<p>
I actually liked that. Seemed like he was taking joy in being an American. To me, it’s not a bad thing, to groove on the Star Spangled Banner.</p>
<p>Well, yeah Bunsen, you’re right, why trash anyone, but since the OP decided to trash someone, why pick on Shaun White?</p>
<p>Shaun White can’t be any worse for the environment than I am. I design buildings*. In fact, I almost had the oldest live oak tree in Houston demolished because it was the most convenient place to run a sanitary sewer line. When I found out that it was the oldest live oak tree in Houston, horror of horrors, I laughed about it (and rerouted the sanitary sewer line to save the tree).</p>
<p>I’ll bet Shaun has never almost destroyed the oldest live oak tree in any major metropolitan area. ;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This. I just try to live my life a little better… Use the least amount of steel and concrete that I can, use the most permeable pavement to prevent stormwater runoff, promote LEED-certified projects, recycle my paper and cans and bottles, and teach others to do the same. Trashing people doesn’t make the world any better; it just adds more hate, which is one thing this world needs even less than pollution.</p>
<p>*(Okay, mainly baby hospitals and world-class museums in pre-developed urban areas… But still, I’m just an evil professional Earth-killer.)</p>
<p>Sorry zm, but I find it disrespectful. Maybe I’m such an old school. Let’s say if someone much less adorable and much more controversial (Lindsey Vonn or Julia Mancuso) would have done the same, would you approve of them grooving on the National Anthem?</p>
<p>As for the environment, I agree with aibarr. Humans are not Na’vi - all of us trash the planet pretty well.</p>
<p>^^^I had mixed feelings about the air guitar thing. I didn’t care for the tiara and dancing one female took part in during her medal ceremony, either. I don’t think either of them meant any disrespect, however.</p>
<p>I am surprised there is no direction given from the USOC prior to the Games about proper behavior on the medal stand.</p>
<p>Interesting discussion on the Star Spangled banner air riff. I just thought he got caught up in the elation of the moment , forgot where he was for a sec, and was aiming the Hendrix homage to a bud off camera - not to us. </p>
<p>Inappropriate? Well, it’s not my style, for sure …but I’m a stop walking, stop talking, hats off, find the flag, and hum along kinda guy. I see plenty of adults still buying their beer and pretzels, walking to their seats, and carrying on conversations as if it were nothing. </p>
<p>Still, all in all, I won’t lose any sleep over a momentary lapse of propriety by a fella who by all accounts is pretty cHilLaXeD about life. ;)</p>
<p>Add me to the Shaun White fan club!! I agree with ZM, I loved how thrilled he was to be on the podium and truly into the moment. I’d much prefer air guitar than standing up there looking bored especially when they’ve won something other than the gold… </p>
<p>I have to say, I am so thrilled with all the interviews they have done with the U.S. athletes and how well spoken they all are especially in light of some of the leading questions they’ve been asked.</p>
<p>Red Bull sponsored the Half Pipe that White practices on. It may have been Shaun White’s dream, but Red Bull made it happen. I applaud it. </p>
<p>Colorado really, really likes tourists to come to Colorado, because they spend a lot of money on snowboarding and skiing. They have some of the best powder on earth. </p>
<p>It’s a bad thing, how? To increase interest in the sport, by allowing one of the world’s best athletes to borrow some of the snow to practice his tricks? Building that half pipe cost some money, and likely offered a bunch of jobs to people needing work. I am sure the Red Bull Corporation got all the building permits needed to make the project legal. When they are done with it, it will likely be repurposed as a training area for others, or torn down and likely the scrap metal recycled. </p>
<p>Sean White’s existence feeds some of those same dreams of the kids just learning to snowboard. He is an endorsers dream, because he is (so far) just a talented kid who really, really likes his sport. Okay, both of them. </p>
<p>One of my extended family members is related to Warren Miller. Miller has been making ski films for 50 years. Many family’s livelihoods and much money has been made by this empire. As with all those who love nature, they also respect it. Nobody wants to harm an environment that offers such sweet gifts from nature.</p>
<p>But anyone here who has every skiied in Park City, or Mammoth Mountain or Breckenridge has heard those heli-booms. They happen every day. They have to. It’s avalanche control. Otherwise, it could be dangerous to go up and enjoy the powder. </p>
