The Olympics, Politics, Education and a big WHY?!

08.08.08 is finally here!



A friend and I were discussing China's law of blocking all internet sites it deems "inappropriate." The press, as well, was to have just as limited access. My argument to my friend was that in such a circumstance, it is inappropriate to block the rest of the world's access to the internet. Her argument was that it is their country and the IOC chose them to host. Therefore, we have to honor their laws.



At the time of the discussion, I was still on the side of the reporters. I also argued that the athletes should be able to contact their family through the internet and have the access they normally have to the internet.



As I sit here watching the opening ceremonies and the parade of nations, I'm getting a better perspective of the fact that the Olympics is NOT politics. It is a time to set aside politics and honor the the one period every 4 years (2 years with the Winter Olympics) when it's possible to have representatives from all countries--even those who we politically disagree with--compete together in the same games.

Relations and politics between nations is messy and complicated in general. So to have something like this is amazing. And thus, I've learned that we have to honor the laws and traditions of the country that is hosting.

I've also learned that I love saying the name of the country Djibouti. "Dga-bootie"

When the kids are older, I'm going to have them sit with the globe and find the countries as they are announced. I'm not sure that even I could keep up! There are countries with names I just remotely recognize and those with names that have changed.

I loved much of the African Nation clothing which was colorful and traditional. The costumes of China during the opening ceremony were amazing as well (especially the children representing the different cultures of China). Hungary looked as if they were attempting to be modern and close up, the dress suits were pretty (white with red Poppy? flowers). But from farther away, and as a crowd, they looked like big paint splotches.

I have to say I really loved that there was no "alphabetical order" to the countries! It sounds like it had to do with the Chinese characters and their numbers, something I didn't quite understand and yet, I thought it was a great way to shake it all up.

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On another note, I would like to know a big WHY:

WHY is it, even though the Olympics are NOT televised live, that we are FORCED to sit through every other event of the day just to see the ONE event we WANT to see?

I'm sure a part of it is to promote television advertisers. Or perhaps the thought is that we'll watch the lesser-viewed games. But really, it just makes me miss parts of the event I WANT to see and it irritates me that I'm wasting 3-4 hours of my time to watch 1 hour of gymnastics or swimming.

You'd think they'd split it out, show each event in it's entirety and sell the advertising for that event that is most relevant to the viewers that typically watch that event. So there.

Yep, I'm gonna have to be a couch potato so I can watch the events I like.