I always find it special to hear of inspirational human beings, who care for others, who care how their creativity impacts others. Like many, I watched the competitions at this summer’s Olympic Games with great interest. It was only after the end of the Games that I heard of Erick Barrondo, a race walker who won a silver medal for Guatemala at 20 km. It was the first Olympic medal ever won by a Guatemalan athlete.
But First, A Word From Our Sponsor:
Top Comments recognizes the previous day's Top Mojo and strives to promote each day's outstanding comments through nominations made by Kossacks like you. Please send comments (before 9:30pm ET) by email to topcomments@gmail.com or by our KosMail message board. Just click on the Spinning Top to make a submission. Look for the Spinning Top to pop up in diaries around Daily Kos.
Make sure that you include the direct link to the comment (the URL), which is available by clicking on that comment's date/time. Please let us know your Daily Kos user name if you use email so we can credit you properly. If you send a writeup with the link, we can include that as well. The diarist reserves the right to edit all content.
Please come in. You're invited to make yourself at home! Join us beneath the kos-doodle...
|
Prior to his departure for the London Games, Barrondo bought a TV, his family's first, so they could watch the coverage. It turned out to be a good choice!
A Yahoo sports story (linked through an sfgate blog) reported:
Barrondo received a call of congratulations from Guatemalan president Otto Perez Molina, who informed Barrondo that Guatemalans took to the streets to cheer his win.
Interviewed after his race, Barrondo said:
It is well known that Guatemala has problems with guns and knives,” said Barrondo. “I hope that this medal inspires the kids at home to put down guns and knives and pick up a pair of trainers instead. If they do that, I will be the happiest guy in the world.
And, again, from the Yahoo story (linked, above) ...
Now that Barrondo is a star in his country, he used his platform to encourage an end to violence. There’s not a much better way for an Olympian to behave.
I have not copied it, but there is a terrific photo of a triumphant Barrondo on that site, joy clearly written in his face.
It may surprise you to learn, Erick Barrondo, that you are a role model beyond Guatemala’s borders. Thank you!
Who and what inspires you? :) Please share!
On to tonight's comments! (Thanks to brillig for the compilation and formatting! Much appreciated!)
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything
without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do
not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
From rovertheoctopus:
This comment by earicicle, from brooklynbadboy's President Obama swings, hits solar plexus+.
From Steveningen:
In RakDaddy's touching diary I sent my Eagle Scout badge back yesterday, Patriot4peace deserves a spot in Top Comments for perfectly articulating the deep respect this diarist has earned.
From Clem Yeobright:
You have to start with Trix's graphic, which is pretty Top in itself, but the VERY Top Comment is Mother Mags' response.
From Seneca Doane:
This top comment honor goes to indie17 -- to be shared with the guy in the photo posted from Benghazi.
From voracious:
I just loved this comment by CrazyHorse and after having it stay with me for a few hours I am sending it in to Top Comments. It really makes us think about our State Department employees and how attacks like these affect them in different ways than it affects the rest of the country.
From BeninSC:
Randomfactor, on when physics meets politics!
This comment from whytewolf about the tragedy in Libya deserves attention for its great heart and thoughtfulness.
Top Mojo for yesterday, September 11th, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you
mik for the mojo magic!
1) Keep talking Cheney. Remind America of the W Years by ewan husarmee — 306
2) Exactly. Almost every thing Obama has been stuck by Pescadero Bill — 202
3) SEALS by NegSpin — 157
4) First rat jumping off the sinking ship. by Adama D Brown — 155
5) Wow by Blazehawkins — 140
6) the lack of shame is galling. by real world chick — 130
7) What a dick. by middleagedhousewife — 128
8) hedging bets? by Unit Zero — 128
9) Who seriously thought roMONEY would keep the deal? by DickCheneyBeforeHeDicksYou — 126
10) Good, I'm sick and tired of the U.S. by Jim R — 125
11) I always wonder by MKSinSA — 123
12) I cannot look at the pictures of the towers by Otteray Scribe — 123
13) Notice Romney isn't talking about Bain? by brooklynbadboy — 115
14) The idea of Romney as Elmer Fudd by PoliticallyNonEuclidean — 113
15) Nobody has to be a truther by MBNYC — 110
16) Not a big deal really. by Jacoby Jonze — 105
17) Notice the lies buried in Cheney's first sentence by Califlander — 94
18) Well... by RichM — 91
19) Obama never took sole credit. He praised by Kimball Cross — 90
20) Hardly the first. Highest profile. n/t by Remembering Jello — 89
21) he flip-flopped on a 9/11 agreement. Yet by Olympia — 89
22) "Bawack Obama is one by Vita Brevis — 89
23) Netanyahu ... R's politicizing Chicago Teachers' by billlaurelMD — 88
24) When had Obama by fladem — 87
25) The Lady Catherine de Burgh of national security by flashmans ghost — 86
26) Not a rat so much... by MBNYC — 84
27) Of course, all part of the Republican by TomP — 83
28) Agreed by Armando — 82
29) Love it by Deep Dark — 82
30) Obama should appoint Ron Paul by sunbro — 81
Top Pictures for yesterday, September 11th. Click any image to be taken to the full comment. Thank you
jotter for the image magic!