Olympic Opening Ceremony: A Combination Of Spectacular Imagery And American Ignorance

For once I would like to see the host country of the Olympics do the announcing for the Games. If it weren't for my desire to blog about the Opening Ceremony, I would have had my tv on mute last night. The ignorance from Matt Lauer and Bob Costas was typical American ignorance that we see and hear at every Olympics. What do you expect? I, for one, would like to see respect being shown for everyone including the host country. But that would require someone to actually know the meaning of the word RESPECT.

Some comments that I found totally disgusting were the following:

"Iran has been a long time antagonist" - This comment was made I believe by Matt Lauer when the Iran delegation made its way into the stadium during the Parade of Nations.

"Hugo Chavez is a 'blustery' president" - I'm not sure which ass said this. This comment was made when the Venezuela delegation made its way into the stadium during the Parade of Nations.

"He changed the time zone to a half hour ahead of NYC. That's weird!!" - This comment was made about Hugo Chavez during the Parade of Nations. Again, I'm not sure if it was Lauer or Costas who said this. The ridiculous thing about that comment is that they clearly accept on face value the equally ridiculous changing of Daylight Savings Time by the U.S. Congress for the exact same reason that Hugo Chavez changed his time zone.

"So much for the Olympic Truce in this case!!" - This comment was made by Matt Lauer I believe when the Russian delegation entered the stadium during the Parade of Nations. This was made in reference to the current "war" taking place between the countries of Georgia and Russia. My questions to Lauer would be simple. Has the United States called a truce in Iraq? How about in Afghanistan? Has Israel called a truce with the Palestinians? The answer is HELL NO!! We have not, and Israel has not. Yet, Lauer feels the need to comment on the "Olympic Truce" when talking about Russia and Georgia? Pot, meet Kettle!!

Lauer kept saying that he shouldn't be talking about politics because the Olympics are not about politics. Yet he felt the need to be ignorant and snarky, and bring up political issues every chance he got.

"Would you look at that!! The boy speaks a little English." - This comment was made after a reporter interviewed Yao Ming who was holding a 9 year old Chinese boy who survived the earthquake in China back in May. Instead of focusing on the amazing story about this child, Bob Costas had to make the comment about the child speaking English.

This child's story is amazing. He survived the earthquake that killed 20 of his classmates. He dug himself out of the rubble, and went back in to save two of his classmates. When people asked him why he did that, he said that it was his job. He was a hall monitor, and it was his job to help his classmates.

Rather than praising this heroic child, Bob Costas apparently felt the need to basically mock him. Yes, he said thank you and thank you very much to the reporter. Yes, he spoke ENGLISH. And Bob? What's your point? I would like to point out that his ENGLISH was EXCELLENT!!

I will move on to other observations.

George Bush: Could the man be more disrespectful? During the performance portion of the Opening Ceremony, he wasn't paying any attention. He was shown on camera talking to Putin. If he had to express his love to his "soul mate", he should have either taken it elsewhere or waited until the ceremony was finished.

During the Parade of Nations, Bush was once again shown on camera. This time he was shown slumped in his seat with an expression of boredom on his face, his leg bouncing up and down, and he kept looking at his watch. What's the matter George? Was it past your bedtime?

When the delegation from Iraq made its way into the stadium, the camera cut to Bush again. The man looked as though he thought that he was the reason that they were there. I was totally expecting them to cut to him when Iran came out. But they didn't.

On a better note, the ceremony was amazing!! There really are no words to truly describe what it was like watching it. From the drums to the lighting of the torch, it was spectacular!!

I loved some of the outfits from various countries. I especially enjoyed a lot of the outfits from the African countries. From the vibrant colors to the plaids and design, they were by far my favorites!!

The outfits worn by the U.S. sucked. The women looked like old men golfers from the 40's or 50's. Perhaps, maybe even from the 30's. Hell, give them a pipe and they would have looked like Thurston Howell from Gilligan's Island. I saw better outfits on Project Runway when the designers had to create a look for the Opening Ceremony. Of course nobody actually wore these outfits, but they still looked a hell of a lot better!!

If you missed it, you missed an amazing show. Check out some of the images from the Olympic Opening Ceremony courtesy of Boston.com.













China put on an amazing show. Congratulations!! I look forward to seeing everything!! If the Opening Ceremony was this good, I can't wait to see the Closing Ceremony!!

Two Trips To The Store, And A Bumper Sticker!!

I recently found myself in several interesting situations. A week or so ago I went to a store to return a Christmas gift. As I was waiting in line, I couldn't help but overhear a loudmouthed women that was an employee at the store. She was bitching to some other employee about the "horror" of a telephone language option. Apparently she was attempting to pay a bill over the phone when she was given the option of hearing the instructions in Spanish. Imagine that!! SPANISH!!

She went on to bitch about how you can't say Merry Christmas anymore, and that's the fault of the atheists!! Yep!! That's right!! Atheists are to blame!! The other employee that she was bitching to was a complete and utter "yes man" as my brother pointed out to me!!

I was really very tempted to either ask her if she had a problem with those who spoke Spanish or any other language for that matter, and atheists!! Or, we were going to walk over by her and start speaking in other languages. I would have loved to see her reaction!! These are some Americans for you though!! God forbid that you don't conform to their idea of what it is to be an American.

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The other day I was in the drive-thru at a local restaurant. I found myself behind this woman who had a bumper sticker on the back of her SUV. It said, "If you can read this, thank a teacher. Since it's in English, thank a soldier." I proceeded to yell out my window that soldiers didn't teach me English, my mother did. Unfortunately her window wasn't rolled down so she didn't hear me. But imagine my surprise and hers when I was driving home the entire time behind her and this ignorant woman lives on the same block as I do!!

