The more I think about it, the more I see Simone Biles performed a revolutionary act [View all]

[Bucky]

First Piers Morgan goes after Simone Biles, then some well educated idiot from The Federalist mansplains "The Olympics Isn’t About You, It’s About Winning For America," and now an assistant attorney general for the state of Texas has tweet-called out "our selfish, childish national embarrassment, Simone Biles."

This young lady struck a nerve, apparently. Beware the wrath of the third-tier establishment characters.

Wow. I thought it would just be one or two aberrant voices. I'll admit that at first I even found it laughable how anyone could be upset at an athlete for making a basic safety decision. But if it was just that, then it would be just simple jealousy--a simple why didn't she play through the pain? If it had been me I would have gone for it, baby. It's not just that. Much as I personally loathe identity politics as a label, this outrage from white male officials is a moment defined by powerful white male identity politics. Trust me, over the next few days we will hear lots more non-acrobats do more performative outrage over a gymnast recognizing the potential for an injury.

In this political climate (and this IS political) hateful intolerant men are almost coming out of the woodwork to express anger and contempt at this accomplished young woman. And why are they attacking Simone Biles right now?

1. Because she's black. Over the past few years she hasn't just been winning at gymnastics, she's been redefining the boundaries of the sport. And when a young black woman, a confident young black woman, does that, it means other boundaries can also be exceeded.

2. Because she has survived a sexual assault by an Olympics approved official. And I'm not saying her critics are in favor of sexual assault. But the fact of reported sexual assault reassures hetero men--hetero men who would never commit a violence sexual act--but yet it reassures us where the power lies.

3. Because she walked away from the game. Now, of course, she didn't really "walk away from the game." She's honored the game with heroic accomplishments and hard won excellence for many years. But in the entertainment component of sports, even financially well rewarded athletes are performing for the amusement of the powerful, no different than Roman gladiators. If the sports events keep us happy, the powerful officials up in the skyboxes can look down and feel safer in their positions. Maybe not literally, but if you're in the sky box it sure feels that way. And if you're a lesser official, you can still identify with that power. "We're in the Olympics and the gold makes our flag look good." These powerful athletes are performing for us. They make our crowds happy for us.

But in making a rational decision, a wise tactical decision, to not stick her health and safety on the line for a flag event, Simone Biles reminds us and reminds them that, to the athlete, it's just a day on the job. It's not a validation of our flag or someone's power. This is her work; she's the expert on what's safe and appropriate and what's worth the risk.

She's saying, "I'm not doing this for you." She's saying it to powerful white men who do not want to hear the message that the spectacle of the Olympics isn't in praise of their fine stewardship of the state. It's the work of a young athlete, a sharp brilliant athlete, who has told them "My safety is more important than your games."

They attack her now, because they do not like it when someone else is in charge.