China Olympics

Lindsey Key
lkey@themeridianstar.com


Ok....lets see....
I just came into work and was designing a world page and came across a story on the China Olympics. The headline read...'China's Olympic ceremony features sacrifices' on the AP wire. (if anyone is intrested in looking it up). Now when it comes to politics and world topics i try to stay out of the conflict but the more i watch the olympics and hear about the crap China has done i cant help but wonder what the heck is going through their minds.

(most quotes came from article, AP)

The article was mainly about the director of the opening ceremonies, Zhang Yimou and the stress he put these 1500 cast and crew members through. Some news reports have raised questions about the length to which Bejing went in trying to create the perfect performance for the beginning of the games. They were accused of fakery for using computer-generated images to enhance the fireworks for the tv viewers, criticized about their decision to have a 9-year-old sing the opening song because the real girl wasn't cute enough, not to mention the age scandle of China's women gymnasts. I think to myself... these guys are a piece of work huh. They are trying there hardest to take over the world, to be the best at everything. Of course working hard to be your best is perfectly alright, but com' on.

As the article continues I read that the performers endured rain drenched rehearsal and sweltering hot weather and still had to practice 16 hours a day with no breaks. Most suffered from fainting and heatstrokes. One girl even fell during practice when it was raining and is now paralyzed! The director said he deeply regrets what happened to her but strongly defends and continued his strenuous rehearsals.

After stating that North Korea was number 1 in the world in uniformity he went on to say that performers in the West need frequent breaks and cannot withstand criticism. He worked on an Opera in New York in '06 and wined that we could only work 4 hours and half days, that coffee breaks were a must, and a little discomfort was not allowed because of human rights. While their practices consisted of 51-hour rehearsals with little food and rest and no shelter from the drastic weather there. He also made some of the performers wear adult diapers because they couldn't use the bathroom. Seriously?

I must be a lazy American but i am proud of it. I am glad we work as a single unit instead of a whole. I do have my own opinions and I think it makes us stronger as a whole. But I'll be danged if i'm going to wear a diaper just for that. Now i know the olympics are "Hard Core" but is all that necessary. We Americans have had it easy i guess and are nothing but dirt. I guess I wont complain to much it is the Chinese by the way. All i'm saying is why cant they appreciate the hard work and ethics we have over here. We were all raised a little differently. (Although it would be cool to be a ninja) China has gone beyond the call to cheat and criticize the U.S. but who is leading in medals? WE ARE SUCKERS!

Although the purpose of this blog is pointless, I just wanted to get some feedback on the article.