Are the Olympics a great example of the world coming together for one special occasion, as my wife says. Or are they a complete waste of time and money, a diversion from the only issue that the world should be rallying around?
Are the Olympics the International Space Station of the sporting world? If the world community was really serious about putting on a show of unity and ‘passion'(this year’s marketing buzz word), it would be to fight terrorists who claim to work in the name of religion, instead of playing pretend sports in a fancy resort town.
Personally, I can’t sit back and watch the opening ceremonies and not be nagged by a feeling that the civilized world doesn’t take this threat seriously enough.
I am reminded of some recent commentary on the cartoon controversy, but I think they apply here.
Andrew Sullivan, Blackmail
People keep talking about avoiding conflict. They are in denial. The conflict is already here. It is outrageous to be informed by a crowd of hundreds of thousands that the West must give up its freedoms in order to avoid violence. I’m relieved to see that this moment has forced some very hard thinking on the left.
Krauthammer says there can be no moderates,
What passes for moderation in the Islamic community — “I share your rage but don’t torch that embassy” — is nothing of the sort. It is simply a cynical way to endorse the goals of the mob without endorsing its means. It is fraudulent because, while pretending to uphold the principle of religious sensitivity, it is interested only in this instance of religious insensitivity.
Have any of these “moderates” ever protested the grotesque caricatures of Christians and, most especially, Jews that are broadcast throughout the Middle East on a daily basis?
Rossputin, speaking for the optimists,
I believe that the Cartoon Uprising of Muslims worldwide, but especially in Europe, is an unqualified blessing for the Western World.
I am reminded of baseball managers who argue with the umpire. Reversing the call is not the issue. The issue is creating an impression for the future. The Islamists want to make the West â??march to their tune.â? And, sadly, these cooked-up, falsely-premised, government-instigated riots are having just that effect. Already the EU is considering restrictions on freedom of the press, to appease the Muslims. And other European countries seek to dissociate themselves from the Danes.
What do you think, are the Olympics a positive for the world community or a diversion?