Ok, I have to admit that I know nothing about bridge so when I read this story on WIBW.com I was not only angered about the treatment these women have received, but shocked that there was an United States Bridge Federation (USBF).
Basically what happened was the US Women’s bridge team were in Shanghai for the World Bridge Championships (seriously I’m not making this up) they were eating out for their victory celebration (Go Team USA!) when they held up their menu, on the back they had written “We did not vote for Bush.”
Now, you might imagine that at any international event nowadays the anti-Bush sentiment is rampant. These women explain that it was their attempt to answer the barrage of questions that they were receiving from the other countries’ players. Questions about Iraq, torture, and other heavy political issues.
The French team has come to the defense of these women writing to the USBF’s board, “By trying to address these issues in a nonviolent, nonthreatening and lighthearted manner, you were doing only what women of the world have always tried to do when opposing the folly of men who have lost their perspective of reality.”
The USBF is not having it though. The women are facing sanctions including a year of suspension from all USBF events, a year of probation when they return, 200 hours of community service that will “further(s) the interest of organized bridge”, write an apology letter, and write statements detailing the events that led up to the horrible incident of free speech.
The federation is claiming that it is not at all a free speech issue as private organizations can have expectations of what their representatives can and cannot do or say while representing the organization. Others state that you can’t both represent the USA and curtail free speech.
I feel badly for these women who are probably not political activists and just want to play bridge. They exercised their right to free speech in a truly mild non-threatening manner and now they are being penalized. All of this going on in the world of bridge. Our nation really is in trouble.
The answer is yes. And the answer should be yes. We could always wear individual protests on our uniforms but I bet some Nazi (pardon the inappropriate pun) at the USOC would think that in bad taste. Still a “Free Tibet” logo (is there one?) or banner across an athletes back when they cross the line or stand on a podium would go a long way in putting to shame the Chinese. I can’t imagine what their reaction would be.
Winning is enough of a shame too if you are prejudice so if someone could get a Tibetan NOT on the Chinese team to win something it would be great. Another Jesse Owens, I’d dare say.