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)
#Sochi2014: the three sad amigos mascots
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
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
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?"
Pop quiz: how many of you BuzzFeeders know who Sakharov was?
#Sochi2014: "May we assist you, please?"
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
#Sochi2014: the Kremlin Wall
Did Amnesty Int'l-West Germany want to add something about the photoshopped scene here?
#Moscow1980: Brezhnev the Entertainer
#Sochi2014: Putin the Entertainer
#Moscow1980: the swastika
#Sochi2014: the swastikas
And now a message for our sponsors..
#Moscow1980: the Olympic podium
Pravda, John McCain's favorite newspaper.
Also Dick Cheney's most appreciated quality in friends.
#Sochi2014: the Olympic podium
"Amnesty-shmamnesty," said the world. "Panem et circenses!"
#Moscow1980: barbed wire
#Sochi2014: barbed wire
Technological progress.
#Moscow1980: all the sports you'll be missing
#Sochi2014: all the sports you'll be missing
#Moscow1980: Putin on a tank!
Okay-okay, it's Brezhnev. With Osama Bin Laden. Did they both drone themselves to death?
#Sochi2014: Putin in a tank!
Okay-okay, it's not a tank it's a Katyusha, reinvented as "Stalin's Organ."
#Rio2016: Putin in a tank on a tank
Yours for 22.99 plus sh&h. Warning: will NOT ship to individual customers in Russia. (Buy in bulk.)
#Moscow1980: adorable Brezhnev
#Sochi2014: adorable Putin
#SanFrancisco2042: adorable Putin à la Brezhnev
Also known as "Chicken Kiev."
(Caution: #Seattle2042 has a better chance.)
#Moscow1980: bear surprise!
It's Misha err it's boycott!
#Sochi2014: bear surprise!
Grrr, it's Stalin.
Bear Surprise!
John Lurie is a god in Russia.
#Moscow1980: the anarchist's noose
#Sochi2014: the hangman's noose
Moscow1980: rings as handcuffs
#Sochi2014: rings as handcuffs
#Sochi2014: & another message for our sponsors
NBC sold more than 33 billion rubles in ads already. They're lucky their logo isn't round shaped.
Remember, kids!
But why?
Because it's been tried. The 1980 Boycott was a disaster.
(written on the pant: U.S. Administration.)
Words to live by:
"Don't trust, don't fear, don't beg."