Add Nathan Chen to the list of Olympic athletes who won't be going to the White House

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Time will tell, of course, but I have a feeling when all is said and done, those who chose to cozy up to the current president will come to regret it. One can be patriotic and still question the government.

“Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.” - Theodore Roosevelt
 
Bonita said:
Yay for Nathan and the other athletes who refuse to meet with the Reality Whore Cheeto Who Became President.
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I'll take any President with any Frito-Lay flavor, as long as he/she is not a destroy-America Marxist who befriends domestic terrorists & anti-semites or an immoral hypocritical self-serving lying criminal.. :encore:
Frida80 said:
I’m proud of all the athletes who decided to express their first amendment rights and refuse a White House visit.
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Except that if an athlete would refuse to go to the WH (for political reasons) when Obama was there, he/she would be called "racist".
toddlj said:
Time will tell, of course, but I have a feeling when all is said and done, those who chose to cozy up to the current president will come to regret it.
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This sounds like a Left wing threat, veiled, but a threat. How about if the other side makes sure that opposition to the current President will leave to regret it?
allezfred said:
As far as I am aware, Chen has not made any statements about why he is not going to the White House. He may be a lefty pinko commie liberal as @Tinami Amori said or he may just be washing his hair that night.;)
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Fair enough. Then we need to cancel this whole discussion, should not we? otherwise it looks "partisan"... Ok to praise Chen if he is not going, and "this is not an issue" for opposing opinion.. :p

Zemgirl said:
Here's Nathan with a puppy.
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did not work.... should've offered lollipops and balloons to go with the puppy... :rofl:
 
Because a certain poster has been intent on creating drama and conflict in 50+ percent of the threads I've been trying to read on FSU over the last few months, I'm going to once--and only once--respond to her "logic" and "argumentation."

No one who is or identifies as a Marxist has been anywhere close to a potentially electable U.S. President in my lifetime.

Trump wants to define "domestic terrorism" to preclude acts committed by white people.

Anti-Semitism is horrific and unacceptable regardless of what side it's coming from, and right now there's way too much of it on the left and the right. Someone else can probably argue which side is worse but it's sure not like the left has a monopoly on it.

There are hundreds of legitimate political reasons to be upset with Obama. I could name numerous domestic and foreign policy decisions of his that I found upsetting. If a public figure had declined to meet with Obama or go to the White House while he was president, all those reasons (and more) would have been totally fine IMO and I would not have assumed they were subterfuges for racism unless there was clear evidence suggesting that motivation may have been in play.

Saying people who support Trump might regret it is not a threat, veiled or otherwise. I'm pretty sure 99.99999% of the rhetoric and action I've seen either telling people to leave the U.S. or actually kicking people out of the U.S. has been directed at people who do NOT support the current administration, either symbolically (e.g. for having the nerve to be a Dreamer still living in the U.S.) or actually (e.g. for being "unpatriotic" due to such intolerable actions as expressing dissenting viewpoints, which--in case it's not already obvious--were just as necessary and patriotic when Obama or anyone else was president).

The fact that a political decision "looks partisan" does not in any universe imply that opinions on both and/or all sides of the issue should not be articulated and taken seriously. And it certainly doesn't imply that the discussion should be canceled. But, hey, why look for reasoning and logic when ad hominem attacks and emoticons are available for one's disposal.

I liked Nathan Chen's programs, especially his SP, this season and hope that both of them are also good next season.
 
Article on Adam Rippon ("The Disruptor") published in Rolling Stone today: https://www.rollingstone.com/sports...on-goals-after-olympic-figure-skating-w518429
Excerpt relevant to this thread:
"I have a passion for politics," he says. "A lot of it is strategy, and it's competitive, and as somebody who's in performance and is an entertainer, I look at it and see that it's a show. It's drama." He listens to NPR at the gym, watches CNN and MSNBC regularly and spends the occasional afternoon curled up with Fox News. "I don't want to be that person that doesn't know what everyone's thinking," he says.
...
Taking on political bullies, though, is not a decision he regrets. "As an athlete, you're threatened that if you do anything to bring shame to your country, you'll be kicked off the team and you won't be allowed back at an international event. I see somebody like Donald Trump taunting immigrants, taunting a handicapped reporter, the things that he's said about women—and I'm like, if he were me, he'd be kicked off the team, and I'd never hear from him again."
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Frida80 said:
In other Nathan Chen news, Nathan has gotten an acceptance letter from Yale.
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Sylvia said:
https://twitter.com/cltusao6o1/status/979203199163944960

ETA: I don't see his "like" on Twitter?
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I don’t see him announcing it himself. He made have just liked the post on Yale because he likes the school and is interested in going.

Debbie S said:
I imagine there are other "Nathan Chen"s out there? But if it is the Nathan we know, congratulations to him!
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That’s his Instagram handle (nathanwchen) - not sure that it means he got in, much less going in the fall.