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Finally, yesterday afternoon I took a trip to the local Barnes and Noble. After about an hour and a half I settled on some things to buy. I purchased a travel guide on India. I collect travel guides for places around the world because they are very interesting to read. I also purchased an Arabic language book with CD's. I thought for sure that I was going to get some comment about it because some of the people that work there are rude when it comes to those. Yes, I've purchased language books before and have gotten rude comments. However, the woman who checked me out was interested in my book on India. She asked me if I was taking a trip there. When I said no, she told me about how her husband has asked her where she would go if she could go anywhere in the world. She told him that she would go to a country where there were no white people or very little because it would be a hell of a lot more interesting!!

There you have it!! Three situations, and I finally come across someone who isn't an ignorant asshole!!

For those of you who are interested to know what languages I speak, I speak Russian and English. I know a little French, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese. I'm teaching myself all of those languages. I learned some Italian by listening to Italian opera music. And now, I will also be teaching myself Arabic. After that, I plan to try Chinese, Dutch, and whatever else I want to learn!!

Unlike some people in this country, I have no problem with other languages. The more I know, the better. I don't think that people should have to speak English to communicate with me. It's not hurting me to learn their language so I can communicate with them. In fact, it's fun!!

There's No Hatred For Muslims In America!! Yeah Right!!

The next time someone tells you that there's no hatred for Muslims in America, ask them where the hell they live. Clearly they're ignorant if they think there isn't hatred for Muslims in this country!! A great example of that hatred and ignorance can be found in this article.

Muslim women: My headscarf is not a threat

(CNN) -- Last year at Christmastime, Rehan Seyam, a Muslim living in New Jersey, went to pick up some things at a local Wal-Mart. Seeing her distinctive traditional Muslim head covering called a "hijab," a man in the store, addressing her directly, sang "The 12 Days of Christmas" using insulting lyrics about terrorism and Osama bin Laden.

She was stunned.

"Do I look like a terrorist to you?" Seyam said she asked the man.

According to Seyam, the man replied, "What else does a terrorist look like?"

Such stories are not altogether uncommon for Muslim Americans. According to a recent poll by the Pew Research Center, 53 percent of Muslims living in America said it has become more difficult to be a Muslim in the United States since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Fifty-one percent said they are "very worried" or "somewhat worried" that women wearing the hijab are treated poorly, according to the poll.

A simple headscarf generally used by women to hide the hair from view, the hijab has become so controversial among some that several countries have banned or considered banning Muslim women from wearing them in public places. In light of this contentiousness, why do Muslim women choose to wear the hijab? Watch the making of CNN's TV special "God's Warriors" »

Gayad al-Khalik lives in Egypt and says the hijab is a focus on inner beauty.

"I want to shift the attention from my outer self to my inner self when I deal with someone, I don't want them to look at me in a way that wouldn't suit me," she told CNN in an upcoming documentary called "God's Warriors."

Al-Khalik is fluent in English and German; studied in Europe; plays Western music on her guitar; and spent time working for a women's rights organization.

She wears the hijab -- and says it's not just for religious reasons.

"My own conclusion was it is debatable whether it is a religious obligation or not, but I chose to keep it on because I do believe in modesty and you shouldn't be showing off yourself," al-Khalik said.

The Quran calls for women to be modest in their dress but interpretation of the edict varies widely, according to religious experts who spoke with CNN. An author who has written widely on Islam told CNN the Quran does not require women to wear the hijab.

"There's nothing in the Quran about all women having to be veiled or secluded in a certain part of the house. That came in later [after Prophet Mohammed's time]," said religious historian and author Karen Armstrong.

For Seyam, the hijab is a religious duty. "It's God's wish," she said.

"It's a requirement by God. He wants us to cover. He wants us to be modest," Seyam said.

But as important as the hijab is to her, Seyam's decision to cover her face wasn't one she made easily.

"It was very dramatic for me. And I remember, even now thinking about it, it really does make my heart beat a little bit faster," she said, "I was making a decision I knew was permanent. You put on hijab, you don't take it off."

Through her childhood growing up in Long Island, New York, Seyam prayed with her devout Muslim parents, but says she was just "going through the motions." It wasn't until college that she decided to wear a hijab consistently.

Influenced by her more devout friends, Seyam decided being a good Muslim meant covering her head.

"My sole purpose is to be here for the sake of Allah, and I'm doing something that he specifically says that you should be doing."

Seyam said there were practical factors in her decision as well. "I'm sick of guys catcalling. It was just driving me crazy. I felt like a piece of meat."

But Seyam says she traded in catcalling for a different kind of negative attention. People "look at me as if I am threatening and I do not feel like I am threatening looking. I don't feel I should instill fear in anybody's heart, but I do feel like I get dirty looks," she said.

Still, Seyam says her faith sustains her and that wearing the hijab is an important part of that faith.

"I'm not here to live my life and do whatever I want. I'm here to worship God," Seyam said. "I don't think that everybody has that, and I think that I'm lucky for it."

Rehan Seyam clearly has more self-restraint than I do because that asshole would have been lying on the floor if it had been me. It would have gone a little something like this.

Man: "What else does a terrorist look like?"

Me: "You, you stupid, ignorant mother fucker!!"

That would have been followed up with a punch right to his damn mouth. Maybe then he would have gotten the message that he was a stupid, ignorant mother fucker!! If that didn't work, I would have followed up the punch with a swift kick to his "family jewels"!!

Yes, I know!! Violence doesn't solve anything. It may have landed me in the slammer, but it sure as hell would have been worth it. This is a clear example of the ignorance in this country, and it's truly pathetic!! It makes me feel disgusted to even call myself an American because I don't want to be associated with this vile garbage, and there is plenty of it in this country!!