There have been many memorable moments in dark history where the blatant mistake of racism has been dramatically portrayed. The 1936 Olympics in Hitler's Germany may be the most dramatic because of what went crazy and what happened.
Hitler was happy to host the Olympics because he felt it was an opportunity to express one of his basic philosophical ideas, which was the dominance of the Aryan race. Or more bluntly, Hitler wanted to show the superiority of the white man on the Olympic grounds. Looking at his arrogance, and knowing what we do today, you will wonder how he could have been so deeply wrong about something. But if he had never questioned the idea, he should have taken it seriously after the Berlin Olympics.
Once again, this is the man whose name has become a huge pride in dark history who changed the day of justice and equality. It was Jesse Owens who did not come to the Olympics to make a racial statement or to start a movement, but to do his best and show his pride as a black man, an American, and an athlete. And that pride came when he won four gold medals and shattered Hitler's hopes of an Aryan adventure on a black man.
Hitler's response was a storm coming out of the infant and nausea stadium as Owens won the event after the event and then refused to shake Jesse's hand when it came time to award the medals. But there is another side to the story that sheds light on where we were in the dark. And this is the same experience that Owens had with other athletes and German citizens in Germany who warmly welcomed him and treated him as an athletic hero as a result of his great deeds.
History tells us that during the long jump competition, Jesse's German rival Luz Long advised him and remained friendly throughout the competition. As he demonstrated his athletic prowess, he was greeted enthusiastically by German citizens, about 110,000 strong men, and eagerly asked for his autograph when he took to the streets after the competition. Owens enjoyed the parity that is common among athletes when he travels with his fellow white athletes, eats with them, and lives with them in the same residence, which is currently out of the question in the United States. Would have
From Jessie's experience, we can draw many lessons. Furthermore, it is clear that Hitler's ideas of Aryan supremacy were deeply wrong and aggressive, not only for those who were discriminated against but for all mankind. We see that even in a society like Germany which has taken the form of racism in the 1930s, there was no place for racism in the hearts of the German people, the common people of everyday life. The source was being imposed on them. It can be a source of inspiration and hope for all of us and an encouragement not to be prejudiced against people we may even consider racist because many times good people, ordinary everyday people. Has nothing to do with such evil.
And we can celebrate this great victory in the most difficult of circumstances, without the rhetoric that proves that race, color, or creed do not make man superior. Instead, it is the ability, honesty, and hard work of each individual that reflects the quality that exists within. Jesse Owens showed that even like Adolf Hitler. And we have the opportunity to demonstrate this principle every day in our daily lives.
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