>>> WITH LESS THAN ONE WEEK LL Always Discreet Boutique.
>>> WITH LESS THAN ONE WEEK LL
THE OPENING CEREMONY IN TOEK
OWE, OFFICIALS CONFIRMED THAT A
PERSON HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR
COVID.
AMID SOARING CASES THAT HAVE
PROMPTED RESIDENTS TO TAKE TO
THE STREETS.
BUT THE PANDEMIC ISNT THE ONLY
POINT OF PROTEST.
THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC
COMMITTEE RELAXED ITS BAN ON
PROTESTS ALLOWING OLYMPIANS TO
MAKE POLITICAL STATEMENTS BEFORE
THEIR EVENTS.
THEY WILL STILL BE BARRED FROM
ANY SORT OF ACTIVISM FROM THE
PODIUM, WHICH IS THE SIGHT OF
THE MOST FAMOUS OLYMPIC PROTEST
WHEN JOHN CARLOS AND TOMMY SMITH
RAISED THEIR BLACK GLOVE FISTS
IN THE AIR IN 1968.
IT STILL GIVES ME CHILLS.
ONE OF THOSE ACTIVISTS HIMSELF
JOINS US NOW.
1968 OLYMPIC DPOLD MEDALIST
TOMMY SMITH, WHO IS THE FOCUS OF
THIS AMAZING DOCUMENTARY AS WELL
AS SPORTS EDITOR OF "THE
NATION", DAVID ZIRIN.
GENTLEMEN, VERY HAPPY TO HAVE
YOU HERE.
MR. SMITH, I HAVE OF TO START
WITH YOU.
A BIT OF A FAN GIRL MOMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
MOMENT IN 1968.
I DOUBT THAT YOU KNEW AT THE
TIME THAT WOULD RIPPLE THROUGH
TIME AND DECADES AND STILL HAVE
SUCH AN IMPACT ON ALL OF US
TODAY.
IM CURIOUS GIVEN THE OLYMPIC
COMMITTEE RULES THAT HAVE COME
OUT, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON
THOSE?
>> TIME WILL ALWAYS TELL
DIFFERENT TALES OF THINGS THAT
ARE UNTRUE.
THE RIGHT SIDE AND HERE WE DEAL
WITH THE RIGHT AND WE DEAL WITH
RIGHT.
ONE IS RIGHT AND MAN PUT INTO
YOUR OWN SELF AND YOUR BELIEF.
SO ITS GOING TO BE INTERESTING. IN FACT, IT IS INTERESTING.
IN FACT, IT IS INTERESTING.
THE ATHLETES HAVE A RIGHT NOW TO
A LOT OF STRIFE AND SACRIFICE
AND A LOT OF DECISIVE MOMENTS IN
ATHLETIC LIFE AND IN ONES
PERSONAL LIFE.
ITS GOING TO BE INTERESTING.
THERES DOUBT.
BUT THERES GOING TO BE GREAT
COMPETITION AND A GREATER
ALLIANCE THAT THE IOC HAS TO
RECKON WITH ATHLETES ARE HUMAN
TOO.
MAYBE WE BETTER TAKE A KNEE OFF
THEIR NECKS.
THATS WHATS HAPPENING NOW A
BIT.
AND OOUM SURE THE ATHLETES ARE
VERY PROUD OF IT BECAUSE OF THE
FIGHT THAT HAS GONE THROUGH SO
THEY CAN IMPLEMENT THEIR OWN
DECISIVE METHODS FOR MOVING
FORWARD UNDER THEIR OWN EFFORTS.
>> VERY GOOD POINT.
ITS COME A LONG WAY.
>> YOU WRITE ABOUT THIS IN YOUR
LATEST PIECE.
I WANT TO PLAY THIS SOUND BYTE
OF THE IOC PRESIDENT AND SEE HOW
HE DESCRIBES THE PEOPLE OF
JAPAN.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> IT IS SAFE AND SECURE GAMES
FOR EVERYBODY.
FOR THE ATHLETES, FOR ALL THE
DELEGATIONS AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY, FOR THE CHINESE
PEOPLE, JAPANESE PEOPLE. JAPANES
PEOPLE.
