Tea at Trianon: Dear Olympic Athletes...Stop The Shameful Trash Talk

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Dear Olympic Athletes...Stop The Shameful Trash Talk

From Jan Greenhawk at The Easton Gazette:

Please remember, you have been chosen to represent the United States in a SPORT, not in political commentary, while you are at the Olympics. You have been given all kinds of swag, publicity, money, support, travel, housing, food etc. all bankrolled by the people of the United States either through donations, support of sport governing bodies, and yes, taxes that supported the arenas and areas you practiced in. And, indirectly, yes, taxes supported your opportunities.

I was once heavily involved in the sport of gymnastics as a coach, a judge and a national volunteer chairman. I saw how hard so many people worked to get teams to Olympic venues; people who had their Olympic dreams shattered and would never see the glory of competition in the Olympic arena.

But you do.

When you are done at the Olympics, whether you win or not, you will carry that honor with you for the rest of your life. It will always be attached to your name, and it will likely open doors for you that will be closed to others.

When you are finished competing on our dime and representing us, you can say what you want and be as political as you want. At that point, it becomes about YOU not us.

But, while you are wearing OUR flag, OUR colors, OUR uniform on the international stage, you need to remember the HONOR you have been given. You were NOT entitled to it but we allowed you to have it. So, when you speak about our country, how about if you HONOR us instead of disparaging us? Keep your personal opinions about anything other than your sport to yourself. (Read more.)