- Joined
- Jun 3, 2009
All right. What can she accomplish for the USA? Do you feel she can accomplish more for the USA than for the Phillipines?
I don't take JFK literally. I interpret that quote as him asking his countrymen to stand with him even when the times are tough, asking more of them than may be comfortable for them in that point in time because he hopes what his country means to them is more than convenience.All right. What can she accomplish for the USA? Do you feel she can accomplish more for the USA than for the Phillipines?
In general, not necessarilyPrettykey, is it a betrayal for an American coach to train foreign skaters who compete against the Americans
In the case of a "bitter rival", yes, it may be considered a betrayal of sorts....especially a bitter rival?
Unless S. Korea and the USA become intense political enemies or rivals, then no.eta. Is it disloyal for an American to root for a foregn skater, e.g. Yuna Kim, over, say, Alissa Czisny or Mirai Nagasu?
They may be two issues that concern some people:
1) The investment by the US or USFSA in an ultimately foreign competitor.
...
2) The effect on the sport and skaters in the "foreign" countries with small federations.
I don't get it either! Would there have been less butthurt if I had added 'JMO' to each of my posts?I don't get why people are getting bent out of shape about Melissa representing the Philippines.
I am personally speaking more about the loyalties our minds and hearts must choose.
Individual skaters cannot choose to represent more than one country at a time.
These questions hinge on to what extent an individual skater represents a country by proxy, and how much the competitive arena is a place where the countries are "clashing".
I don't understand why this is an issue. It's not as if Melissa were competing for the US internationally. Why not let her get her shot to compete internationally for another country. If it were a lady who had gained international success for the US (i.e. Nagasu, Gao, etc) then this would be an issue, but its not as if we are losing a skater who could have potentially won a World medal for the US.
FTR, her 2010 Nebelhorn score would have placed her 21st at Worlds this year and 20th at last year's Worlds.
Because like I said, you can only rep one country at sporting events at a time. It doesn't matter that it's "arbitrary", as you say - we are able to make the choice and the choices aren't made arbitrarily.Why must our minds and hearts choose loyalties?
Nice speech, but neither R.D. nor I were making arguments against it. Also, you are speaking about countries having "artificial lines" aka borders and rocks and trees. Nations are different from countries.We can love the whole world, the physical Earth, the human and other species of life we co-exist with. Only people care about and obey political boundaries. Nature and all other Earth's inhabitants don't. Nations are artifical lines on the man made map. There are no such lines in the real environment with a distinctly different colour on each side. Winds, rains, rivers, insects, vegetation and wildlife, etc. don't halt at such imaginary lines. There are many many lovely places, people, and cultures on this Earth. It is good to experience and love many of them.
Again, that's not my point.That is an arbitary rule of the sport organizations, to be followed if one joins in the game ruled by said organizations. But it has nothing to do with the hearts and minds, which can definitely love more than one country, just as we can love more than one person at a time.
Mmm, in my value system, the issue doesn't change when a country-hopping skater is able to medal.I don't understand why this is an issue. It's not as if Melissa were competing for the US internationally. Why not let her get her shot to compete internationally for another country. If it were a lady who had gained international success for the US (i.e. Nagasu, Gao, etc) then this would be an issue, but its not as if we are losing a skater who could have potentially won a World medal for the US.
Um, again, who is saying otherwise? That's just preaching to the choir, about a separate issue to boot.Another larger issue, is pretty much everything SkateFiguring said so well. After all, it's not as though there's too much international cooperation, on this planet, folks. There's too little. Anything that relaxes the borders is helpful, and sports is a huge aid in this effort, as are the creative and performing arts and also the sciences. To that end, why not root for skaters from countries that are political rivals? Should Americans not love Shen/Zhao? Should an American choreographer, Lea Ann Miller, not turn them into superb artists? Or, in the days of the Cold War, should we have booed Katia and Sergei? Admiring athletes from other countries is one way that we begin to humanize rivals and even enemies.
Also, you are speaking about countries having "artificial lines" aka borders and rocks and trees. Nations are different from countries.
FTR, her 2010 Nebelhorn score would have placed her 21st at Worlds this year and 20th at last year's Worlds.
Um, again, who is saying otherwise? That's just preaching to the choir, about a separate issue to boot.