>> LOOK.
I DO LIVE TV.
WE HAVE A SLIP OF THE TONGUE AND
ILL GIVE HIM GRACE THERE.
HOWEVER WHEN YOU COUPLE THAT
WITH THE OTHER POLICIES THAT
REALLY SEASON SO WHITENESS,
OPPRESS VOICES OF COLOR YOU HAVE
TO SCRATCH YOUR HEAD AND SAY,
COME ON.
CURIOUS WHAT YOUR TAKE WAS
THERE.
>> YOU SAID IT WELL.
IT IS AN HONOR TO BE ON WITH DR.
SMITH.
IM WEARING A BUTTON.
I DONT KNOW IF TOMMY SEE THAT
IS.
IN HONOR OF HIM.
THE REASON WHY THAT
QUOTE/UNQUOTE GAFFE IS AN
INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT AND FRONT
PAGE NEWS STORY IN JAPAN IS
PRECISELY BECAUSE THOMAS BACH IS
MOST UNPOPULAR PERSON IN TOKYO
RIGHT NOW.
HERE TEST BRINGING THE OLYMPICS
TO TOKYO.
HE IS EXPECTED TO BE GREETED
LIKE AN IMPARTY VICEROY COMING
TO TOWN BUT TALKING TO A CITY
80% OF THE POPULATION WANTS THE
OLYMPICS DELAYED.
THE POPULATION IS LIVING UNDER A
STATE OF EMERGENCY.
THEYRE LOOKING AT WHATS
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AND ASKING
THE QUESTION WOULD THIS HAPPEN
TO US IF THE OLYMPICS WERE HELD
IN THE UNITED STATES OR WESTERN
EUROPE?
WHY IS THIS IMPOSED ON US IN A
STATE OF EMERGENCY AND A CITY
UNVACCINATED.
ALREADY WE HAVE THE FIRST MINI
OUTBREAK IN THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE.
THE NIGERIAN DELEGATION
REPORTING A MINI OUTBREAK AND
CAN BE VERY BIG VERY QUICK LANE
THE PEOPLE OF TOKYO ARE NOT
SAYING,YEAH, WE GET TO HOST THE
OLYMPICS BUT ASKING THE
QUESTION, WHY US.
>> RIGHT.
GIVEN THAT AND THE RAMPANT COVID
NUMBERS DO YOU THINK THE
OLYMPICS SHOULD HAVE BEEN
CANCELED?
>> ABSOLUTELY SHOULD HAVE BEEN
DELAYED IN AKORCCORDANCE WITH TH
WILL OF THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN.
THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE HAS MORE
PEOPLE OVER THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN
THAN THE GOVERNMENT.
WHEN THE GOVERNMENT IS
QUESTIONED, 80% OF THE
POPULATION, THEY WANT THE
OLYMPICS TO BE AT THE VERY LEAST
POSTPONED, THE ANSWER IS A SHRUG
OF THE SHOULDERS SAYING THIS IS
THE IOCS CALL, NOT US.
WE WOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF
LAWSUITS IF THIS DOESNT HAPPEN.
THE IOC SAID THE ORGANIZATION
CANNOT MOVE FORWARD TO CANCEL
THE GAMES AGAIN AS THEY DID LAST
YEAR SO THEY JUST FEEL LIKE
THEYRE BEING USED TO KEEP THE
TRAINS RUNNING ON TIME INSTEAD
OF A SHOWCASE FOR THE GREAT
INTERNATIONAL ATH LEETSS WE HAVE
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
>> RIGHT.
ILL LET THE VIEWERS KNOW WE ARE
HAVING TECHNICAL ISSUES WITH MR.
SMITH AND THE CAMERA.
I WANT YOU, DAVE, TO TAKE A
LISTEN TO THE SOUND BITE FROM
THE DOCUMENTARY THAT I HOPE
EVERYBODY TAKES TIME TO WATCH.
TAKE A LISTEN AND WELL TALK
ABOUT IT ON THE OTHER SIDE.
>> AFTER THAT OLYMPICS IT DIDNT
JUST END WITH, OH, THEY GET SUSPECT HOME.
