Comments on: Olympic Torch-er http://theprofessornotes.com/archives/297?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=olympic-torch-er Where my thoughts and your eyes (and now ears!) collide Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:26:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Steve Swartz http://theprofessornotes.com/archives/297/comment-page-1#comment-9680 Steve Swartz Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:56:14 +0000 http://theprofessornotes.com/?p=297#comment-9680 I have a direct connection to and involvement with the olympics from an "athlete" perspecitve (while not ever being good enough to make the cut for the olympics themselves- yet!). So I have some knowledge; "insider knowledge" maybe even! Those officially connected to "the olympic movement" (athletes, coaches, officials, etc.) frequently get into very involved discussions about "separating politics from the olympics." As much as the athletes and coaches would like to make the games apolitical, sadly, the officials, donors, sponsors, etc. will not allow this to happen. China was awarded the games for political reasons. We ("the west") wanted to open up chinese society, expose them to western concepts and political ideals etc. etc. etc. What is currently happening is not an unintended consequence of the politicization of the games. What is happening is a direct, desired effect. "We" (in the olympic movement) intended for this to happen all along. So here we are. "China, Meet the West. West, Meet China." the other steve OBTW almost forgot- those being assaulted for carrying the torch are actors on this stage; not necesarily "innocent bystanders" at all; I'm sure perhaps a couple of them may not have known what they were in for but the officials organizing the torch relay sure in heck were! I have a direct connection to and involvement with the olympics from an “athlete” perspecitve (while not ever being good enough to make the cut for the olympics themselves- yet!). So I have some knowledge; “insider knowledge” maybe even!

Those officially connected to “the olympic movement” (athletes, coaches, officials, etc.) frequently get into very involved discussions about “separating politics from the olympics.”

As much as the athletes and coaches would like to make the games apolitical, sadly, the officials, donors, sponsors, etc. will not allow this to happen.

China was awarded the games for political reasons. We (“the west”) wanted to open up chinese society, expose them to western concepts and political ideals etc. etc. etc.

What is currently happening is not an unintended consequence of the politicization of the games. What is happening is a direct, desired effect. “We” (in the olympic movement) intended for this to happen all along.

So here we are. “China, Meet the West. West, Meet China.”

the other steve

OBTW almost forgot- those being assaulted for carrying the torch are actors on this stage; not necesarily “innocent bystanders” at all; I’m sure perhaps a couple of them may not have known what they were in for but the officials organizing the torch relay sure in heck were!

]]>