Olympism, Survival of the fittest

As an Austrian you are supposed to have learned from history, history of the 20th century and especially from these years: 1930 - 1945. However as Toynbee said: "The only thing we learn from history is, that we dont learn from history." (Exception: Historians. They always learn from history :-) So I dont want to doubt that Austrians and a lot of other people have learned their lessons, but somehow, there is a standstill in the world when it comes to registering autoritarian regimes, the dangers they represent and how to deal with them.



The 1936 Berlin Olympic Games had been handed to Berlin before the Nazis came to power but now it was the perfect opportunity for Hitler to demonstrate to the world, how efficient the Nazi Germany was. It was also the perfect opportunity for the Nazis to prove to the world the reality of the Master Race. The Berlin Olympic Games gave the Nazis an opportunity to show off to the world as 49 countries were competing bringing with them their assorted media. For Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels, it was the perfect scenario.

The 1936 Olympics, held in Berlin, are best remembered for Adolf Hitler’s failed attempt to use them to prove his theories of Aryan racial superiority. As it turned out, the most popular hero of the Games, was the African-American sprinter and long jumper Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals.

A special kind of 'good sports' went on in the years between 1938 and 1945 and everybody knows where it 'ended'.


The Nazi Regime and its members DIDNT belong to the fittest. Surviving members of the families theroff still live in shame and have a very hard time to deal with their past.
Thats what autoritarian leaders have to face: that they and their children might have hard times or that they might be even wiped out. Autocracy doesnt pay in the long run.
Democratic rulers usually dont have to face this. When out of power, they step down, they step back and they and their children can live peacefully and wait for another chance to do their share.

Right now, in October, 2007, what is happening in Burma, Myanmar?
The only world power that could truly stop the happenings there is:
China!
So, HERE IS a great chance for China, for chinese leaders to make commitments for a peacefull settlement of the problems in Burma, Myanmar. Dont let it get worse.
The US right now has a bid credibilty problem. Outside of the US its completly clear to everyone: The war in Iraq is made for oil, not for democracy. 'Democracy' is here just for an excuse.

Allready in February, 2007 the blogger 'brother' began to put shame on China, demanding that if the Beijing government is going to host the premier international event, the Summer Olympic Games of 2008, they must be 'responsible international partners'.

He said literally:

"It’s time, now, to begin shaming China."

"China’s slogan for these Olympic Games---“One world, one dream”---is a ghastly irony, given Beijing’s complicity in the Darfur genocide (see the website for China’s hosting of the Olympic Games at http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/beijing/index_uk.asp). The Chinese leadership must understand that if they refuse to use their unrivaled political, economic, and diplomatic leverage with Khartoum to secure access for the force authorized under UN Security Council Resolution 1706, then they will face an extremely vigorous, unrelenting, and omnipresent campaign to shame them over this refusal."

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The ancient Greeks first had the idea of getting men together every four years to hold and witness sporting events (in those days women did not participate, though they had their own, independent, events). The idea was to have the best athletes from all over Greece gather in one field and compete every four years. All wars and fighting had to stop while the athletes and their supporters came together in the town of Olympia for a few days to compete in a few events, mostly related to warfare (throwing the javelin, running, wrestling, boxing and chariot racing).

The first written reference to the Games is 776 BC. They lasted until 389 AD. The idea of having the modern Games was suggested in the mid 19th century but they weren't a world event until 1896. Besides being postponed because of wars, they have been held since then every four years in different cities around the world.

One part of the Opening Ceremony that tries to keep the spirit of the Games and sportsmanship alive is when one athlete, representing all those participating, takes the Athlete's Oath:

"In the name of all the competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport, and the honour of our teams."

The Olympics' official motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius". This is Latin for "Swifter, Higher, Stronger". This is said to represent the Olympic spirit, supposed to be present throughout the Games and generally held to be a celebration of brotherhood, competition, sportsmanship, goodwill and peace. The Games help us see how similar we are, and help us celebrate our humanity.

In spite of the problems of cheating and doping, and nationalism which can be divisive, the Games carry on and remain popular. This is possibly because the Games show us what we as humans are capable of and that humanity is capable of engaging in friendly competition. We should keep in mind what the father of the modern Games, Baron Pierre de Courbertin, once said:

"Olympism is not a system, it is a state of mind."

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A sporting and Olympic spirit is currently making its way through the continents, thanks to an exhibition of 110 Olympic sculptures for the 2008 Beijing Games.

The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games:
http://en.beijing2008.cn/bocog/

Opening date: 8 August 2008
Closing date: 24 August 2008
Country of the host city: People's Republic of China (CHN)

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With this post I do definitely NOT intend to compare China with Germany. And this post is not ment to insult anybody. However there are always 'writings on the wall', signs of the times that some people can read and that others ignore. (In the early 1930 ies quite a few people emigrated from Germany).

I definitely do question the sporting spirit in international relations. I do not support 'fathers and mothers of all bombs' (nore mother in law bombs :-)

'Survival of the fittest' is in itself not fit enough
to be a religion
for my children nor my childrens children.

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