"Olga"

3 July 2024: “That summer she was elected to carry the flag of the United States in the opening ceremonies. The American Olympic Committee tried to strip her of the honor—they didn’t like her outspoken opposition to the Vietnam War—but her teammates weren’t having any of it. The Soviet flagbearer walked the track carrying his flag in one hand, a show of strength in more ways than one. So, Olga did the same thing. She would say it was the proudest moment of her life.” 

Listened to this episode of The Memory Palace this morning and found so much of it memorable and moving. But the passage above really got to me; our current political moment is almost unbelievable, but Olga's story just makes clear why this current turmoil matters. We've got to get it right to be the nation that people like Olga devoted their adult lives to, even (especially!) when it is hard. We just have to.