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cbspock
02-05-2002, 10:04 PM
Seems it is okay for other nations to wave their flag, but when we do it, well...we are the bad Americans.:mad: :mad: Well, the world better get used to us waving our flags again.

http://www.theunholytrinity.org/cracks_smileys/contrib/navigator/usa.gif

Duncan Mackay in Salt Lake City
Monday February 4, 2002
The Guardian

The organisers have been told by the International Olympic Committee to tone down overt shows of patriotism during the 2002 winter games' opening ceremony here on Friday and not to honour the victims of September 11.
"These games are held in the United States and we have deep respect and sympathy for everything that has happened since September 11," said François Carrard, the IOC's director general. "But let's not forget the games is a universal event." The opening ceremony is being televised worldwide.

A tribute "of some kind" will occur in the hour before the show to those killed in the attack on the World Trade Centre, possibly incorporating the American flag retrieved from the rubble after the terrorist attack, the Salt Lake Organising Committee president Mitt Romney suggested.

"It's not designed to be a patriotic American display," he said. "While the experience of 9/11 certainly impacts on all of us, there should not be a direct tribute in the ceremony itself."

Even before September 11 the IOC was concerned that the SLOC might incorporate too much patriotism into the opening ceremony, a criticism levelled by some at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1996 Atlanta summer games.

"Around the world it was like, 'Boy, those Americans, always beating their chests,'" said Romney. "This is not our time to talk about how great America is."

So far in the run-up to these games coverage has concentrated almost exclusively on the home competitors, raising fears of a repeat of the LA and Atlanta games when events with little home interest were rarely shown on US television.

Romney hopes the opening ceremony, due to be attended by President Bush and the United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan, will allay such fears. The Salt Lake show was planned long before the terrorist attacks and sketched out before the 2000 summer games in Sydney, he said.

Bright lights have so far illuminated the University of Utah's Rice-Eccles stadium- "Olympic Stadium" - late into the night for rehearsals and stage construction. But particulars of the ceremony remain a secret, although it is known that the performers will include the British singers Sting and Charlotte Church.

The ceremony, in its varied form, will reflect the culture and history of Utah and the American West, Romney said. It will also highlight Olympic spirit and the international community.

However, one possible complication could be the weather with forecasters expecting strong storms in northern Utah from Friday morning. The fear is that performers in large costumes could be "blown away" if heavy winds kick up.

Roger
02-05-2002, 10:57 PM
Interesting controversy, Chris. I myself wouldn't object too much if the US contingent marched in with that flag. My wife's reaction was dead against though because the olympics are not about any one country (supposedly). So already the politicization of the games has begun.

I'm a bit like you Chris. Each of us is proud of our country and can be a bit in your face about it. Since we each have a different home country and since I want to keep you as a friend, I won't get into a dispute with you about this. You will note I adopted the Canadian olympic design as my avatar a few days ago.

There is a thoughtful article about the US attitude and in particular the US style of covering the olympics on TV at:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usatoday/20020205/cm_usatoday/3827966

This was written by an American by the way. He complains among other things about how US TV covers only the Americans. Well. it seems to me Canadian TV covers mainly Canadians. One of my English cousins complains the Brits just cover the Brits. We are all missing the point I guess. Instead of using the games as an international celebration we are all celebrating ourselves and not listening to all those other nationalities who are celebrating themselves. This is why the IOC don't want your tattered flag carried in - it puts an American stamp on what is supposed to be an international gathering. Also it is sort of bad taste for the host of a party to glorify himself.

Having said all that, if somehow the USA contingent does carry that flag in, I for one will be moved. Like it or not, ALL countries are threatened by terrorism. We should ALL pull together to combat it.

Roger

cbspock
02-05-2002, 11:02 PM
You know the last time NBC covered the games, it was awful!!!! It was all commcericals, they never showed all the events, or if they showed one, it was not the complete contest.


As to the flag, THE GAMES ARE IN OUR COUNTRY!!!! If other country's don't like it...GET OUT!!! Is my atitude!! It's about time the USA stops being the worlds whipping post. The olympics are political anyway. We are the host country like it or lump it.

You wave the Canadian flag, I'll wave the US one :)

http://www.freakygamers.com/smilies/s2/contrib/navigator/usa.gif http://www.freakygamers.com/smilies/s2/contrib/anym/olympic1.gif http://www.duhspot.com/users/smiley/s/ups/budaz/canadaf.gif

-Chris

Roger
02-05-2002, 11:10 PM
I'll tell you one definite result of Sept. 11. From now on only the richest countries of the world can afford to host the olympics because of the cost of security. In fact, I'm not sure anyone other than the States can afford it.

Roger

cbspock
02-05-2002, 11:15 PM
I think the security is probably overkill. Did they select the city for the next Summer Games yet???


