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Friday, August 10, 2012

Friday Funday: A Great Ending


There's no end to the problems the GOP is having right now. A presidential campaign that's growing more desperate every day, a faction of the party that's actively campaigning against Mr. Romney, and a former behind the scenes Republican power family that seems to be switching to the Democrats - all right before the big GOP convention. Don't forget the Tea Party is still tearing the Republican party new hindquarters, while the Ron Paulites continue their battle against the Republican Party elite. No, we don't think there's any reason today to add further insult to the GOP's own self-injury.

So since it's Friday, and as it's the final weekend of the 2012 Summer Olympics games, we're going to put politics aside for the rest of the day in favor of national unity.

To be honest, we've seen some great action in London the last two weeks. Yes, we'll admit - the seven-hour delay tactic by NBC still annoys us and many other Americans. Thanks to the wonder of the internet though, the BBC - and sometimes, NBC - have been providing millions of Americans with a different chance to see most of the events at the Olympics live.

In fact, thanks to the internet, the delay has turned the nightly NBC prime-time showing into more of a highlights reel of the Olympics, where viewers often know exactly who's going to win.

There have been some amazing firsts, like the participation and performance of double amputee Oscar Pistorius in the able-bodied games. There was also the first women's gold medal in Boxing, won by seventeen-year-old Claressa Shields, a poor kid from the "wrong side" of Flint, Michigan. There have also been some incredible repeat performances at these games, like the now- three-time gold medal winners Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings, the three-time gold medal U.S. women's soccer team and the worlds fastest man, Jamaica's Usain Bolt.

As usual, watching the Olympic Games has been a pleasant surprise in so many ways. Athletes and fans from all over the world - 204 nations this time - have been able to put aside their disagreements, and move forward as one, toward a single goal of fair play, and opportunities for all.

It hasn't always been easy. The Saudi Arabian delegation had to fight with the International Olympic Committee to allow their female judo athlete to compete. America's own Mitt Romney also made some international gaffes before the games began. Maybe he was right, though, that London wasn't 100% ready, as the scoreboard operators mixed up the the North and South Korean flags on the first day of competition.

Still, after a shaky start, the London Olympic Committee worked out all the kinks - and even found a middle ground solution that allowed the female Saudi athlete to compete, for the first time ever.

It's heartening to see that even if only for a couple weeks, the world can indeed agree to disagree, find solutions, and work together - successfully.

Maybe there's hope for America yet.

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