The Art Of An Olympic Boycott: Moscow 1980 Vs Sochi 2014

These are some mean posters, comrades.

OK, so a boycott of the Sochi Winter Games is not going to happen & was a terrible idea to begin with. But let's check out some common themes used in art by boycott advocates today and 34 years ago. Here's a parallel slalom for #Moscow1980 and #Sochi2014 boycott propaganda. Whoosh!

#Moscow1980: Misha the mascot (with a friend)

ic.pics.livejournal.com / Via tipolog.livejournal.com

#Sochi2014: the three sad amigos mascots

d22r54gnmuhwmk.cloudfront.net / Via change.org

The Polar Bear, the Hare, and the Leopard are the mascots for Sochi. Change.Org doesn't envy them.

#Moscow1980: a Russian tank with rings

scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net

Newsweek readers in the White House answered this one wrong.

There will be no cover story for Sochi in Newsweek, it's now an all-digital outlet because most of us get our news right here on BuzzFeed.

#Sochi2014: a Russian helicopter with rings

pbs.twimg.com

Is it the same Mi-17 'copter bought by the United States from Russia for the Afghan army? Wait, remind me what the Moscow 1980 hush was about?

#Moscow1980: "May we assist you, please?"

ic.pics.livejournal.com / Via postalovsky-a.livejournal.com

Pop quiz: how many of you BuzzFeeders know who Sakharov was?

#Sochi2014: "May we assist you, please?"

ic.pics.livejournal.com / Via ellustrator.livejournal.com

Do not, do not go to The Washington Post for your daily news about terrorism threats in Sochi. Stay here, keep scrolling.

#Moscow1980: the Berlin Wall

ic.pics.livejournal.com / Via http://tipolog.livejournal.com; Amnesty International (West Germany)

#Sochi2014: the Kremlin Wall

scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net

Did Amnesty Int'l-West Germany want to add something about the photoshopped scene here?

#Moscow1980: Brezhnev the Entertainer

ic.pics.livejournal.com / Via tipolog.livejournal.com

#Sochi2014: Putin the Entertainer

fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net

#Moscow1980: the swastika

ic.pics.livejournal.com / Via tipolog.livejournal.com

#Sochi2014: the swastikas

blogger.com

And now a message for our sponsors..

#Moscow1980: the Olympic podium

ic.pics.livejournal.com / Via tipolog.livejournal.com

Pravda, John McCain's favorite newspaper.

Also Dick Cheney's most appreciated quality in friends.

#Sochi2014: the Olympic podium

fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net

"Amnesty-shmamnesty," said the world. "Panem et circenses!"

#Moscow1980: barbed wire

ic.pics.livejournal.com

#Sochi2014: barbed wire

causes-prod.caudn.com

Technological progress.

#Moscow1980: all the sports you'll be missing

ic.pics.livejournal.com / Via tipolog.livejournal.com

#Sochi2014: all the sports you'll be missing

wordpress.com

#Moscow1980: Putin on a tank!

ic.pics.livejournal.com / Via tipolog.livejournal.com

Okay-okay, it's Brezhnev. With Osama Bin Laden. Did they both drone themselves to death?

#Sochi2014: Putin in a tank!

fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net

Okay-okay, it's not a tank it's a Katyusha, reinvented as "Stalin's Organ."

#Rio2016: Putin in a tank on a tank

i1.cpcache.com / Via cafepress.com

Yours for 22.99 plus sh&h. Warning: will NOT ship to individual customers in Russia. (Buy in bulk.)

#Moscow1980: adorable Brezhnev

s006.radikal.ru / Via ellustrator.livejournal.com

#Sochi2014: adorable Putin

scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net

#SanFrancisco2042: adorable Putin à la Brezhnev

yuga.ru

Also known as "Chicken Kiev."

(Caution: #Seattle2042 has a better chance.)

#Moscow1980: bear surprise!

ic.pics.livejournal.com / Via tipolog.livejournal.com

It's Misha err it's boycott!

#Sochi2014: bear surprise!

img708.imageshack.us / Via AFP PHOTO / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA

Grrr, it's Stalin.

Bear Surprise!

upload.wikimedia.org

John Lurie is a god in Russia.

#Moscow1980: the anarchist's noose

ic.pics.livejournal.com / Via tipolog.livejournal.com

#Sochi2014: the hangman's noose

wordpress.com

Moscow1980: rings as handcuffs

ic.pics.livejournal.com / Via tipolog.livejournal.com

#Sochi2014: rings as handcuffs

scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net / Via RUSA LGBT

#Sochi2014: & another message for our sponsors

scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net / Via Facebook: Boycott Sochi 2014 Community

NBC sold more than 33 billion rubles in ads already. They're lucky their logo isn't round shaped.

Remember, kids!

nadiakhuzina.com / Via Nadia Khuzina

But why?

img-fotki.yandex.ru / Via denis-strebkov.livejournal.com

Because it's been tried. The 1980 Boycott was a disaster.

(written on the pant: U.S. Administration.)

Words to live by:

Via korzonews.info.iis2102.shared-servers.com

"Don't trust, don't fear, don't beg."