As any salesman knows, there is nothing as powerful as silence, and silence plus an image can convey more than many pages of text.
In Mile 019 of the A Mile with Me podcast, we will discuss the story of Tommie Smith who I met a few weeks ago at a charity event. Tommie took his platform and moment in time to make a stand for human rights, a stand for which he was to pay a heavy price. Olympic Champion and holder of 11 track and field World Records simultaneously by the age of 24, his stand at the 1968 Olympics led to a life of death threats. 40 years on there are many who hate him for this, but still more who have come to realise the importance of what he did and its resonance today.
Described (by a fan who had travelled 40 years and across the globe to be at the dinner) as the "greatest sprinter of all time", listen as I tell Tommies story interlaced with contemporary clips and also sounds from the dinner as Tommie answers a couple of key questions.
Its a long podcast, but I wanted to do Tommie's story justice, so take me on your long run and hear me as I run in various locations and explore the reasons behind the satnd and why Tommie has received so many human rights honours for it
Music excerpts in todays show, some supplied courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com
Neville Brothers - God on Our Side
Boston - Star Spangled Banner
Michael W Burgess - Silence
Flocabulary - Let Freedom Ring
Youssou N' Dour - Chimes of Freedom
Frankie Goes to Hollywood - San Jose
AMB26 - Summers Day (a mile with me theme)
Links
http://www.tommiesmith.com/
http://www.100bmol.org.uk/
Thanks to Ron Daniel for the link to the charity work of the 100 Black Men of London
Tommie's Book is "Silent Gesture"
http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Gesture-Autobiography-Tommie-Sporting/dp/1592136397
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