SUSPECT HOME.
HE WAS OSTRACIZED FROM SOCIETY.
♪
>> A LOT OF FAMILIES HAVE BEEN
HURT BECAUSE THEY DID LESS.
MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS AND
SISTERS AND BROTHERS HAVE BEEN
BEATEN, LYNCHED OR WORSE BECAUSE
THEY WERE THE COLOR THEY WERE.
NOT WHAT THEY SAID.
SO, YES, I REGRET THAT MY FAMILY
HATD TO GO THROUGH THAT BUT
THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY IT COULD
HAVE BEEN DONE.
>> SACRIFICE THAT THIS MAN-MADE
AND I THINK WE MAY HAVE HIM
BACK.
MR. SMITH, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, I CAN SEE AND HEAR.
>> ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
WE JUST SAW A CLIP OF YOU.
TALK ABOUT WHAT YOUR FAMILY WENT
THROUGH AND I DONT THINK PEOPLE
KNOW.
THOSE ARE THE MOMENTS WHERE IT
MATTERS WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING
TO RISK AND YOU DID THAT.
IM CURIOUS YOUR ADVICE TO
ATHLETES NOW.
HOLDING UP A T-SHIRT IN THE
PLAYING OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE?
>> WHATEVER YOU DO IT IS GOING
TO FOLLOW YOU NO MATTER WHO YOU
ARE OR WHAT YOU SAY.
YOU WILL HAVE A WAY GONEGON TO P
AROUND WITH THE IDEA OF ANYONE
THAT DOES SOMETHING THAT THEY
BELIEVE IN.
THAT IS A RESPONSIBILITY OF A
PERSON WHO IS DOING THE TALKING
THAT IT DOESNT STOP THERE.
IT CONTINUES TO MOB THE THOUGHT
PROCESSES AND OTHERS AROUND YOU
MOVING THROUGH LIFE.
SO THATS BACK IN 1968, THATS
WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.
IT KEPT MOVING BUT THANK GOD I
HAD A BACKING OF UNDERSTANDING
THROUGH MY FAMILY, THROUGH
AMERICA, A BELIEF EXPERIENCE
THAT YOU DONT DO SOMETHING AND
WISH YOU CAN CHANGE IT.
YOU MUST THINK ABOUT THE
CHANGING BEFORE YOU DO IT.
SIMPLY SAID THAT ITS ALMOST
LIKE A RELIVING AN EXPERIENCE
THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY GONE
THROUGH OR SELF IMAGING AS I DID
IN 1968 IN THAT RACE WITH THAT
PULLED GROIN LEFT LEG MUSCLE.
I COULD NOT WARM UP WITH THE
ATHLETES AND WATCHED THEM WHICH
WAS A CRIPPLING EXPERIENCE WITH
THE MIND PROCESS OF SEEING
ATHLETES AS GOOD AS I WAS, SOME
BETTER, WARMING UP AND I
COULDNT BUT I WAS A WORLD
RECORD HOLDER AND HAD TO
MAINTAIN MY STABILITY IN
BELIEVING WHAT I HAD TO BE WILL
BE DONE.
WILL I DO THAT?
THINK, THINK, THINK.
SEE YOURSELF DOING THE ACTION OR
PRACTICE AS YOU DO THE ACTION AS
THE ATHLETES DO ON THE FIELD BUT
INSIDE OF YOU.
>> RIGHT.
>> HAD GONE THROUGH MOMENTS
THAT -- HAD TO WAIT A MINUTE TO
MIND FINISH DOING WHAT HELL PUT
ON PAPER AND THEN TALK ABOUT IT.
>> RIGHT.
>> ATHLETES IN TOKYO RIGHT NOW
IM SURE THEYRE GOING THROUGH A
MIND, PHYSICAL EXPERIENCE OF
BELIEVING WHAT THEY SAY.
THEY HAVE TO.
>> YEAH.
WERE WAY OVER TIME.
BUT YOU ARE ONLY 24 WHEN YOU
DISPLAYED THAT INCREDIBLE AMOUNT
OF COURAGE SO I WANT TO SAY MY
FIST IS IN THE AIR WITH YOU IN