Splendour of spirit
Would that this world of ours were but a large stadium and every nation had a fair and equal chance to display its people, their colours, their talents, their character, and their prowess. On this international arena, we would all participate, collaborate or compete on an equal footing, and may the winner take home the gold, as the whole world applauds. Alas, this only happens once every four years, in one stadium or another, during the Olympic Games. It is the time when all men lay down their weapons and put aside their differences, to compete honourably and forcefully in a physical ode to the beauty of the human body and the splendour of the human spirit.
It is to modern man's credit that we have revived, as best we can, the splendid tradition of the ancient Greeks. They believed that athletic competition honoured the gods and the spirits of the dead. Legend has it that the ancient Olympic Games were founded by Heracles (Roman: Hercules), a son of Zeus, who planted an olive tree near the temple of Zeus from which the wreath crowns were made and presented to the winners of the events. The first known records date back to 776 BC, although there is evidence that the games had been held much earlier. At this event, a naked runner, Koroebis took part in the only sport held, a run of approximately 192 metres. Koroebis became the first Olympic champion known in history, and the first Olympiad was named after him. Participants had to compete in the nude in order to prevent any cheating. The Games flourished for 1200 years until the Christian Roman Emperor Theodosius I abolished them "because of their pagan influence."
Laying all politics aside, and in the noble spirit of the Olympics, China was handed the task of holding this year's Olympics. Despite the objections, threats, boycotts, and scepticism, China proved that it was up to the physical task, and then some. The Beijing Olympics will be remembered as flawless, disciplined and spectacular. Beijing made history when all tickets were sold to all events, a staggering 6 million tickets, before the opening ceremony. We recall the sad sight of many empty seats in Athens, which sold about 2/3rd of the 5,3 million tickets available.
The Chinese opening ceremony was viewed by 2/3rd of the world population, about 4 million people, who were left virtually breathless. The stern objections to the Chinese crackdown on protests in Tibet and the abuse of Tibetan monks, not to mention Tiananmen Square all but dissipated as 104 national government dignitaries from around the world took their seats at Bird's Nest Stadium, among them civil rights champion George Bush, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Kevin Rudd. Notably absent were German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who conveniently planned her vacation at that time, and Hans Gest Poettering, President of the European Parliament. It put no dent in the impressive festivities, and human rights were forgotten for the sake of human might.
Shall we therefore do the same for now and praise the memorable effort of the Chinese people? They left no stone unturned in order to make a point to the rest of the free world, that China has arrived on the international stage, side by side with the best of them.
Since it was chosen to host the games back in 2001, China and the Chinese have been working indefatigably, day and night for 7 years, sparing no effort or expense, to present their country to the world in the best light. China needed to make a bold statement about her progress as a country economically, technologically, and even ecologically. They proceeded to build a massive stadium to seat 91,000, which cost $500 million, wrapped it in tensile-like steel, looking much like a bird's nest, which became its name. Everything was built in a gargantuan, outlandish style in order to leave an indelible impression on their visitors. The plan worked. The monuments are lavish and the visitors are impressed. New roads, new rail lines, sidewalks, new subways, new housing have been built. New parks and gardens have sprung up, flowers were cultivated especially to bloom in August, trees have multiplied and Beijing has now become unrecognizable, but at what price! The cost was several times more than the cost of the 2004 games, which according to the Greeks exceeded 8.954 billion Euros, or $11.2 billion, which does not include construction cost -- a staggering sum for any nation, but evidently not for the thriving Chinese. They admit to spending $44 billion, but in fact other estimates are quoted to reach $200 billion for the modernization of Beijing.
The cost was also high for the Chinese citizens. Millions were forced out of their homes and property. Were they well compensated? If at all, not enough to provide them the life they had worked hard to accomplish. Some were even evicted violently and threatened, tortured, or imprisoned. Estimates as high as 3 million displaced Chinese, helped pay the price for the polished image that China so desperately needed to show the world. Its critics have been many. Observers complain that what was spent on the Olympics is "more than 300 times as much was spent on rural health care for the entire nation in 2006."
The positive image China achieved in presenting to the world may be admirable indeed, and may have catapulted the People's Republic to the first ranks of the civilized world. The shining exterior that dazzled the eyes may have left a hollow void in the hearts. Hundreds of millions of Chinese are still mired in poverty, and as spending on the Olympics has increased, social spending has faltered. For 17 days of Olympic glory, the cost is high for any nation, but so far never as high as it has been in Beijing and the People's Republic of China. To match this glittering city, a glitter in the eyes of its happy citizens may be a better reward for the rulers of China. With the newly acquired state of civilization comes a demand for civility, responsibility, and fundamental respect for human dignity.
With the world's attention now focused on China, it should aim to achieve the individual happiness and preserve the human rights of its 1.3 billion citizens, well beyond their spectacular Olympics.
The strongest is never strong enough always to be master, unless he transforms strength into right, and obedience into duty
Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
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