THE NEW NIKE AD AS SOCIAL PARASITISM

In his latest "Nameless One" vlogcast, Affirmative Right assistant editor Andy Nowicki comments on Nike's latest, mega-corporate ad campaign, which features washed-up quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other "woke" Black or feminist people in an obvious attempt to stoke up the outrage machine and create social division in order to generate publicity and profits, while eating into the fabric of society and the chances of peaceful coexistence.

WHY CHINA WON THE 2008 OLYMPICS

Originally published at Caste Football in 2008, and republished to coincide with the Rio Olympics.

by Colin Liddell

Some countries will do anything to get an Olympic medal. Georgia, for example, went to the trouble of recruiting both its men and women’s beach volleyball teams from players rejected from Brazil’s national team. This meant that players who spoke no Georgian, knew almost nothing about the country, and had only visited it once or twice, briefly, competed under its banner. Luckily, justice was done and both teams failed to get a medal.

Georgia’s neighbour Turkey was more successful. It got a couple of silver medals from the Ethiopian long distance runner Elvan Abeylegesse. Compared to the ‘Georgians,’ at least Abeylegesse had lived in the country for a few years and had also married but then divorced a Turkish national. Still, the reason she finished second in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter races wasn’t because she was Turkish. Despite what it said on her passport or vest, she was still biologically benefiting from having the lightweight frame and high red blood cell count of an Ethiopian.

EQUALITY, EQUALITY EVERYWHERE, BUT NOT A DROP TO DRINK

Odaiba, Tokyo.

by Colin Liddell

Recently I ventured on foot across the ominously named "Rainbow Bridge," which spans Tokyo Bay, to visit the artificially created land of Odaiba. When Tokyo holds the Olympics in 2020, this is the area that will host the athletes' village as well as many of the other facilities and venues.

I say ominously-named, because "rainbow," rather than pleasant associations of sunshine after rain or pots of gold left by leprechauns, now has more disturbing ideological connotations; whether it is the "Rainbow Nation" of South Africa, with its genocidal tendencies, or the rainbow flag used to promote the deconstruction of gender roles in the West and the promotion of mass, multi-partner buggery.

But while Japan keeps a tight watch on its borders – at least for now – the nation and its culture occasionally pay lip service to the globalized Western (ab)norms now symbolized by the borderless gradations of the chromatic spectrum.

BRAZIL: FOOTBALL OR FASCISM?

The Eagle has landed.

by Colin Liddell

There are only two factors that unite Brazil – the Portuguese language and their pride in their 'national' football ("soccer") team. Almost everything else – regional rivalries, racial differences, economic inequalities, and diverse climate zones – drives the nation apart. Even Catholicism, since the inception of Liberation Theology, has become more of a divisive force. It is interesting, therefore, to consider what effect their drubbing at the hands of Germany in the World Cup semi-finals will have on the nation.

It is also interesting to ponder on the cultural semantics of an overtly German team – even one that isn't quite pure itself – crushing a team that is a kind of poster child for the great multiracial hybrid future that we are all supposed to stroll willingly towards. Alas the main talisman of this mongrelized team, Neymar, a mixed race player with naturally kinky hair who has straightened and dyed his hair blond, couldn't make the game due to his injury in Brazil's quarter-final victory over Colombia – a somewhat darker version of themselves.

GAMING THE WORLD

This article was published at Alternative Right four years ago, at the time of the 2010 World Cup. Although the soccer references may be slightly dated, the points made are more relevant than ever.

Balotelli and banana.

Soccer and the Campaign for Anti-Racism 

by Colin Liddell

For most of those interested in it, the World Cup exists on two levels. First, there is the intense partisan connection that all supporters feel for their own national team—some of the deepest and occasionally darkest feelings known to man. Then there is the wider interest in the game—a more generous and objective love of the skills and stories generated by the competition, such as Germany's remarkable ability to destroy teams on the break, Diego Forlan's incredible shooting accuracy, Maradona's touchy- feely management style, and, of course, Paul the Octopus.

Typically the earlier stages of World Cups are experienced mainly on the first level, while in the latter stages—after most of the teams have been knocked out—supporters tend to broaden their appreciation and enjoy the game in a more general sense.

In my case, as the supporter of a country (Scotland) that failed even to qualify for the World Cup finals, my interest has been on the second level, except for a passing interest in seeing my country's traditional rival (England) knocked out—an aspiration that has thankfully come to pass.

PODCAST 8: SOCHI STUFF AS DREAMS ARE MADE ON

Sochi opening ceremony

Is sport "a continuation of politics by other means"? With the Winter Olympics in Sochi on everyone's mind and TV screen, Andy and Colin take a long look back at the history of the Olympic movement and sport in general, stopping along the way to discuss the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the boycotts of the Cold War period, Andy's attendance at the 1984 LA Games, and why there have been no terrorist attacks so far.

Does Sochi mark the start of a new Cold War, and how does the opening ceremony of these games compare with the London Summer Olympics two years ago?