But, he will let us know himself. :)
 
ilovepaydays said:
I don’t see him announcing it himself. He made have just liked the post on Yale because he likes the school and is interested in going.



That’s his Instagram handle (nathanwchen) - not sure that it means he got in, much less going in the fall.

But, he will let us know himself. :)
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Nathan didn’t confirm he was doing a 4Lo until he actual did it in competition. He will tell us nothing. We will see it from some third party confirmation.
 
This country is polarized to an extent that it's not good for anyone. Foreign countries love that the U.S. is becoming weaker because of such internal divisions. I wonder who will be the Mandela-like figure that will have the sense to not only play to his own base, and manage to get through the wall of thinking of someone "if you don't agree with me politically you are a bad person". Obama seemed to really try, and sometimes he did succeed, sometimes not.

What happened to "when they go low we go high"? Mandela sat down with DeKlerk. In the middle east they never talk. Which way worked?
 
Tinami Amori said:
It's his right and choice, but i think he is under "peer-pressure" given his surroundings. The Left can be and are nasty, voicy, vindictive and violent, especially in States like California. If he accepted and went, i would not be surprised if his car was egged, or if he would received threats, or some kind of negativity from other skaters/parents/people in person or on social media.
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Let me get this straight. You think it's more likely that a non-white Californian teenager competing in a relatively gay-friendly sport actually respects Trump as president but was blackmailed into making this political statement against his better judgement by "nasty" "violent" paramilitary leftists... than that he did it because it's exactly what he wanted to do?

lol okay
 
Holy Headband said:
Let me get this straight. You think it's more likely that a non-white Californian teenager competing in a relatively gay-friendly sport actually respects Trump as president but was blackmailed into making this political statement against his better judgement by "nasty" "violent" paramilitary leftists... than that he did it because it's exactly what he wanted to do?

lol okay
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Exactly. He's also the child of immigrants.

MAXSwagg said:
Tinami Amori is just out of control! What a wackjob!
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Wow. We finally agree on something. :rofl:
 
Nathan is 18 and has every right to go to the White House or not go to the White House. Either way he's an incredible athlete. I wouldn't think less of him if he went to the WH. I'll just add that Steph Curry and the entire Golden State Warriors team did not attend the White House.

Tom Brady, who during the 2016 campaign was a Trump supporter, did not go to the WH either after his superbowl win and what's more, distanced himself from the president after the president attacked, well, the entire NFL.
 
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I applaud the athletes who refuse to go to the White House. Some things cannot be ignored and if you feel so strongly about political and social issues and find that the person currently residing at the White House and will be hosting the event (or members of his administration will be hosting) to be so abhorrent and vile, then you have the right to not go without judgment about it (judgment about your public views themselves is fair game though). There's no need to make a spectacle out of it or comment, but props to those who decide to not go and using as a way to get attention and explain why you are not going. Lord knows we had some celebrities who didn't want to visit Obama. This is an exercise of political expression and I'm glad we have an 18-year-old who is that engaged to do it.

I also don't judge any athlete who decides to go because being an Olympian really is such a rare opportunity and going to the WH is also a very rare opportunity and they worked so hard for it and dedicated their lives to it that they deserve to enjoy the fruits of their labor as it's not long-lasting. This even goes out to those who may find the current administration repugnant who ended up going because some people can separate the event which a traditional event that is held no matter who the President is to just honor the Olympians and visit the White House and they want to enjoy life. The act of going isn't honorable, unlike the act of not going due to one deciding to take a stand, nor is it really dishonorable in of itself. Being an Olympian is honorable though. Now whether it's Obama or Trump, one is free to start making judgments if they start schmoozing and promoting whoever it is in office.

I also think people have a right to comment on it (positively or negatively) because people do feel strongly about their political beliefs and if an athlete takes a stand, then they know they are putting themselves out there for praise or critique and are brave enough to do so. So long as they don't cross a line like threatening them or something, which CAN happen with a mobilized and angry and isolated and bitter online community or individuals. I also think those commenting on the decision are also putting themselves out there to be criticized as well so don't be like TSL and, rather, get thick skin if you say something or dish it out and someone decides to respond to what you said.
 
I really feel sorry for US athletes having things like this be so divisive. From the outside looking in, it seems like there is nothing in the US which is not political.

All the athletes should be entitled to a celebration and a congratulations with a head figure of their country. I'm sure going to the White House was probably a thing to aspire to before politics went totally south. As a foreigner its interesting to me that many US movies are about topics like saving the White House from destruction, rescuing the President etc etc. I expect everyone wants a head of state they all can believe in or at least not actively dislike.

Based on what I've seen on twitter, I'm sure armies of trolls will be assembling to tear down athletes who choose to go, and who choose not to go. It's just a shame things are like this for them.
 
