Reality in the Wake of the Gabby Douglas Hair Controversy

If I'm going to just put it out there, any person, especially women who had a considerable problem with how Gabby Douglas' hair looked during and after securing 2 Gold Medals in the Olympics obviously has never engaged in athletics nor persired doing so. After doing something NO woman of color who proceeded her in the Summer Games has ever done, that is winning the Gold Medal in an all-around performance, the tone shifted to how her hair looked during the gymnastics portion of the games. Now just those few sentences there truly prioritized for some what was more important. Now I won't take a poll on what amount of disappointed posts were from African-Americans like Gabby, but I would venture a guess most of them were people of color, Men and Women. It's so terribly sad in these days of social media, that her hair would take presidence over her history making accomplishments. 5 months ago, her coaches didn't think she posessed the intestinal fortitude to even make the team. They said she lacked focus. I personally believe they had the young ladies in mind that they wanted to take led by Jordan Wieber, but in the end after the trials, Gabby made the Karoly's decision so tough, she would not be denied. And in the end, they looked like geniuses for taking her. But make no mistake, Jordan was the supposed leader of the team because she was the defending World Champion gymnast. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending whose eyes you viewed it from, Gabby outshined them all. The confidence or swagger exhibited after she finished routines at the all-around events, when after finishing a routine she would then walk through her opponents bench area as if it was her olympic moments, and as my late Father would say the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Her pronouncement of faith, as well as her humility in winning and in defeat was refreshing, and somewhat inspiring since in the all around competition was something at least two of her teammates could really have benefited from. And to articulate her emotions at the time was something that showed of a young woman on the threshold of greatness. So please do not get caught up on what her hair looked like before during, or after competition. Her smile radiates a room, and her grace makes me glad that the powers that were in charge did not overlook what was to become one of the most captivating stories of the 30th Summer Olympic Games.