Afternoon:
10°c
Possibly, I am the only person in Britain who was converted to supporting the Olympics by yesterday's torch relay triumph. Yes, I know that the Games are still the same costly fiesta of hype as they were last week. Yes, I still think they are the great con-trick of the age, the alchemist's stone of the 21st century - the promised benefits to the host city never, ever realised, with the sole exception of Barcelona 92.
And, yes, I still dread 2012, when our city will be converted to a sort of North Korean armed camp, with special IOC limo lanes, bomb squads on every street corner and all sane Londoners fleeing somewhere, anywhere, else.
But I know we can no longer do anything to stop it. And after yesterday, I have started to appreciate the Games' sheer entertainment value. Not for the actual competitions - which mostly involve obscure sports followed by about 25 people (now if we were hosting the World Cup, that really would be worth having).
No, the entertainment - the satire - comes from the contrast between the pompous, over-controlled-Dance of 10,000 Flowers the organisers want us to see, and the magnificent, calamitous reality.
The talk of nobility and sportsmanship - fol lowed by the inevitable revelations that half the winners are on drugs. The claptrap about Olympic ideals, as sponsored by Mc Donald ' s and Coca-Cola. And most importantly, of course, the stench of political kow-towing, so gloriously blown away on London's chilly streets.
There never used to be a worldwide torch relay. Yesterday's " Journey of Harmony" was invented to polish the image of a hateful regime. But as the pictures showed instead streets empty of anyone but protesters, the procession constantly interrupted, cops rugbytackling demonstrators, the torch itself hidden behind rings of panting police, China's media opportunity turned to absolute ashes. Nobody was physically hurt. But this was a worldwide PR disaster no money could buy.
Like all the best comic heroes - Basil Fawlty, Jim Hacker, David Blunkett - the Olympics are funny precisely because they do not realise they are the butt. I'm starting to think that for this alone, they're almost worth the price tag.
So far, of course, the Games have been far from funny for human rights in China. Contrary to Beijing's promises, they have actually led to further repression, with activists already harassed and detained to stop them spoiling the pageant.
The regime is big and strong, and will probably manage to keep control on its home turf. But yesterday will have given Chinese democrats hope - and who knows, it may even be a harbinger for something more important in China come August.
Our craven rulers may have gone along with Beijing, our police may have been heavy-handed. But ordinary Londoners - those who protested, and those who stayed away - struck a small blow for decency yesterday. They showed China's dictators what a free society looks like. I was proud of them.
Reader views (2)
Don't worry Andrew, My father's prophesy is that the London games will be cancelled, due to poor organisation and financial melt down....
If it wasn't such a sad indictment of the current state of this country thanks to the powers that be...it would be one of the funniest things I'd heard for a long time....
- N/A, UK, 08/04/2008 09:25
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It is odd you think that Barcelona achieved a 'legacy' from the games. My friends there tell me the only legacy was reaped by property developers. Just as it will be in London.
- J. Miller, Alfold, Surrey, 07/04/2008 16:11
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