Everyone is watching the Olympics here in Shanghai, with coverage on numerous channels, it’s hard not to get caught up in it. The games have been overwhelmingly positive for China, as a country and as a people. The opening ceremonies were beautiful, leaders of participating countries have attended, logistics seem to be going smoothly, and the facilities look spotless. Despite negative coverage of the Olympics from abroad, I don't doubt this event will be considered a success.
It reminds me of the 2004 DNC in Boston, which was criticized for various reasons literally up until the day it happened (problems with funding, political disagreements between Menino and Kerry, traffic inconveniences, etc.). The convention is now considered an overwhelming success, and has changed Boston's status in the US for the better.
Of course, all the political turmoil we hear about in the news nevertheless exists, and I wouldn’t say that international relations have improved as a result of the games. But I suppose the Olympic spirit (and propaganda??) has finally gotten to me, and, I realize, we still can and should appreciate the Olympics for the good that they bring.
2 comments:
my mom complained that the opening ceremonies were very heavily gender segregated with only a few women roles and no coed ones - I agree. still, ya, it was cool and all that i guess.
On the Olympics, I read in a French newspaper this info. Everywhere in the world, because the International Olympic Committee says to do so, the medal count is based on first gold medals, then silver and last bronze. So that China is first in the world. Exemple : http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/GL/95A/GL0000000.shtml. But, for all US newspaper, the medal count is global, so that the US is first (for the moment). I don't know what is best, if we should count or not, and if the US newspapers always did like that, but I find this information very funny. Even the New York Times, known as left wing, goes for this pro US medal count !
http://2008games.nytimes.com/olympics/medals.asp
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