Nancy Brinker United States Ambassador
‘Soſt Power’ Win for U.S. A BY NANCY BRINKER
merica’s most gifted athletes took the stage and competed in the Winter Olympics in Beijing in
February. While their participation was
viewed by many to be controversial, their presence sent a message more powerful than the resulting medal counts. Our nation’s values were on dis-
play, and they shined bright for all the world to see. The term “soft power” has become
a catch-all among diplomats and political scientists to describe infl u- ence that is not “hard” in the sense of military force. A nation’s hard power is based
on coercion, largely a function of its armed forces or even economic might in the form of sanctions. Soft power, by comparison, is based
on attraction, arising from the posi- tive appeal of a country’s ideals and cultural trends. On Dec. 6, President Joe Biden
announced a formal diplomatic boy- cott of the games; meaning that no government offi cials from the U.S. would be in Beijing. Athletes, how- ever, could still participate.
At the time, this was viewed as a controversial decision. Hindsight has shown it was the right one. Hosting the Olympic Games is
an honor that should not have been granted to China considering its gov- ernment-sanctioned genocide in the Xinjiang region. When the Chinese Communist
Party offi cials were named hosts by the International Olympic Com- mittee, they viewed the honor as an opportunity to whitewash their crack- downs on free press, violations of human rights, and the atrocities that have been waged on Uyghur Muslims. Ahead of the games, China active-
ly took steps to crush any sign of domestic dissent, and offi cials openly warned that even foreign athletes who intended to make political statements would be subject to “certain punish- ment.” The U.S., Britain, and Australia
were among a handful of countries that announced a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics in light of these cir- cumstances. It was a largely symbolic yet notable
stand that the CCP dismissed as “politi- cal posturing.” Biden faced bipartisan calls for a full U.S. boycott, but that decision
Motel Welcomes the Needy A
motel owner is making sure people have a roof over their heads by off ering free rooms to folks in need.
New Jersey’s Lincoln Tunnel Motel has been in Brian Arya’s
family for years. Although he harbored aspirations of an acting career, Arya began working the night shift there in 2012. Then, his father gifted him partial ownership. At the onset of the pandemic, Arya saw firsthand
the growing need for aff ordable places to stay. “We started seeing an influx of unhoused people. You know, they just couldn’t aff ord rent anymore, and so, they’d come to our motel,” he told CBS News. Arya put together a steady stream of humorous and often poignant videos and posted them on TikTok. The
30 NEWSMAX | APRIL 2022
Best of the Best
would have played into the CCP’s pro- paganda eff orts. A solitary holdout by the U.S. might
have made some people feel righteous and empowered, but it would likely have been counterproductive. It would look like a politically moti-
vated bout of moral lecturing at the expense of our athletes, who would have lost decades of training and the opportunity to compete. Additionally, there is tremendous
soft power projection inherent in the participation of American athletes on the world stage. America’s female athletes, in par-
ticular, have personal stories of strug- gle, sacrifi ce, hardship, and endur- ance that show little girls around the world that they too may one day shine. When The Star-Spangled Banner
was played on Chinese soil, it wasn’t just Americans who stood at attention. The world watched, and there was power in that. The world’s democracies, along
with future Olympians and Paralym- pians, are better for it today.
Nancy Brinker, founder of The Promise Fund and Susan G. Komen, is a former U.S. ambassador who talks with top newsmakers, titans of business, and world leaders on their lives, politics, and more.
satirically dubbed Motel Hell series currently boasts a fan base of more than 880,000 followers. Donations of food,
toiletries, and funding to front room charges started pouring in. Local college students trucked over a stack of supplies from their food pantry. Arya estimates he’s given away between 50 to
60 free rooms so far. “You’ve just got to get to know people, get to know their stories. And I’m fortunate I get
to do that.”
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