United Through Sports

 

Over the years, there have been several situations that have put America in shambles. For starters, the segregation of African Americans, 9/11, and just recently the Boston Marathon bombing have all affected America and the citizens of the country immensely. It is interesting to see that through all of these terrorist attacks and ignorant attitudes, sports have always been one of the things that keep the Nation afloat.

                Through the civil rights era, African Americans were rejected in most aspects of society, with the exception of sports , of course. We see many examples of this in the history of America, but also in society today. One example that sticks out is the 1968 Olympics, where we see several African Americans representing our country of America in sports, but are shot down when they try to stand up for themselves. This is where we see the ideology that sports unite society; there was no discrimination of race or gender while on the playing field. The first meaningful integration of different racial backgrounds was through sports, as we see in several articles discussed in class, as well as several movies, like Remember the Titans, and Fists of Freedom.

                As seen in the novel How Soccer Explains the World, sports may also bring nations together, creating “togetherness.” In the novel, people of certain countries would band together and put aside their differences in order to support their soccer teams and prove to their opponents that they are superior, an attitude that America is more familiar with in the realms of Football. Though some people may view using sports to unite a country as a negative thing, many people find it to be a positive influence, and a good way to show nationalism.

                The Olympics have always been a process that releases tension and civilizes people of different countries and backgrounds. Though countries from all over the world coming in order to compete with one another, there is a strong feeling of support throughout the world at the event, hence the ending ceremony with all of the countries mixed together. Though the Olympics show support for the world, it also shows a lot of nationalism for individual countries. The podium and the opening ceremony are fine examples of that, showing separate countries in matching uniforms, etc. as those traditions prove status.

                Sports bring together the world, as well as nations, but can also unite cities and even schools together; look at Northern Illinois University, for example. Being admitted into the Orange Bowl was a huge accomplishment for the University and the football team, as you could not go to the nearby bookstore and buy a Northern shirt without waiting in a long line first. The individual game brought thousands of students and alumni together, as the chants at the game echoed to the Florida State University side. This is a day to day uniting process at many universities, as well as cities such as Chicago. Chicago is home to the Cubs, and even though their record has not been up to bar in decades, their fans still come together with an “us vs. them” attitude.

                Through many tragedies, we see how sports unite people throughout nations. Looking recently at the Boston Marathon bombing, it is shocking to look at how everyone banded together at sporting events. Though the crowds it was impossible to miss the American flags that were flowing in every section of the stadium at the Boston Red Sox game, as well as “Boston Strong” posters everywhere. The Bruins game elicited the same notions and feelings of togetherness, as the crowd sang the National Anthem in unison, which caused chills across America.