Eloi Olympics
A reader writes, under the subject heading, “The official European religion”:
If one has any doubts as to what the official state religion of Europe is, it was on parade in the opening ceremonies of the winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. Speech after speech by sports and government officials were nothing but paeans, praises and “prayers” to the liberal principles that should hold the world together in peace through tolerance. “Let us transcend the barriers of nation, race and language” was the official mantra that evening.
All this was capped with the singing of the secular Olympic “hymn” (yes, they officially have an Olympic hymn), which while totally secular in nature retained the melody and rhythms of religious music. While the choir and orchestra were offering this Olympic hymn of praise to the skies (heavens?), six women (we can’t expect athletic, muscular, virile men these days at the head of an official procession), came in carrying the Olympic flag. And who were these chosen women? Why there was Susan Sarrandon representing the North American continent. A good conservative choice! Who represented the South American continent? Isabel Allende (name rings a bell). Which women represented the other continents? Almost every one of them concerned with “rights of minorities,” “rights of the oppressed,” “safeguarding the environment,” etc.
And which political figure was hilighted time and again representing the U.S. at these festivities? No surprise there—stands to reason—Laura Bush! Who seemed to be enjoying immensely the post-modern (semi-erotic) dances and music that had nothing in common with traditional Italian culture.
The cost was somewhere around $5 million for that evening alone, ensuring that we all got the message that the athletes from around the world were here to compete for a higher cause (transcending national boundaries)—world comraderie. And of course NBC was sure to make us aware that this or that “minority” athlete was competing for the first time in a specific sport thus showing the progress being made in the world. Female participation (at 46% this year) was edging towards that 50% mark when there would be absolutely equal participation among the sexes in world sport.
God (who does not officially exist any longer) was probably smiling beneficently from heaven at the spectacle that mankind has arrived at a point where its hymns could be to itself (yes we have matured as per His plan) even if the musical harmonics are still borrowed from His past. His children (of all sexes and all races) are now evenly dividing the glories of athletic competition and laurels.
What however has remained incomplete (more liberalism to come?) is that we don’t have true sexual representation in the Olympics. For example, pairs skating is done with male and female couples. We have yet to see gay pairs figure skating but in The Year of Brokeback Mountain, this may yet be broached for the next winter Olympics in Vancouver (and in what better liberal winter venue but Canada?).
Posted by Lawrence Auster at February 12, 2006 03:27 PM | Send