Olympian1010

Being as the forum is coming up on another edition of the TAISC, I thought I’d look back at the US entry last year. We were really disappointed by its performance, but we also understand that it just didn’t mesh with people the way it did in the US. I felt like the artistry was really under appreciated as well. Gambino uses a lot of clever word, but it’s the music video that makes the song. So, I though I’d once again share the song, but I would explain the finer points to people, so that they could better appreciate it as art. So here’s the video: So this song relies heavily on symbolism. I’m going to explain as much as I can in a minute, but I’ll probably still miss stuff (and that’s some more genius of the song). This is truly the best music video in my opinion. Both myself and @dezbee2008 felt compelled to share the song, though we were pretty much certain it wouldn’t win (though we expected it to do much better than it did). So, I’ll go in order when explaining the symbolism of the song. The song is obviously a political and racial statement. 1. The handwriting of the title. It’s almost in a “Birth Of A Nation” style. That movie won Best Picture at the Oscars, and is arguably the most racist and vile US film of all-time. The movie allowed for the KKK to grow it’s ranks in the 20s and 30s. So, Gambino is showing us what America is before most people even pick up on the symbolism. 2. The background choir/beat. It’s very happy, and constantly distracting us from the crazy shit going on elsewhere in the video. It’s appropriating an afro-beat or Carib-beat, which is common in American music. Americans what to hear the sounds of black music, but they don’t what to know the problems of black people. 3. The man playing the guitar. That is the father of Trayvon Martin. Trayvon was the teenager murdered by a white security officer. The security officer thought Martin was reaching for a gun when passing him, but instead the teenager was reaching for his bag of Skittles. Trayvon was shot dead at the scene. The security officer has been a real prick since then (I don’t even want to talk about him to be frank.). 4. Gambino’s pants. Those are the pants of either a Confederate solider (the side that flight for slavery), or of a character from Roots. Roots is known for its portrayal of slavery. Either why, it’s a symbol of black suppression. 5. The poses Gambino strikes. The poses are associated with “Jim Crow”, and other figures invented to show the black man as uneducated, wild, idiotic, and dangerous. 6. The execution. Gun violence. 7. Gambino says “This Is America” for the first time just after he executes the guitar player. 8. How the pistol is treated. After it’s used for the kill, it’s placed delicately, and with care on a red, cloth. This represents gun rights. It shows how guns are almost viewed as equal, or even above people, in the US. 9. It’s a child taking the pistol. He’s literally handing the weapons and violence down to the next generation. 10. The black body dragged away. The pistol is treated with care, while the black man is dragged, with out care, out of frame. Read into that what you will. 11. The dancing kids. Dancing is the greatest form of escapism in American pop culture. It distracts us from the the real issues. 12. Gambino says “I got a strap, I got to care them” while looking at the kids. This means that it’s been left to black adults, instead of the education system and government, to fend for and look after their kids. 13. Someone is making it rain the background. I haven’t really been able to figure out the significance of this. I could have to do with rich people paying black people for their culture, but not paying to improve their lives. It could symbolize prostitution. Your guess is as good as mine. 14. Jordan Peele in the choir. I don’t know if this is symbolism, or just a cameo. However, there’s a case to be made for symbolism on multiple levels. Jordan is/was a black comedian. He often portrayed the “fool” type character, which would harken back to the Jim Crow metaphor in the beginning. He’s also made movies critical of the American attitudes towards race, that have often been under appreciated by critics because he’s “the silly black guy”. 15. Gospel music. A big part of African-American culture. White people love to hear it, but often cut-down it’s significance to American culture. 16. Gambino’s entrance. He enters like a pastor preaching a message. 17. Choir gets shot. Obviously a reference to the Charleston church shooting. A white supremacist entered the black church and killed 9 people I believe. 18. The gun is again handled with care by a child. 19. In background, you can see a man kill himself. He throws himself from the second floor. Obviously, a reference to our high suicide rate. 20. Rioting. The dancing distracts from the greater issues in the picture, much like in American pop culture. 21. “Watch me move”. Gambino is actively trying to distract the audience from the horrors unfolding behind him. 22. “This a celly, that’s a tool”. The kids are filming what’s going on. They’re using the cellphones as their voice to show people what’s wrong. Many of the reasons police violence has become more well-known is because of cellphones. People also record every single incident they see nowadays. However, they too are distracted by the dancing. “Celly” could also be a clever way of referring to technology, our phones, and social media, as a horrible type of modern prison. 23. One of the four horseman of the apocalypse. He’s wearing a hood, and he’s being followed by the police. There’s been a lot of debate as to the meaning of this. We’re sure it’s the apocalypse, but we’re not sure what the apocalypse is. 24. The pause in the music. The amount of seconds is the exact same as the amount of students killed in the Florida school shooting. The background noise is also hauntingly similar to what it sounds like during a school shooting. It makes me cry actually. 25. Gambino also makes a quick mention about our country’s drug problem. 26. Lights a cigarette to calm himself. Maybe some symbolism of anxiety, which is also a huge problem in this country. 27. Black beauty. Americans can appreciate beautiful black women, but they don’t want to focus on the problems. 28. Not really sure what the cars symbolize, but they’re there for a reason I’m sure. 29. Running for his life. Chased by a mob. Maybe a reference to lynching. I probably missed some stuff, so I apologize to the awesome artistic who made the video. Hopefully you can appreciate our entry a bit more, even if you’re not a fan of the message, genre of music, or lyrics. 26.

