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June 08, 2008
They're Almost Here...
Not many people know this, but I am a HUGE fan of the Olympics. I love the fact that every two years, athletes from all over the world, gather together to prove that at least in small groups, we can all get along together. This is the spirit that drives the Olympics. I experienced that spirit after volunteering for the World University Games in Buffalo, in 1993. I met so many people, from so many different places. It was a great time to learn about other peoples and cultures, and just put our differences aside, at least for a little while.
Then, in 1992, the Olympics Summer Games were held in Atlanta. The Torch came through Buffalo. I covered the Torch Run for radio station WGR-55. It was amazing. The Torch had its own security force from the Georgia State Patrol, and even had it's own hotel room! That is how special the flame is, and how significant it is to the Games.
This year, the Olympic Summer Games are being held in China. China doesn't have a great human rights record, and I am no fan of what they do to, have done, and probably will do to their own people. But what happens in another country, is, in my opinion, nobody's business. Yes, China has cracked down on political activists in China, Tibet, Mongolia, and Taiwan. But to douse the flame as it makes its way across Europe is sad. We may not like what China does, but we have to put that aside, so that the Games can go on, peacefully, without the interference of politics.
Earlier this year, the Oylmpic Flame was protested on its route around the world. Activists tried to douse the flame as it made its way from Greece, to Beijing. It was sad to watch this, as the Olympics are for athletes, and not for politicians, though the politicians would think otherwise. The Flame is an enduring symbol of what the Games mean, and what they mean to a peaceful society. It made me sad to see the Flame being targeted as a symbol of politics, rather than a symbol of peace. To make matters worse, the Chinese people suffered greatly, after the major earthquake that took the lives of countless people. All we can do now is pray for them, and pray that the Games go off without a hitch.
That being said, I am so totally stoked that as of today, the Olympics are only two months away! The spirit of competition is gearing up, and so are the athletes from all over the world. I will try to watch as much as I can, and enjoy the Games that while at once, seem so very far away, but are really so close.
Good luck athletes! Bring home the gold!
Posted by Jon at June 8, 2008 08:18 PM