To the extent that Olympic athletes represent defining features of their home countries, runner Bryshon Nellum's story highlights a tragic side of American culture: he was the victim of gun violence. Walking home from a Halloween party as an undergraduate at the University of Southern California four years ago, he was targeted by two passersby in a car, who shot him in both legs. Whether the shooting was premeditated or accidental is not clear, but gang vengeance was the motive.
Other countries have their shameful stories, too. But ours is one that rolls along unaddressed, the elephant in the room.
Nellum's painful recovery and appearance at this year's Olympics attest to his faith, spirit, and determination--and perhaps these are American qualities, too. How unfortunate that we can't make similar use of our nation's strengths to end this violent scourge.
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