Third night in a row where a “random” or “mass shooting” has made national news. Their lives apparently mean nothing to their fellow Americans, so it’s not really news I guess? Sad to hear that one person has passed, but that’s statistically better than average, so it’s whatever. There will probably be some outrage towards the NRA on social media, maybe a small vigil tonight, perhaps even a speech or two, and then we’ll all fuck off and act like this is normal. At least some people will get to pray to their fake gods.

Laser and Finn seem to be the only battles left at this point. I guess there’s a slight chance that could catch in laser radial, but I doubt it. Same goes for against in 470.

I’ve really enjoyed watching the first two seasons of Netflix’s “Sex Education”. You definitely have to be rather open-minded to watch it, and it’s not really a show for anyone above 30 probably. Whoever makes the music selection for them also did a fantastic job. The acting is good, and the plot is satisfactory.

I forgot to play the last game

I think you really overestimate the people Trump has surrounded himself with.

with a surprise last minute medal. Good for them, they’ve put quite a bit of funding into winter sports lately.

They’ll probably just go Unified Korea in Table Tennis now.

Or Trump’s people actually think it’s Muslim...

Our biggest mistake was bombing Yemen over Syria. (We also chose the wrong side in the Yemeni Civil War so...)

Eh, only two people. It isn’t really news until it’s 5 or 6.

If this happened after all games, I’d be watching 100% more basketball.

The fucking Nazi. Apparently Trump will try to expand his travel ban in a bid reelection . He would like to add:

Well it’s actually rather easy to score in Handball. I mean, it’s quite difficult at the elite level, but at the core of the game, it’s really not that hard.

Of course, you have to fell for the Swiss girls too . Really interesting women’s tournament. I’d say it’s definitely one of highlights of the games.

Not quite, you have to account for the 7 Bolivian goals as well

Don’t think we’ll see Ísland in Tokyo

Yes, an impressive feat for those ladies for sure. Hopefully, there was some support for them back in Japan.

El Nightmare.

You my friend, have been missing out. The World Games are, at the most basic level, the Olympics for sports not in the Olympics. They always have good streaming, so I’m hoping NBC picks it up, and gives us access to everything (or ESPN does the same).

Well, this might immediately be one of my favorite Olympic controversies of all-time “Someone has been grilling hot dogs on the Olympic flame in the city.” At least that’s according to ITG’s reporting on a emergency meeting the Lausanne2020 OC had. What away to end the games

For those of you who don’t know, today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. It’s obviously a day celebrated differently by many people. I choose to at least remember Dr. King by reading his “Letter From A Birmingham Jail”. There was one quote in particular that stuck out to me. It reads “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” I feel like this quote applies to so many of today’s political issues. I really made me stop and think. I’m glad that I can say that my political positions, what I fight for, and morals back this quote.

@Quaker2001 Who do you think will get the broadcast rights for the 2021 World Games? NBC, ABC (ESPN), or FOX?

I really love that NBC is embracing the Paralympics. The Paralympics are growing closer to the Olympics edition by edition.