Sad to see that only a few news organizations are covering this. How long does it usually take between an event and the publishing of an article? Unfortunately, this will probably garner less attention than the incident with the idiot U.S. swimmers.
Sad to see that only a few news organizations are covering this. How long does it usually take between an event and the publishing of an article? Unfortunately, this will probably garner less attention than the incident with the idiot U.S. swimmers.
kikKomen Soi sauce wrote:
Sad to see that only a few news organizations are covering this. How long does it usually take between an event and the publishing of an article? Unfortunately, this will probably garner less attention than the incident with the idiot U.S. swimmers.
Those swimmers have to protect their sponsorship deals and get the apologies out fast. All Lelisa is doing is protecting his people.
Positive Contribution wrote:
A joke, right ? wrote:Please research Ethiopian history both recent and remote from varied sources. Won't take long.
Please look into Aljazeera's editorial history.
Did you read the article. Religion has nothing to do with this one. The author supports the Oromos.
A cursory investigation will reveal that is a significant cultural factor among the various interested groups.
My beef is with the idea of A ljazeera being recommended as a reliable news source when Muslim interests are involved especially in a simmering cauldron of Muslims, Christians, traditional indigenous cults, disappearing Jews and descendants of ancient Catholics.
Hope things get better for you wrote:
Positive Contribution wrote:Did you read the article. Religion has nothing to do with this one. The author supports the Oromos.
A cursory investigation will reveal that is a significant cultural factor among the various interested groups.
My beef is with the idea of A ljazeera being recommended as a reliable news source when Muslim interests are involved especially in a simmering cauldron of Muslims, Christians, traditional indigenous cults, disappearing Jews and descendants of ancient Catholics.
This time round, they are reliable. I know what is going on in my country thank you.
I'm stating the facts my friend, you can believe in whatever you like. I prefer to accept reality.
What do you mean my beahavior? I don't believe in god that's all, my mind is just fine and I'm working on my future thanks.
Wtfunny wrote:
Blah Blah. wrote:Rojo showed his support for the Ethiopian regime by trying to obtain a list of everyone who knew in advance of Lelisa's actions so that the Ethiopian government can also take action against them.
I don't know why Letsrun can't be politically neutral in this matter.
I agree that asking whether he spoke with his teammates or to his wife/children about this wasn't well considered.
But overall, I thought the interview was supportive and done well. Appreciate LRC posting it. Hopefully LRC put a link to it in the front page.
Agreed that it was not good idea asking Lelisa to name people who the government would view as co-conspirators. Luckily, his limited English (real or feigned) prevented athlete from implicating anybody. But I can't fault the LRC interviewer too much. Do we expect LRC to be fully briefed on political climate of all countries represented in marathon? Do we fault LRC for being unprepared to handle asylum seekers? This is website for running enthusiasts, not international reportage. I always chuckle when people try to hold Rojo or anonymous people on message board to standards of journalism (if you expect those standards here you are doomed to disappointment).
Overall, LRC did this guy and his cause a big favor. Look at prominence of interview on splash page! Look at number of runners now talking about Oromia and Ethiopia!. Lots of people who yesterday probably couldn't find Ethiopia on a map now know something about the country and realize that people there can be jailed or shot for trying to exercise rights we take for granted.
Believe me, Ethiopian regime does not want this in news at all. This is a regime that views ethnic-based opposition as powder keg, blocks Voice of America and widely employs Chinese surveillance technologies (say hi Rojo!) to quash dissent.
Signed your passport away wrote:
Best not to travel back home, I think.
Hope things get better for you wrote:
My beef is with the idea of A ljazeera being recommended as a reliable news source when Muslim interests are involved especially in a simmering cauldron of Muslims, Christians, traditional indigenous cults, disappearing Jews and descendants of ancient Catholics.
It is much better and unbiased compared to the U.S. corporate media.
I saw a big march for this cause in downtown Seattle the other day since there's a big Ethiopian community here. Hopefully he's safe and would be welcomed anywhere in the USA.
Somebody tell me what happens at the medal ceremony and if NBC says anything, I don't have a TV and I don't feel like finding a foreign feed on the Internet. Actually, I feel like going for my first run in months.
Why would he not have his wife and kids fly with him to Rio?
Maybe I'm missing something from the LRC analysis.
How is it exactly "bravery" to make a political statement when 5000 miles away from danger, moreover one that basically ensures your asylum status ("I'll be killed if I go back", was this true prior to the X-sign)?
Surely Lilesa's country really is in a mess (unlike some asylum claims I've seen), but his way of handling this I think was a bit over the top.
More brave (likely too much so) would be to make such a statement when back in Ethiopia, for instance at a national ceremony for medal winners.
More level-headed would have been to (quietly) seek asylum after the race (perhaps before the medal ceremony, so he could raise awareness of the issue by his absence therein).
It's actually quite "easy" (comparatively I stress) to speak out when abroad. He's lucky enough to be able to have a global platform to do so, but I can't think his action will ultimately have the hoped-for results.
Geopolitical sports wrote:
Maybe I'm missing something from the LRC analysis.