<p>When we get into a discussion about environment, we all damage it in little ways every day. Perhaps we shouldn’t take showers because they waste water. Or fly on airplanes. Or wash our clothes in electric machines. Whether we drive our Priuses with those batteries that will be toxic in a few years, or drive our SUVs (or VW’s), we are using resources that harm the earth.</p>
<p>The question is, how much do you want to walk the walk? We all have various ways that we try to limit our resource consumption. Walking more, buying energy efficient, using less. But to criticize an athlete because this is over the top consumption…well, sorry, I am not buying it.</p>
<p>I don’t think Shaun White is any worse than your average adult living in the US. </p>
<p>Should Michael Phelps not swim because there is too much chlorine going into a pool? Because he flies from US to Europe to compete in different meets? Should the figure skaters or hockey players not skate because they use a Zamboni to clean the ice, or the fact that the rink has to freeze it, which must take an enormous amount of electricity and chemicals?</p>
<p>Should we not go to concerts because they use too high of watts for the lighting system, or use too much electricity to put on a performance?</p>
<p>I don’t know…I think it can get kind of ridiculous if we start really looking at the world around us and how much energy is consumed. The grocery store I shop in probably uses a ton of electricity. Should I not shop there until they put solar panels on the roof, so that they save resources? Should the Times Square or Las Vegas strip businesses go dim because of the electricity they generate every day? ;)</p>
<p>littlegreenmom,
as I was reading your post, I was thinking that the OP should turn off his/her computer ;)</p>
<p>As far as I know there are no laws* about what you are supposed to do when the National Anthem is playing. He had his hand over his heart for almost the entire song. I really felt he just forgot for a second as he went right back to the hand over the heart routine.</p>
<p>Count me in as another Shaun White fan. I like listening to him more than most of the other athletes. When he invited the other athletes up to share the top of the podium with him at the end of the song, I had the sense that he genuinely wanted to share the joy. </p>
<p>*Wouldn’t you know it in 2007 Congress decided we needed a law! (Pass health care reform? No. Worry about respecting a song? Yes sir!) [WikiAnswers</a> - Is there a national anthem etiquette](<a href=“http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_there_a_national_anthem_etiquette]WikiAnswers”>Is there a national anthem etiquette? - Answers)</p>
<p>mominva,</p>
<p>I will do my part today and not cook dinner. There would be electricity and natural gas, plus all the consumption/production issues that are involved in raising fruit, vegetables, dairy and meat. ;)</p>
<p>lgm, but veggies are supposed to be carbon-neutral! It is prefectly OK if you have a bowl of fresh kale for dinner ;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Something doesn’t have to be illegal to be ill advised or in bad taste. However, I do agree with everything you wrote.</p>
<p>OP: I think you “bought” into the crazy Stephen Cobert persona. Cobert tries to get his interviewees (and the audience) upset by asking explosive questions. In reality, Cobert is a very liberal Democrat, but on his TV show he’s a right-wing Republican. He’s just having fun when he asks questions like “why don’t skateboarders cry?” I’m betting White was playing along too.</p>
<p>I think he’s adorable and it takes a certain level of determination to achieve what he has done! Besides, since he has become popular my son’s long curly red hair has proven quite the asset :)</p>
<p>Oh yes I thought the air guitar thing was fun and that he was totally in the moment. I did not find it offensive at all. I thought it was incredibly patriotic and that he was proud to be an American. We also forget that snowboarders, skiers, etc and many of these athletes participate in individual sports, yet when you see them they are cheering and hugging each other on as a US team. That’s a side of sports like ice skating you don’t’ have the opportunity to see and I wonder if it exists? You barely see them talking to each other and there is always a coach hanging on. Perhaps if the ice skating crowd would loosen up their image alittle and allow more TV time to show them as a team people might react more like they react to the skiers and borders.</p>
<p>Another Shaun White fan here.</p>
<p>Bunsen burner,</p>
<p>If I use a bunsen burner to steam my veggies, will that be carbon neutral? :D</p>
<p>
Yes I would approve. I think it’s joyful.</p>
<p>I agree with zoosermom. I would find it disrespectful if someone (anyone) was rolling his or her eyes, or acting too cool for it all, or bored. I thought that Shaun had a goofy, joyful moment. It looked like he caught himself and simmered down. These athletes are all just human beings, and have just experienced monumental triumphs and defeats. I honestly don’t pick any of them apart for being human.</p>