TOKYO OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY

 By Hugh Murray

At one point in the past, Greece led the parade and the host nation would be last, and in between the nations would appear in alphabetical order. So, if you were interested in a specific country, you knew when not to go to the toilet. Now, there seemed to be no particular order, nations appearing almost at random. And they determined how long the cameras would be on whichever nation. Why is a contestant lighting the cauldron? This makes it harder for an objective judge to call against her. The goofy segment where humans imitate emojis was boring at best. The drone spectacle seemed less impressive than the one on New Years in Shanghai. And must you have an anthem that dismisses heaven and hell and nationalism? Each athlete is representing a nation, and many watch to see how their nationals are doing. And why begin questioning religious beliefs of held by billions of people? Imagine such an opening?!

RACISM IN ENGLISH FOOTBALL (SOCCER)?

In the Europa Cup recently, England faced Italy in the finals.  There was much publicity about Coming Home, bringing the cup back to the land that invented international football.

The English team was booed earlier in the tourney when members "took the knee" on the pitch, prior to the game. Fans from other lands booed when they see the English besmirching their own nation with such symbols of submission. In the final, the game of England v. Italy, England scored in the first 2 minutes, a white player, Luke Shaw shot it in the goal. The main English player in goals in the Euro Cup and in the Eng. Prem. League was Harry Kane, white. So Engl led 1-0 at the half. Italy came back in the 2nd half and tied 1-1. Even after another half hour of play, still 1-1. To settle the result - the shoot out of penalty kicks. 

    Italy 1, Eng (Harry Kane) 1.  So it was 1-1.   // Next. Italy missed 0; Eng. (Maguire, a white) 1. So Eng leads 2-1.    Next round: Italy  scored, 1; Eng (a colored, missed) 0. So it is 2-2. Next round. Italy missed 0; Eng (a colored) also missed 0. Score remains 2-2. Round 5. Italy  scores 1; Eng (a colored, missed 0. Final - Italy 3, England 2.  ITALY WINS.   In the shootout, the 2 whites scored for England, while the 3 coloreds missed.
Some years ago the French national team was in trouble, but new recruits from former colonies brought victory to the French. The media loved its new team with Zidane and other colored players. And so did most fans. The new players brought victory.
But last week, the new, colored players brought defeat to England. In the shootout, the 2 whites scored for England; the 3 coloreds failed. The anger of the fans may not be any more racist, than the love of the French fans when the coloreds brought victory. For England, they brought defeat. Not many fans want to cheer defeat.