How is it exactly "bravery" to make a political statement when 5000 miles away from danger, moreover one that basically ensures your asylum status ("I'll be killed if I go back", was this true prior to the X-sign)?
Surely Lilesa's country really is in a mess (unlike some asylum claims I've seen), but his way of handling this I think was a bit over the top.
More brave (likely too much so) would be to make such a statement when back in Ethiopia, for instance at a national ceremony for medal winners.
More level-headed would have been to (quietly) seek asylum after the race (perhaps before the medal ceremony, so he could raise awareness of the issue by his absence therein).
It's actually quite "easy" (comparatively I stress) to speak out when abroad. He's lucky enough to be able to have a global platform to do so, but I can't think his action will ultimately have the hoped-for results.
The only way to get any help is to bring international pressure to bear on Ethiopia. Lilesa has seen people use the tactics you suggest. It lands them in jail, or worse. He had one moment to make his point to the international community, and he took the opportunity. If you fail to see the bravery in that, well, I just hope you never have to stand up for something.
George Hirsch wrote:
The only way to get any help is to bring international pressure to bear on Ethiopia. Lilesa has seen people use the tactics you suggest. It lands them in jail, or worse. He had one moment to make his point to the international community, and he took the opportunity. If you fail to see the bravery in that, well, I just hope you never have to stand up for something.
Yep. A whole lot of people (myself included) who had no idea how bad things were in Ethiopia had their eyes opened today because one man took advantage of his moment on the world stage.
The idea that making a statement once he returned to Ethiopia would have been better is asinine. The whole point is to raise international awareness, because international pressure is what's needed to bring change.
Geopolitical sports wrote:
Maybe I'm missing something from the LRC analysis.
How is it exactly "bravery" to make a political statement when 5000 miles away from danger, moreover one that basically ensures your asylum status ("I'll be killed if I go back", was this true prior to the X-sign)?
Surely Lilesa's country really is in a mess (unlike some asylum claims I've seen), but his way of handling this I think was a bit over the top.
More brave (likely too much so) would be to make such a statement when back in Ethiopia, for instance at a national ceremony for medal winners.
More level-headed would have been to (quietly) seek asylum after the race (perhaps before the medal ceremony, so he could raise awareness of the issue by his absence therein).
It's actually quite "easy" (comparatively I stress) to speak out when abroad. He's lucky enough to be able to have a global platform to do so, but I can't think his action will ultimately have the hoped-for results.
if he made the statement in Ethiopia, he would have been silenced. He would not have received international news coverage because their government is downplaying what is going on and not allowing foreign journalists to travel very far from Addis Ababa. Also, Ethiopia at the moment is very conscious of their international image because they are seeking foreign investment to help grow the economy. Protests within the country are swept under the rug, this protest on an international stage cannot be ignored. So many more people are aware of the situation and Ethiopia could now find itself under some international pressure.
You are underestimating the risk he just created for his family. Who knows what will happen with them.
There is not reasonable way to protest against a government that threatens you if you are openly protesting.
Minnesota goat wrote:
Wtfunny wrote:I agree that asking whether he spoke with his teammates or to his wife/children about this wasn't well considered.
But overall, I thought the interview was supportive and done well. Appreciate LRC posting it. Hopefully LRC put a link to it in the front page.
Agreed that it was not good idea asking Lelisa to name people who the government would view as co-conspirators. Luckily, his limited English (real or feigned) prevented athlete from implicating anybody. But I can't fault the LRC interviewer too much. Do we expect LRC to be fully briefed on political climate of all countries represented in marathon? Do we fault LRC for being unprepared to handle asylum seekers? This is website for running enthusiasts, not international reportage. I always chuckle when people try to hold Rojo or anonymous people on message board to standards of journalism (if you expect those standards here you are doomed to disappointment).
Overall, LRC did this guy and his cause a big favor. Look at prominence of interview on splash page! Look at number of runners now talking about Oromia and Ethiopia!. Lots of people who yesterday probably couldn't find Ethiopia on a map now know something about the country and realize that people there can be jailed or shot for trying to exercise rights we take for granted.....
Rojo regularly claims those standards for himself and this site. And yes, I do think the interviewer should've had the werewithal to think ahead about such ramifications before (a) asking the question and (b) posting the unedited video to YouTube.
I agree with your second paragraph and pointed towards that in my earlier response.
Have they had the marathon medal ceremony yet? Did he protest?
Mr Solo wrote:
Have they had the marathon medal ceremony yet? Did he protest?
They had the ceremony. I didn't see any protest in the time it was on air, thought they seemed to cut back from commercial after the medals had been distributed.
He should have protested the closing ceremony, this is really boring. Hew was wearing his Ethiopian track suit on the stand,,
He didn't protest at the ceremony. Was probably told not to.
Is there a rule against attaching a helium balloon to yourself while running a road race?
Am I living in the twilight zone? The Boston Marathon weather was terrible!
How rare is it to run a sub 5 minute mile AND bench press 225?
Move over Mark Coogan, Rojo and John Kellogg share their 3 favorite mile workouts
Mark Coogan says that if you could only do 3 workouts as a 1500m runner you should do these
Jakob Ingebrigtsen has a 1989 Ferrari 348 GTB and he's just put in paperwork to upgrade it