-Chris

FV
02-06-2002, 06:04 AM
I am not convinced that the flags at the Olympics are supposed to portray each country as being against the others..I think the Olympics flag itself, the five circles representing the five continents (alas six in reality..) overlapping as a sign of people from different countries and cultures coming together is the best example of the unity of mankind..There is indeed the competition aspect of the games..which is a reminder of people proving to be the best athletes..but in my opinion and based upon what happened both in 1980 and 1984, politics should not get in..I am not saying we should all forget about terrorism and accept it, I am just saying that the Olympics is indeed an event that may allow people to unite against everything that threats humanity..
I would not have any problems myself regarding the US flag being carried in by the athletes, but I think the IOC tried to portray unity over division...when a country hosts the Olympic games that country is hosting all the cultures and the people of those five circles..:) Just my Opinion..:)

cbspock
02-06-2002, 06:33 AM
The olympic circles, are those colors for a specific reason, one of those colors are in every nations flag. :)


-Chris

Roger
02-06-2002, 09:09 AM
Originally posted by cbspock
I think the security is probably overkill. Did they select the city for the next Summer Games yet???


-Chris

Yes, if you lived in Canada, you would know this, Chris. Beijing was awarded the games even though everyone agreed Toronto had the best bid. Politics again. On the other hand, Canada's failure to become host again for the summer olympics means an IOU for the next winter games to be decided. Vancouver has its bid in for this. I'm betting they will get it.

Roger

cbspock
02-09-2002, 05:47 PM
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:


I can't believe these people!!!! KUWAIT of all the mid eastern countries has the NERVE to critize the patriotic display at the Opening ceremonies!!! Maybe next time, we let Iraq have them.

When the opening ceremonies are in other countries the USA does not get all freaked out that the host nation is waving their flags and the opening ceremonies portray their customs, and history. When the USA does it, we get hit in the head, but they sure love our money that we give in "foriegn aid".

It is about time we start waving our flag around again, after 8 years of being the worlds joke. Seems that some European nations have a case of America envy, atleast that is the term that is being mentioned on some of the news talk shows that are on here in the US.



http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/winter02/gen/news?id=1326161

Members of foreign media frown on patriotic ceremony

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press


SALT LAKE CITY -- While Americans gave the Winter Olympic opening ceremony red, white and blue raves, some members of the foreign press were critical of the festivities' patriotic overtones.


Most of their criticism was about the tie-ins to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, especially the procession of the flag recovered from the rubble of the World Trade Center.

"This is wrong," Hafez Dahi, sports writer for Al-Siyassah daily newspaper in Kuwait, said as he watched part of the ceremony with friends back home. "This is supposed to be just sports."

U.S. athletes and police officers carried the flag into the stadium while the Mormon Tabernacle choir sang the national anthem at the beginning of the ceremony, which also featured a New York City police officer singing "God Bless America" and the gold medal-winning 1980 U.S. hockey team lighting the Olympic cauldron.

In an article written before the ceremony, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported: "It is annoying that they are bringing the Ground Zero flag. ... It doesn't have anything to do with the Olympics."

The Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet ran a half-page picture of spectators holding American flags, then criticized such a patriotic display in the accompanying article.

"Everywhere American flags were being waved. It felt more like the United States' Olympic Games than the world's," the newspaper wrote.

Not all Swedes were offended. The daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter praised the ceremony as "festive, lavish and filled with effects" in an article on its Web site.

"The ceremony was a big tribute to the U.S and all Americans got their share -- the Indians, the pioneers, the Mormons and the victims of the terrorist attack against the World Trade Center," Dagens Nyheter wrote.

Another Swedish tabloid, Expressen, wrote there was an "emotional statement against the world's terrorists," but possibly too much of one, adding that the use of the flag "even made the International Olympic Committee react that the statement was too political."

President Bush even broke from tradition by opening the games surrounded by U.S. athletes and adding that he was doing so "On behalf of a proud, determined and grateful nation."

Paris' Le Monde praised organizers for providing "a quite sober and well-done spectacle, alternating lightness and gravity, never grandiloquent or vulgar."

The paper's staff apparently wasn't expecting much. They framed their praise around expectations that the ceremony "would become an exercise of exaggerated patriotism combined with a spectacle tilted toward bad taste."

Japanese newspapers were full of kudos.

Yomiuri Shimbun, the largest national paper, wrote that the "first major global event since the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the United States ... also became the center stage for America's declaration against terrorism."

The front page featured pictures of Americans signing and waving flags, alone with a banner headline that read: "Fight against terrorism, with pride and emotion."

Asahi Shimbun, another national daily, wrote: "Patriotic Olympia marks a fresh start for records and reconstruction."

"Numerous stars-and-stripes flags waving in the air. The opening ceremony turned out to be the event of American patriotism. It's highly politicized."

Roger
02-09-2002, 06:43 PM
I can't add any more to what I wrote before about the flag issue. But I would like to say what a fabulous opening show it was. All olympic opening shows are spectacular but this one was entertaining too. I remember LA put on a great show too during the summer olympics. It's just something you Americans do very well.

The highlight for me had nothing to do with Sept. 11. It was the stunning array of people who carried in the olympic flag. This is what the olympics and this opening show are supposed to be all about.

Roger

cbspock
02-09-2002, 06:46 PM
Originally posted by Roger
I can't add any more to what I wrote before about the flag issue. But I would like to say what a fabulous opening show it was. All olympic opening shows are spectacular but this one was entertaining too. I remember LA put on a great show too during the summer olympics. It's just something you Americans do very well.

The highlight for me had nothing to do with Sept. 11. It was the stunning array of people who carried in the olympic flag. This is what the olympics and this opening show are supposed to be all about.

Roger


I agree it was one of the best opening ceremonies in a very long time, even other nations were carrying the US flag as well.


-chris