Denying My Countrymen

The Olympics are the worst time for me to be an American. Somehow, watching us exhibit our sportiness on the international stage builds up this huge tidal wave of anti-American sentiment that I would never exhibit at any other time. I'm rooting for everyone else to beat us, and part of me is sad every time we do well. It's a little disturbing, really; and what's more, it's not something that has been with me all my life. I remember the 1984 Olympics and how excited I was about everything - I think my family must have taped at least half of the TV coverage, certainly all of the swimming and gymnastics and probably a good portion of the track and field - and I loved America back then. I loved that the games were here, I loved our teams, and i think it might have been one of the last times I remember really loving the Olympics themselves.

Now they make me feel disillusioned, jaded. I'm still not over the professional athletes thing; I hate how much, despite the way everyone talks about showing off the global community and international spirit, the Games make so clear the disparity between rich and poor nations; I hate that the IOC lets China decide what Taiwan ought to be called. I hate Olympic commentators, because they fill the airwaves with stupid, stupid, not even midly entertaining blather. I hate NBC's super-hyper-America-centric coverage, as if no one in this country wants to see anyone else but us. (What's that joke about how Americans doesn't understand the term "other countries"?) I hate that, in the parade of nations, they cut away when all these little, obviously unimportant countries are marching, but they'd never even think of cutting away during America's or Australia's million-man marches. I hate that the parade of nations reminds me that the United States, a supposed democracy, holds numerous territories where the people who live there are governed by laws they have no ability to help make or change.

When did I become so bitter?

I don't know why I can't see the good in the Olympics. Well, that's not totally true; I just can't see the good in America's part in the Olympics, at least not most of the time. I was really moved by Japan's win in the men's team gymnastics finals and, I loved South Africa's win in the swimming relay the other day. I like the underdog stories, that's part of it, but I also like the fact that the South Africans wiped that smug look off of Michael Phelps's face. But why did Japan only matter in the last round, when they beat the American men? This team went from 7th place after the 2nd rotation to a gold medal; that must have been some beautiful gymnastics. Why didn't I see more of it? Am I just watching the wrong NBC channel, and maybe if I tune into USA, it'll be better?

I remember how we used to look forward to every 4 years, the Olympics are coming! It was a big deal, we all dropped everything to watch it. It was like the space shuttle going up, but for 2 whole weeks. Now, the space shuttle gets an AP news item, and nobody stops to care unless it blows up. What happened to the world, and to me?