Left I on the News

Last night, San Jose State University unveiled a statue honoring Tommie Smith, John Carlos, and their anti-racism protest at the 1968 Olympics. As I wrote back in June when ground was broken, I consider this one of the most shocking developments since the United States put Malcolm X on a postage stamp.

A full look at the statue reveals something curious:

But wait. Did the guy who finished in second place boycott the ceremony or something? No, not at all, as the picture of the real event shows:

Indeed, it turns out Australian Peter Norman, who attended last night's ceremony along with Smith and Carlos, was involved with the protest, and suffered for it as well (though not as much as Smith and Carlos, of course):

"Smith and Carlos...wanted to show that all was not well for African-Americans in the United States and to promote the Olympic Project for Human Rights, a cause that originated in the Bay Area.

"In discussions beneath the stadium before the medal ceremony, Smith and Carlos decided to don black gloves and raise their fists. Norman could have ignored the drama. Instead, he asked what he could do to assist the protest. Carlos suggested wearing the OPHR button. Norman borrowed one from an American rower and pinned it on an Aussie warm-up jacket.

"By doing so, Norman implicitly supported Smith and Carlos. This carried its own heavy price.

"'In Australia, no one knows I ran in the race,' joked Norman the other day in a phone interview. They just think I stood on the victory stand.'

"And many of his countrymen weren't happy about where he stood.

"'I copped some letters and some abuse,' Norman said. 'My hometown didn't give me a celebration. Only family and friends met me at the airport. It got a little bit nasty. But when you look at what Tommie and John had to go through for a long, long time, anything that anyone could or did say to me pales in significance.'"

And, just like the other struggle of the late 60's that I wrote about last night, this struggle too continues today. Here's what one participant in last night's ceremony had to say:

"'Will Smith and Carlos only be stone-faced amidst a beautiful plaza?' speaker Professor Ethel Pitts-Walker asked the crowd. 'For them to become immortalized, the living must take up their activism and continue their work.'"

It turns out that, in a symbolic way at least, that's precisely why Norman was left off the statue itself:

"Carlos originally lobbied for the sculpture to include Norman. But the artist who designed it -- a Bay Area artist named Rigo 23 -- said he purposely left Norman's spot blank. That way, people could climb up and pose for pictures and be encouraged to 'take a stand.'

"That's more than fine with Norman.

"'I love that idea,' said Norman. 'Anybody can get up there and stand up for something they believe in. I guess that just about says it all.'"

Well, hopefully not all; standing up for something you believe in requires a lot more committment than getting your picture taken on a statue. But it's a start. Solidarity forever!