I'm very upset that the organizers of Big Shoulders decided to politicize the event. Having an image of Barack Obama on the t-shirt and the medal is very unwelcome.
I brought this up with the organizers who simply dismissed my complaint by calling me a Republican. I am not a Republican. I would be just as upset if they had an image of John McCain on the t-shirt and medal.
Don't politicize my sport. Swimming is my small getaway from the crazed ravings of politics.
Parents
Former Member
Can we drop this line of discussion. The organizers apologized in an e-mail which participants received. Here's an excerpt:
The committee has certainly heard from you about the race. We appreciate the compliments and take seriously the criticisms.
A few of our participants have expressed concern that this year's logo was a political endorsement of a presidential candidate. This is not the case. The logo, which was donated, is a spoof, a caricature of a topical figure - nothing more. The Big Shoulders Committee was greatly heartened by the many glowing praises of the shirt and medal from participants on both sides of the political spectrum. Nevertheless, to those who took this logo to be some form of political endorsement, we apologize. Neither Big Shoulders nor Chicago Masters takes a position on any political candidate, and we agree with those who suggest it would be inappropriate to do so.
We hope that you will agree that Big Shoulders is the premier open water swimming event in the midwest, and will join us again next year when Big Shoulders is the USMS 5K National Championship.
Now can we go back to swimming, please. I for one will be back next year and will miss all of you who choose not to over a t-shirt.
Can we drop this line of discussion. The organizers apologized in an e-mail which participants received. Here's an excerpt:
The committee has certainly heard from you about the race. We appreciate the compliments and take seriously the criticisms.
A few of our participants have expressed concern that this year's logo was a political endorsement of a presidential candidate. This is not the case. The logo, which was donated, is a spoof, a caricature of a topical figure - nothing more. The Big Shoulders Committee was greatly heartened by the many glowing praises of the shirt and medal from participants on both sides of the political spectrum. Nevertheless, to those who took this logo to be some form of political endorsement, we apologize. Neither Big Shoulders nor Chicago Masters takes a position on any political candidate, and we agree with those who suggest it would be inappropriate to do so.
We hope that you will agree that Big Shoulders is the premier open water swimming event in the midwest, and will join us again next year when Big Shoulders is the USMS 5K National Championship.
Now can we go back to swimming, please. I for one will be back next year and will miss all of you who choose not to over a t-shirt.
