Wednesday, August 3, 2016

The Olympic Movement a "Ray of Sunshine"

For Avery Brundage, former head of the IOC for 20 years, the Olympic movement was a "ray of sunshine through clouds of racial animosity, religious bigotry and political chicanery". "Here at the Olympics, there is no injustice of caste, of race, of family or of wealth."

As for me, after living in Saigon in the mid sixties during the war and having wonderful friends that were killed there, the Olympics gave me hope for peace everywhere. The Mexico Olympics of 1968 demonstrated that all cultures could come together in peace. People of the world were smiling, chatting, laughing, and singing together. The Olympic flame lifted up this heart of mine and the spark and its glow is imbedded...it has never left me. So did the magic of all the flags of the world flying together. So did the music of those grand mariachis.

At the Opening Ceremony so many birds of peace were freed, after the Closing Ceremony the field became a massive celebration of all cultures mixing together...the world was dancing as one.

Yah Mr. Brundage, I agree.

The Olympics are a ray of sunshine.                                              

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