[Leftcoast]

Having traveled for work and pleasure in China many times, I find the recent othering of China a bit crazy. The average street in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Suzhou and particularly Hong Kong might look more like the West than many who've never visited imagine.  The people I met there look and worry about the same things of those I talk to daily in Silicon Valley.  Somehow we went from seeing China as a strong rival to our Tier 1 enemy in the last decade and recently the vitriol has gotten over-the-top (not from here, other spots on the internet). This is not a good thing.

But taking the focus narrower ... At the end of the day, we are talking about a young lady of dual heritage who chose to represent her mother's country rather than her father's. This happens often. I'm sure lots of reasons figure into her choice but we're not her and can't know all her reasons. She simply has another anthem played should she make the top spot on a podium and she would stand under a different flag.

What I do know is I'd prefer NOT to recruit her into becoming a cold war era soldier forced to fight her mother's heritage. I don't need to hear her answer for all China's many sins in post competition interviews. I may root harder for Alysa Liu but that doesn't mean I need to vilify Eileen Gu.  

Mods-No issue if this stream crosses a line and you delete.  I realize we're getting close.

[Leftcoast]

Having traveled for work and pleasure in China many times, I find the recent othering of China a bit crazy. The average street in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Suzhou and particularly Hong Kong might look more like the West than many who've never visited imagine.  The people I met there look and worry about the same things of those I talk to daily in Silicon Valley.  Somehow we went from seeing China as a strong rival to our Tier 1 enemy in the last decade and recently the vitriol has gotten over-the-top (not from here, other spots on the internet). This is not a good thing.

But taking the focus narrower ... At the end of the day, we are talking about a young lady of dual heritage who chose to represent her mother's country rather than her father's. This happens often. I'm sure lots of reasons figure into her choice but we're not her and can't know all her reasons. She simply has another anthem played should she make the top spot on a podium and she would stand under a different flag.

What I do know is I'd prefer NOT to recruit her into becoming a cold war era soldier forced to fight her mother's heritage. I don't need to hear her answer for all China's many sins in post competition interviews. I may root harder for Alysa Liu but that doesn't mean I need to vilify Eileen Gu.  

Mods-No issue if this stream crosses a line and you delete.  I realize we're getting close.