Half Nelson
rang@theguidon.com
It all started with a glorious opening ceremony held in Beijing National Stadium. To kick start the 2008 Summer Olympics, nine-year-old Lin Miaoke sang “An Ode to Motherland,” a famous patriotic song in China. Clad in an age-appropriate yet patriotic red-dress-and-pigtails combo, the young girl captivated the international audience with her extraordinary talent and poise.
However, as was later revealed, Lin Miaoke was just miming. Yang Peiyi, the voice we heard on the telecast, was not allowed on because she was not as aesthetically “flawless” as the nine-year-old Lin. Chen Qigang, the ceremony’s musical director, would later justify this as putting the country’s interest first.
To make matters worse, this revelation came days after an insider admitted that “some previously recorded footage may have been used” for the opening ceremony’s fireworks. The decision was done in honor of “convenience and theatrical effects,” he said.
I find it very troubling that these organizers can dust these controversies off by using the patriotism card. First of all, the very act of deception, especially when internationally-exposed like this, will in itself dishonor their country more than any aesthetically-imperfect child. Just to think of having a child mime or having a fake fireworks display reeks of desperation. Although it’s definitely important for China to make a good impression on the international audience, this move does nothing but hurt their reputation and credibility.
This move also leads one to conclude a lack of talent and skill in the country. Was there really no child with both looks and talent? Could they not have thought of a way to exhibit the fireworks display properly? Apparently, none.
And worst of all, it substantiates the Asian stereotype frequently seen in American media; that we are an overly-competitive, callous, uptight bunch. The way these insiders defend themselves, you would think that the real competition of the Olympics is in the pomp and pageantry, not in the athletic events. The organizers seem to have forgotten why the Olympics are held in the first place. In case anyone forgot, the Olympic motto is “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” By that, they mean the athletes, not how far countries will go to one up each other in competitions that don’t really exist.
The 2008 Summer Olympics will undoubtedly go down in history books as “Michael Phelps’ Olympics.” In a phenomenal display of athletic prowess, the American swimmer set the record for most gold medals won in a single Olympics. But memories of the 2008 Olympics won’t end there. It was also a time when patriotism reared its uglier, less heroic head.
Mythology states that the Olympic Games began with the ancient Greek concept of ekecheiria or Olympic truce. In a bid to save his people from war, King Iphitos organized games in honor of the gods. Luckily enough, the gods took pity and urged Iphitos’ adversaries to stop fighting during the games.
Today, no one is fighting arm-to-arm combat. Just like combat though, today’s Olympics is marked by illusions and deceptions. In a way, the 2008 Olympics does follow some Greek ideals – consider these as some of the best red herrings since the Trojan Horse.
