Column by Stewart Rawson: Olympics was a time for all to come together, celebrate unity

Sports are a vital piece of the fabric of our country. It is not inconsequential that a 30-minute evening news cast contains headlines, and other important news, the weather and, without fail, sports. I realize that not everyone loves sports as much as I do (my lovely wife, for instance), but I have always looked at sports as a healthy outlet from the sometimes overwhelming events of life.

I am new to Sumter, but in my short time here, I have gained a great respect for the rich athletic traditions that exist here. Parks and stadiums celebrate local legends, most notably Freddie Solomon and Bobby Richardson (thankfully I have had the privilege already of meeting Bobby, and he is not only a sports legend, but he is also a treasure for this city). Current athletes like Ja Morant and Jordan Montgomery are at the top of their respective sports. At their best, athletic events can bring us together, unite us around a common goal and maybe, just maybe, bridge divides that exist in our culture.

On Sunday, I watched the closing ceremonies of the 2024 Summer Olympics from Paris, France. In an age of widespread terrorism, we all breathed a sigh of relief that the games came off without any tragedies. It is a sad reality of our modern lives together that this is a measure of success. The Olympics, as they do every other year, brought the world together. In a time of war in both Ukraine and in Israel, we watched as athletes from warring nations came together and kept their battles to the court or the pitch. Most of the athletes stay together in a massive village built to house them for the duration of the games, and the chair of the International Olympic Committee commented in his closing remarks on how amazing it is that these violent differences can be set aside for a moment, for two weeks, but still for a period of peace and celebration of our common humanity. This, to me, is sports at its best!

The performances of the athletes were amazing! A'ja Wilson, who was born and raised in Columbia and graduated from the University of South Carolina, was the MVP of the women's basketball competition, and she and her teammates brought home the gold! The U.S. women's soccer (the rest of the world calls it "football") team also brought home the gold, as did the U.S. men's basketball team; it was a proud day to be an American and to hear our national anthem played. At a time when our country is divided in so many different ways, it was an opportunity, once again if only for a moment, for us to come together and to put aside our differences and to celebrate our unity.

I will keep being thankful for the outlet that athletic events provide, and I will pray for unity and compassion amid our differences.

Stewart Rawson is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Downtown Sumter.