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# When the Olympics Unite — Politics Shouldn’t Divide
February 23 2026
Written by Ken Alpern.
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ALPERN AT LARGE - It’s OK to dislike (or even despise) the President of the United States. Particularly if he’s one of the more boorish Presidents in recent history (if ever). But we just had a great Winter Olympics showing in Milan, Italy, and the U.S. was in historic terms a big winner.
And even if Norway beat us out in the medals, the U.S. cleaned up in ways no one could have ever predicted…
…but there were some Americans who chose to get cute and be losers, after all the hopes and love (and in many cases funding, both before and with sponsorships after) sent their way.
There are times to be political, but in the public light it works best when athletes and actors and entertainers try not to alienate half their audience.
Hunter Hess the skier mentioned his reticence about representing the U.S.? Not a good idea, in that pissing off not only the all-too-boorish President in the White House but also large numbers of red-blooded (and red-state) fans back at home cost him popular support and probably a lot of endorsements.
Not to question the agility and athletic prowess of Hunter Hess, but maybe he (and all of the athletes) should have put politics aside and focused on wowing even those he politically disagreed with.
Ditto with the amazingly talented Amber Glenn the skater—beautiful and graceful in ways most of us can never achieve, if not imagine, the “woke bitches” probably turned off many an American—and not just the tart-mouthed president (and half of America, to boot).
Did the social media protest, and President Trump’s verbal slapdown, affect her concentration…or even her performance? Hard to say, but it’s doubtful it helped. And her performance at the non-competition “show” at the end of the Winter Olympics showed just how talented and wonderful a skating goddess she was and is.
I just hope that Ms. Glenn and Mr. Hess will take advantage of the show-stealing examples of Alysa Liu and Ilia “The Quad God” Malinin at their future competitions and (hopefully) their next Olympic competitions.
Alysa Liu and Ilia Malinin were graceful, joyful, and fan favorites for EVERYONE.
Which is the U.S. team is supposed to be as they represent their nation.
Alysa Liu injected joy and beauty in her routine in ways we’ve never seen before, and her unique style of carefree zest-and-joy as an ice fairy/nymph/goddess is one I wish we all had—it’s not just her beautiful and unique hairstyle (as a dermatologist, I cannot but wonder in awe at how much work that must have been to create) that’s special.
Ilia Malinin had a mixed performance of both smashing triumph and then painful defeat, but he remains an unquestionable American athletic hero. I suspect he will have an amazing Olympic future, with supportive armies of attracted girls and even larger armies of supporting and rooting fans both American and worldwide, to boot.
There are so many American heroes in skis and bobsleds and skates, but the American hockey teams (both men’s and women’s hockey) both triumphed amazingly over our Canadian neighbors to the north…and while I feel bad for those amazing Canadian hockey players, ours were pretty “bad-ass”.
Jack Hughes, the “nice Jewish boy” who lost a few teeth but got us our gold medal-scoring goal, and his never-say-die teammates…I mean, wow!
No less than the women’s team, who are as ferocious as ever—isn’t it great to know they’re on OUR side.
So the men’s team said yes to President Trump’s invitation to the White House and State of the Union address, while the women’s team tactfully declined the offer (it’s their right, and they showed class)—they’re both heroes, and are making their statements in ways not to attack anyone in the nation they’re representing.
As for Elaine Gu, the “American” who scored major bank representing a China replete with broken human rights, economic, military and environmental misdeeds greater than one can count…the less said the better.
The comparisons between Liu and Malinin on one side, with their roots in fleeing Communist nations, and Gu on the other side are worthy of exploration and debate.
Liu and Malinin ARE coming home as American heroes, and Gu will always remain quite the traitor in minds of a whole lot of Americans who wish she had represented the nation that gave her a better future than ever she would have had in China.
So be it.
Now it’s Los Angeles’ turn to host an Olympics.
Let’s follow the lead of Mike Tirico of NBC, the awesome and first-rate host of these Winter Games. Let’s keep it classy, let’s keep it human, and let’s keep it pro-U.S. of A.
That’s true whether your support or despise the occupant in the White House.
Los Angeles has an opportunity to bring the nation and world together in two years.
Let’s not blow this opportunity.
*(Kenneth S. Alpern, M.D, is a dermatologist who has served in clinics in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties, and is a proud husband and father. He was active for 20 years on the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC) as a Board Member focused on Planning and Transportation, and helped lead the grassroots efforts of the Expo Line as well as connecting LAX to MetroRail. His latest project is his fictional online book entitled The Unforgotten Tales of Middle-Earth, and can be reached at . The views expressed in this article are solely those of Dr. Alpern.)*
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