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Reality check required for Game goers

By Daily Bruin Staff

July 28, 1996 9:00 p.m.

Sunday, July 28, 1996

Tragedy shouldn’t be prerequisite to enjoy OlympicsMark
Shapiro

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Before Saturday morning, my main problem
with the Centennial Olympic Games was the amount of complaining
emanating from Atlanta. Complaints about the heat, traffic, lines,
you name it. People privileged enough to be attending the Games
seemed to be unable to find anything to cheer about.

Right from the start, it began. The Opening Ceremonies, instead
of being celebrated for the wonderful display of friendship and
fireworks, were derided for being too commercial.

Next, it was that Atlanta was really hot (big surprise) and that
traffic was backing up (another stunner).

Soon after, the critical eye turned to the events. Even Kerri
Strug’s gold-medal clinching vault met with criticism. One of the
greatest moments in Olympic history was immediately cheapened by
complaints that Strug was forced into performing the vault by
people with little regard for her safety. The medals had barely
been awarded when "experts" began questioning the decision-making
ability of a 19-year-old adult.

At 1:27 a.m. Saturday morning the pettiness of this griping was
brought into stark relief.

It’s amazing how terrorism can wake people out of a stupor. At
the beginning of July, I spent my first moments at Athens
International Airport amazed at the lack of vigilant security.
After spending three weeks in a country whose apathy towards laws
and safety was astounding, I flew out via TWA two days after the
tragedy of Flight 800. I must say, it’s nice to be escorted down
the runway by a pair of armored cars.

Now, a few days after another similar disaster I will bear
witness to the aftermath. Now that the Athens Airport has been
snapped out of the doldrums, so too must the naysayers in Atlanta
who need to wake up and respect what they have so easily griped
about.

A few days ago, it was very easy to lambaste the Olympics on a
plethora of issues. It’s unfortunate that it must take a tragedy to
do so, but now there must be a new perspective on the quality and
importance of the Games.

In 776 B.C., the ancient Greeks established the Olympic Games as
both a respite from war and as a chance to celebrate the pinnacle
of human athletic achievement. With the bombing serving as a
wake-up call, we can try returning to these ideals.

In the face of the Centennial Park attack, cries of excess and
profit lose significance and the old spirit can begin to regain
lost appreciation. It’s a shame that it must take a disaster to
quiet the pundits, but if that’s the way it must be, then so be
it.

Mark Shapiro is a Summer Bruin columnist and is attending the
Olympic Games.

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