Thursday, November 19, 2009

An Olympic Seig Heil Moment

I presume I have your attention.
The Olympic Torch is making its way across Canada and will soon burn at the 2010 Winter Olympics in B.C.
It's a wonderful thing and I'm happy about it. We last had the Winter Olympics in 1988 in Calgary and that fair city still trades on it.
Good for it.
I was working at the Alaska Highway Daily News in Fort St. John, B.C. back then and the torch came through. It was run around a local arena to a thundering crowd and it was my duty to take crowd reaction pictures. It was fun.
Back then I didn't know any better and thought the torch run was a legitimate hearkening back to the Olympics' ancient origins.
No.
It hearkens all the way back to the 1936 Olympics. It was the brainchild of Carl Deim and was meant illuminate the glory of the Fatherland.
All this aside I like the Torch Run. As a nation it has whipped us in a frenzy-- as much as a Canadian can be in one-- and has us all excited about the upcoming games.
But I still think we ought to know what we're doing as we cheer the flame on and I am not above the occasional sardonic Seig Heil whenever its on the news.
Then again, it may be better if we forget that part and simply enjoy it for what it is.
What say you?

11 comments:

the Bag Lady said...

I had no idea.
Of course, I'm not a big sports fan, and rarely pay much attention to the Olympics. The Olympics, like so many other things in this modern world of ours, have been bastardized and corrupted by the crap that goes on behind the scenes.
(Okay, I'll stop now so that no-one thinks I'm paranoid or something. Excuse me while I add another layer of tinfoil to my hat.)

David Cranmer said...

I had no idea either but since I don't watch much sports (outside of the Yankees in the World Series)I probably should leave comments to others.

Leah J. Utas said...

df Bag Lady, that's true about the corruption, but I still enjoy them.
Meanwhile, I hope you're using name brand foil in your hat. The store brand knock offs tear too easily. Not that I, like, know or anything.

David, I suspect most of us don't know about the origin of the run.

Reb said...

I had no idea - I suspect even most of the athletes have no idea. I vote we enjoy it for what it is.

Leah J. Utas said...

I'm sure you're right, Reb. We may as well enjoy it.

messymimi said...

I know the origins of Hallowe'en to be lots of pagan stuff, too, but since my kids saw it as just a night to dress funny and get candy, I let them do it.

Same principle. Just because something began in an inauspicious (I think that is the word I am looking for, but being a bear of very little brain...) manner doesn't mean we can't celebrate it for what it means to us today.

Leah J. Utas said...

Of course we can, Messymimi. It's good to know a thing's history.

Barbara Martin said...

Forgot to add that I love the wild turkey photo.

Leah J. Utas said...

Yes it does, Barbara.

Glad you like the pic. We were very pleased to find the wild turkeys.

Hilary said...

Add me to the list of those who had no idea. Maybe it's a good thing perhaps - that most of us have never heard that.

Leah J. Utas said...

Good point, Hilary. I like to know the history of a thing.