for the Democratic side of the fence.
(Or, on the Republican side of the wall between us and Mexico. Heh heh.)
All I'm saying is that there is a double standard....here in this situation, overall in this country. If that "boy" isn't held accountable for his lying, it gives a loud and clear message. Not only we do we perpetuate the "ugly American" stereotype so unfortunately held around the globe, we send a loud message to our own country.
(My hope is that if he were a gay swimmer, the situation would be viewed as "fabulous boys being fabulous boys." I crack myself up.)
Don't start with how I'm being un-American by writing any of this. I'm not being that at all. I am proud of what America has done, is doing, will do. I am so incredibly grateful to live in this great nation. I am pro-America, glad to be in the home of the free and the brave. You can spew hateful rhetoric at me--and, I'm most certain that people will do just that--but, in the end, listen to yourself. Take ownership of your hate. Take a look at how we continue to morph into a hateful, judgmental ball of ugliness.
I'll bet dollars to donuts that writing this lumps me in with the un-American "lib-tards." Or, I'll be viewed as an emotional bitch, not as an assertive peer voicing an opinion. Grrrrr.
Double standards obviously don't exist only on the athletic field. Do you think a female candidate for President would get away with having three different marriages? Do you think she could get away with having a spouse from another country, all the while spewing how we can't let foreigners into the country? Could she get away with making untrue statements and then later say she was being "sarcastic?" Her male counterpart is celebrated. She'd be ripped to shreds.
Standard.Standard.
Before you get your undies all in a bundle, understand I'm not saying the female candidate is better or worse--I'm just pointing out the double standard--she can't say or get away with what her male opponent is saying at this very moment.
As I'm already fired up, I am tempted to keep going. But, I'd digress to places of which I don't need to go during a double-standard tirade. Instead, I'm going to insert a clip from the Today Show via YouTube. Hopefully, it won't be deleted from the website before you can view it. If nothing else, it's fun to watch Al stir his drink instead of strangling his cohort.
Boys will be boys, indeed.
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