Olympics belong in Greece

Let the Games Begin

By Nick Masullo

I must differ from my fellow liberal human rights advocates. I’m in favor of the upcoming Olympic Games. People around the world are protesting and turning their backs as the torch passes through their communities.

I would rather see the world’s conflicts fought on the athletic field than on the battlefield.

I know the Chinese are destroying low income housing and displacing families to build their Olympic Village. Unfortunately, every nation does this. The problem is the games should be held in Greece every four years. They have the facilities and are the motherland of the games. There’s no need to move them around the world. What about when they are held in the U.S.? We’ll have to borrow the money from China to build our Olympic Village.

I know the Chinese have been cruel and heavy-handed in Tibet. Let’s not discuss our treatment of the Cheyenne, Chippewa. Kiowa, Iroquois, Navajo, Arapaho, Cherokee, Pueblo and other peoples. Let’s hope the world does not boycott the Olympics in the United States on the grounds of Guantanamo, Abugareb, legalized torture memos and the war in Iraq.

Perhaps we could better protest by refusing to buy all Chinese products. That would leave us with . . . organic carrots.

This is particularly painful for me personally, not because I planned to be in the Olympics this time–I am taking this season off–but because I agree with our President, and that only happens once about every four years. George Bush is being petitioned to boycott the opening ceremonies. Our boy is too stubborn for that, and, besides, it would be rude now that China owns us.

I’m glad we went into the heart of Nazi Germany with our athletes. Black Jesse Owens beat the pants off the Aryans on their home turf although Hitler refused to watch him receive his medals.

President Carter boycotted the Olympics for political reasons, effectively destroying the athletic careers of hundreds of American young people who had trained their entire lives, and many would have brought home gold medals. Some recovered four years later, but many never did.

Except for the United States, one of the biggest sporting events in the world is the soccer World Cup. The opponents have recently been determined. There are a number of interesting pairings. Amazingly, South Korea is paired with North Korea. These countries are still officially at war. Let them take out their aggressions on the soccer field. Imagine the diplomacy that may result.

Let the games begin.