To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Thursday, February 23, 2006
I May Be Showing My Ignorance Here...
... but I can't help but think that Turkey views its latest media darling as a mixed blessing.
I mean, on the one hand, Tuğba Karademir's story is what makes Olympic coverage worth showing, according to the networks- sob stories sell, right?). Her parents sacrificed a lot to move her to Canada where she could train with some of the best skaters in the world. And then, when the chance to compete in the Olympics came, she contacted the country of her birth and asked if she could skate for them. She carried their flag in the Opening Ceremonies, and no one can complain about her performance in the competition. And she wants to be an inspiration to other skaters from her homeland. Whether it makes her a national hero remains to be seen.
"They're showing more skating on TV now in Turkey," she said. "But I'm not really a star. In the rink they know me, but I can walk down the street and no one does."
She hopes at least to be a role model for would-be Turkish skaters.
"It would be great if they could look at me and say, 'There's someone from here in the Olympics — I'd like to do that,'" she said. "I don't want it to end after me, and for Turkish skating to disappear off the face of the planet." But, I can't help but remember where she is from. Turkey may be moderate and quite Western for a Muslim nation, but they are still 99.8% Muslim. Her parents are part of the small Muslim community in Barrie, Canada. I can't imagine the Imams in Ankara are very happy when they see photos like this:
My fear is that she returns home, only to be thrown into a burkah (at best). I'm pretty sure it's difficult to skate in all that fabric.
I mean, on the one hand, Tuğba Karademir's story is what makes Olympic coverage worth showing, according to the networks- sob stories sell, right?). Her parents sacrificed a lot to move her to Canada where she could train with some of the best skaters in the world. And then, when the chance to compete in the Olympics came, she contacted the country of her birth and asked if she could skate for them. She carried their flag in the Opening Ceremonies, and no one can complain about her performance in the competition. And she wants to be an inspiration to other skaters from her homeland. Whether it makes her a national hero remains to be seen.
"They're showing more skating on TV now in Turkey," she said. "But I'm not really a star. In the rink they know me, but I can walk down the street and no one does."
She hopes at least to be a role model for would-be Turkish skaters.
"It would be great if they could look at me and say, 'There's someone from here in the Olympics — I'd like to do that,'" she said. "I don't want it to end after me, and for Turkish skating to disappear off the face of the planet." But, I can't help but remember where she is from. Turkey may be moderate and quite Western for a Muslim nation, but they are still 99.8% Muslim. Her parents are part of the small Muslim community in Barrie, Canada. I can't imagine the Imams in Ankara are very happy when they see photos like this:
