In a post last Friday, I asked, "Which Is More Ironic?" -- the fake Christian Trump at a prayer breakfast with Evangelicals, or the racist Trump coping with Black History Month. Barely half an hour after posting (hey, thanks for reading!), that post drew this anonymous comment:
AnonymousFebruary 9, 2018 at 1:18 PM
Speaking of racism, do you think Shani Davis is a racist or misogynist? Is he one, the other, both or just a fast on ice prima donna? Curious of your opinion.
Classic conservative subject-changing and what-about-ism! Mr. (or Ms.) Anonymous has no comment on Trump, but what about that doggone Shani Davis?
Shani Davis, 35, is a U.S. speed skater currently competing in his 4th Olympic games. He is the first black Team USA speed skater, the first black man to win gold in the Winter Games, and the first man to win back-to-back gold in the 1000 meters. He's the current world-record holder in that event.
After losing a coin flip to determine the U.S. delegation's flag bearer, Davis decided to skip the opening ceremonies. The coin flip was due to a tie in team voting, and was won by Erin Hamlin, 31. She's also in her 4th Olympics and was the first American to medal (bronze) in the luge.
Davis tweeted his disappointment. (Good gawd, another friggin' tweet!)
1. Racism
2. Misogyny
3. Prima donna-ism
Davis said nothing racist. He made no mention of his race, or hers. He mentioned the widely-known fact that it is Black History Month. (If you think that's racism, grow up!)
Davis said nothing misogynistic. He left their genders out of it.
Davis may be a bit of a prima donna, but he's not alone in that, and it shouldn't make him a pariah. It takes a certain amount of self-assured egotism to succeed in an individual sport like speed skating.
A coin toss is kinda weird but fair enough, so his use of the word "dishonorably" is not so hot. Not tweeting about this at all would've been a better choice. Tweeting congratulations to Ms. Hamlin would've been truly magnanimous.
I don't give a shit that he skipped the opening ceremonies. (Have you ever actually watched 'em?) He's a patriotic 4-time Olympian and he's walked that lap before.
Clearly, Shani Davis wanted to be the flag-bearer and believes the honor should have been his. I can't really argue with him. Davis is by far the more decorated, more successful of the two. His accomplishments in the lily-white land of winter sports make him even more of a standout. On their records, without consideration of race or gender, Hamlin is a fine choice. Davis would've been a better one. But they flipped a coin and he lost. Oh well, oh hell. Go, Shani!
All that said, Davis now knows how easy it is to get yourself in hot water on social media.
If only Prima Donald tweeted as infrequently and as harmlessly as Shani Davis!
