In My Mind's Eye

  As anyone who reads this space knows, I generally stay in the political realm.  I have been known to branch off occasionally into football, but that's usually still connected in some way to politics.  Today I want to take a minute to focus on another sport that is as closely followed by people in my house as football.... gymnastics. There is no way to describe the disappointment we felt when they postponed the Tokyo Olympics to 2021. The Summer Olympics have been my favorite for most of my adult life.  I love volleyball and beach volleyball, swimming, diving, equestrian competition, and most of all, gymnastics.  Having followed gymnastics since Mary Lou won her gold medal in 1984, I am supremely aware of how hard the sport is, and how little the general public understands what it takes to be an Olympic Gymnast.  Thousands upon thousands of little girls join the sport with a dream, and at the end of the day, five are chosen.  That's it, five.  Imagine telling a class of colleg

  It's the flag, the one that represents our country.  Some people still fly it in front of their homes.  Some people actually have them flying from their cars.  I remember a time nearly 20 years ago when everyone was flying them, carrying them... it was a different time.  When I look around today, I start to think it was a different place.  "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color." - Colin Kaepernick That's where it really all started.  Yes, there were a few people here and there who burned flags or danced on them or whatever, but for the most part it was Colin, kneeling on a football field.  I could spend time going into his reasons for doing so - what he said they were and what I believe they were - but that's not necessary for this post.   Colin further explained that much of what he was protesting was police brutality.  White police officers shooting unarmed black men.  Half the problem