As the time begins to tick away at the commencement of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, I am both excited and trepedacious. The Olympics is one of my favorite global events, even with all of its commercial imprints, its over the top milking of emotions, its less than stellar competition at times, and its preponderance of attention paid to gymnastics, swimming and track. I love the idea of the Olympics. I love the idea of bringing all the best in world at what they do and letting them do what they do together. But I am also trepedaciosu because this is in China.
One the one hand I want these Olympics to showcase my culture, I want to proclaim to the world that they ignore the Chinese at their own peril, that the little Chinamen are strong, resourceful, and smart. On the other hand I want to see the oligarchs of the communist party fall on their faces, I want to see them lose face, on the biggest stage in the world as the limelight shines on them. Afterall, they had asked for the attention, they have had eight years to prepare for a smoothly functioning event. They have had eight years to right the wrongs and to create a 21st centurey legacy for the future generations of Chinese people. But hey have not done so. Instead, what I am seeing, on the eve of their coming out party is a group old men, scared of what they have wrought, getting cold feet right before their big debut, resorting to decades old totalitairan tricks as the world is ready to celebrate their emergence into world leadership.
It is ironic that they are showing the world that they are incapable of pulling off a showcase event, let alone lead the world in all of its economic, political, and philosophical needs.
I hope the sports turn out to be excellent, because the hosts certainly are not doing their part. They have shown themselves to be niggling cowards of the ultimate sort.