Holy Headband said:
Let me get this straight. You think it's more likely that a non-white Californian teenager competing in a relatively gay-friendly sport actually respects Trump as president but was blackmailed into making this political statement against his better judgement by "nasty" "violent" paramilitary leftists... than that he did it because it's exactly what he wanted to do?

lol okay
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I think that any teenager, of any gender, sex-pref, ethnicity, etc. in California is heavily subjected to Left Wing pressure by the educational system in school and university. The sentiments, the pressure, the methods, the retaliation from the peers and educators are extremely similar to what took place in Soviet Schools. Students are forced not just to repeat the liberal mantras, but are forced to participate in "left wing agenda" events, such as demonstrations, protest actions and other events, which complexities they often don't understand and given only one-sided argument.

If a student does not attend, it is held against him/her by other students and teachers. If a student wears MAGA hat, he will suffer consequences, including violence which teachers will close their eyes on. If one wears Che Guevara or anti-Trump shirt it is approved, and yet the student can NOT explain who Che Guevara is, or explain something specific why he is "anti-Trump" other than memorized mantra most of which are untrue or skewed.

The quote from Chen on immigration issues shows he is repeating a mantra (WH against immigration), and does not understand the complexity of the issue, that USA is for immigration that is beneficial to its legal citizens of all types, and against illegal entries and stays and a need for tighter border controls which is a standard situation in all other countries which have much stricter entries laws and handling of illegal immigrants.

The subject of left-wing student indoctrination is being discussed in USA and in Europe.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archiv...n-in-the-schools-its-worse-than-you-think.php
https://www.americanexperiment.org/...t-wing-politics-schools-continues-isnt-edina/

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/teachers-indoctrinating-children-to-be-left-wing-zdxqqrkq6
https://www.theguardian.com/teacher...her-school-echo-chamber-leftwing-views-labour
 
I think for US skaters they just need to get through all of this without internet trolls trashing their reputation. It only takes a handful of Tumblr accounts or twitter accounts with enough followers to seriously turn fans against them and in particular the new fans coming into the sport post Olympics (who believe everything they are told at face value). I've seen big groups of fans actively dislike skaters based on things that some Tumblr accounts have more or less invented/overblown and then spread until it becomes ~fact~.
 
VIETgrlTerifa said:
“Anybody who talks about California hedonism has never spent a Christmas in Sacramento.” - Joan Didion.
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:D Sacramento is not so wholesome today. Chen is in Artesia, LA area.. next to Hollywood.. no further comments required.

starrynight said:
I think for US skaters they just need to get through all of this without internet trolls trashing their reputation. It only takes a handful of Tumblr accounts or twitter accounts with enough followers to seriously turn fans against them and in particular the new fans coming into the sport post Olympics (who believe everything they are told at face value). I've seen big groups of fans actively dislike skaters based on things that some Tumblr accounts have more or less invented/overblown and then spread until it becomes ~fact~.
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Courtney Hicks was trashed on Twitter and to some degree on FSU for a tweet that she "liked" which was perceived as anti-gay (and that was questionable).
 
Tinami Amori said:
The quote from Chen on immigration issues shows he is repeating a mantra (WH against immigration), and does not understand the complexity of the issue, that USA is for immigration that is beneficial to its legal citizens of all types, and against illegal entries and stays and a need for tighter border controls which is a standard situation in all other countries which have much stricter entries laws and handling of illegal immigrants.
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What quote from Nathan are you citing here?
 
Tinami Amori said:
From Chen's quote that you posted.
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That was Rippon's quote, and it's not inaccurate. He has said inflammatory things about immigrants from specific countries and revved up anti-minority sentiment and anti-immigrant sentiment, and then there's his admin's policies. In fact it was that "taunting" that made so many like Trump because they thought he was being so honest, tough, and cared about "real" Americans. You can't have it both ways here. He taunted them but his taunting was appealing to his base. It just is what it is, and some people like it. Can't back away from what he did there.
 
VIETgrlTerifa said:
That was Rippon's quote, and it's not inaccurate. He has said inflammatory things about immigrants from specific countries and revved up anti-minority sentiment and anti-immigrant sentiment, and then there's his admin's policies. In fact it was that "taunting" that made so many like Trump because they thought he was being so honest, tough, and cared about "real" Americans. You can't have it both ways here. He taunted them but his taunting was appealing to his base. It just is what it is, and some people like it. Can't back away from what he did there.
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You are right. It is Rippon's quote. At the same time assumptions where made by posters that as a child of immigrants himself, Chen should rebel against Trump's immigration policies. So my general idea remains, yet modified.

Trump's comments about immigrants from certain countries were based on security and financial impact on USA, not "physical features" as the Left likes to present it. I support issues of security and concerns for financial impacts.
 
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