Along with the athletes, I feel like I'm still recovering from the Olympics. I'm physically tired from two weeks of staying up too late to watch sports, and my nerves were set on edge watching Nastia and Shawn perfectly perform stunts on that precarious balance beam. And how about shows put on by the Chinese–both athletically and artistically.
Listening to Bob Costas wrap up his coverage, and you could be convinced that the fanfare has gone to his head. The 2008 Olympics were everything they were supposed to be and more–a successful coming out party for China, a place where everyone is happy, welcoming, patriotic but supported of other countries' atheletes as well. Just like those impressive Chinese divers, everything was perfect.
I'm not surprised that dissent within China was silenced, but I was surprised that Costas and his NBC crew were silent about this. Here are two interesting articles from Zenit News Agency, one from the perspective of the bishop of Hong Kong, and another about China's human rights violations surrounding the Olympics.
If the Olympics are held here in Chicago in 2016, I'm sure there will be protests of some sort. (I confess that I'm against the Chicago bid because I'm not convinced the plans for development will help the disadvantaged. Also I play Ultimate next to mostly Latinos playing soccer, African Americans playing softball, and Indians playing cricket in the park where they planning the Olympic stadium.) But more importantly, I hope that the mainstream media doesn't ignore the voices struggling to be heard.
For me the Olympics live up to their excitement in terms of sports, but there seems to be a lot missing when it comes to having a lasting impact on the community where they were held.
What did you think of the 2008 Olympics? Perfect 10.0 or should there be deductions? What about a potential US Olympics in Chicago in 2016?
