Tommie Smith/John Carlos 2008 Arthur Ashe Courage Award Pt1

[lucasboden]

It is hard to interpret what they were trying to say with the fist pump. It comes across as Black Power rather than injustice and inequality. It would have been better to take off the medal, take off the US jersey, and walk out of the stadium while the national anthem was playing. Of course, they probably would not be alive though.

[maxluxur]

Real Courage comes with a price and thats the difference between men of today, they fear the price required for freedom, but give them a job making 10 dollars an hour and their happy as a mickey fickey

[alivstyson59]

great men

[oJKBo]

yeah bringing politics into what is supposed to be an unpolitical event, woohoo applause applause

[36brownboi]

Cool how they used the theme from Cast Away

[coolmusicforyou1]

they came to my school. nice

[Thelonl3y1]

john carlos is so cool he is the iss teacher at palm springs high school its an honor to be around him

[mrseazye]

@Thelonl3y1 wow..that is nice to know...in what state?

[Thelonl3y1]

@mrseazye in california

[AzMiramontes26]

@Thelonl3y1 yes, but he would alway ask how you ended up in his classroom. i remember once i had my ID taken from me when i was late for class one day. i told security that i had to take a test in the class i was late for, so the guard told me to go to ISS after that class was over. i had been to ISS before, and Dr. Carlos told me never to go back. i didnt belong there he had told me. he was suprised to see me there at the begining of my next class.

[AzMiramontes26]

@Thelonl3y1 (contunued) he respected the fact that i had an obligation to uphold. he gave me back my ID with a hall pass back to my class.

[Jmb22083]

I have profound respect for Carlos, Smith and Norman. All three men stood for what they believed in and went through hell together. All three remained friends until Norman passed away almost four years ago. What I didn't know until yesterday was Smith and Carlos went to Australia to give eulogies and to bury Norman. This comes to show you that friendship has no colors and boundaries!

[gnarkillkicksass]

Norman died from alcoholism, his own country turned its back on him as at the time Australia had a "White Australia" policy. He was the only former medalist not invited to the opening of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Absolutely disgusting treatment of a Australian Hero. Interesting fact - Carlos forgot his glove and Smith had a pair on him, it was Norman who suggested one wear the left while one wore the right handed glove, hence some people say that Tommie Smith gave the "wrong" salute.

[Jmb22083]

Wow gnarkillkicksass, I didn't know that and it is an interesting fact! I wish that the Australians would get over it! I was disgusted to learn that Norman wasn't invited to the Sydney Olympics opening and his own country turned its back on him, even after he passed away. I read about his passing on the New York Daily News paper a few years ago.

[gnarkillkicksass]

Yeah it was good though that even though Australian Olympic Committee didn't invite him the American team did once they found out he wasn't involved. His 200m record still stands here in Australia. There is a movie out this year (made by his nephew Matt Norman) called "Salute". There is a trailer and it will be well worth watching when it comes out, follows the lives and effects it had on the three men.

[Miguel53de]

Still such a shame for the USA and for the IOC and specially Avery Brundage as its leader. And still a great, fantastic gesture of those great sportsmen.

[eskimosandcrates]

Don't forget Peter Norman's support of Smith and Carlos. What is less known is that Norman, a white Australian, donned a badge on the podium in support of their cause, the Olympic Project for Human Rights. Norman said he opposed his country's White Australia policy.

Olympic authorities reprimanded him and the Australian media ostracised him. Despite Norman running qualifying times for both the 100m and 200m during 1971/72 the Australian track team did not send him to the 1972 Olympics in Munich

[ferat1611]

john carlos is a hero

[2pacflife]

I'm so proud to be black...watching men like these is so emotional

[KWCline91]

anybody know the music name right after the castaway theme but at the end of the video?

[h4z]

Much respect for these guys

[SuperPitbull74]

ragazzi andate a leggere i commenti su mondiali atletica berlino,finale 200 metri usain bolt,nella sezione proteine 2000. vedete un po'c'e' qulcosa che non torna nel cronometraggio, a noi risulta 18,99 anziche 19,19. provate anche voi con un cronometro alla mano,ripetete anche 100 volte,vedrete che i conti non tornano.

[BadToaster]

john carlos is my in school suspension teacher at my school

[diojahs]

estas gringos son unos jodidos por que no los apoyaron cuando hicieron su saludo por que no los apoyaron cuando los tacharon de anti patriotas cuando le quitaron sus empleos y los retiraron de las carreras por que no los apoyaron cuando recibieron amenazas de muerte  lo mismo paso con Muhammad Ali y seguira pasando por que ustedes los gringos solo piensan en su propio bienestar y en el dinero materialistas

[Zyphon400]

habla ingles. nadien te va a compreender. (soy portugues, perdona mi castellano)

[korsow1]

I admire these guys !

[williamblackfeather]

I remember watching this event. Many of my friends were black from choir and track and sports, When John and Tommy raised their fists I jumped off the couch too in front of my father and his golf friends.

They looked at me like I was insane. My dad asked why I would solute them and I looked at him and said, "Because they are not treated equal." My dad thought a moment, looked at me and smiled. His friends seemed pissed, but my dad was proud. It was a great moment for everyone.

[thegmansays]

Thank God courageous men like Smith and Carlos.

[item77]

I wish we could all walk the walk like tommie & carlos did..Ameni 7

[BeccaShakur]

Can you all agree they deserve their medals back?

[mayebella]

I thought they were only suspended, and kept their medals

[BeccaShakur]

Very well worthy, I admire these heroes!!

[KiMtAsH]

loving it!!! power to the people!!

[illinoisfreak]

The Olympics was a fine place to do it. Power to the People!

[ddenuci]

Listen, you can't blame the Olympic Committee for sending them home. Carlos and Smith had a right to do what they did, but then you have to live with the consequences. Can you imagine if every Olmpic medal winner was allowed to use the stand to promote their cause, no matter how noble? YOu could have gold medal winners who protest abortion, silver medal winners who protest human rights violations in CHina, etc. Yes, you are free to do it, but the Olympics cannot be used for this purpose.

[ddenuci]

By the way, in my mind what those two guys did was admirable. They were willing to make a personal sacrifice for a greater cause.

[mdabson]

Such a powerful and enduring image.

Tommie Smith and John Carlos are truly courageous.