'My Feelings Are Hurt.' When Did the US Become Such a Nation of Whiners?
Despite the torrential downpours, the Olympics opening ceremony, which was great, has lit parts of our country on fire.
The opening ceremony of the Olympics in Paris was pretty spectacular. What I liked most was the lack of new construction involved. So much of what was projected worldwide to millions of viewers was the Paris we know, love, or hate. It was the City of Light, as we know, spectacular but with the prospect of sport at the highest level added.
I think it is a very commendable effort by France to show the world that if we are going to get serious about combatting the single thing that will end up killing us all in short order, heat, then the Olympics must be as sustainable as possible.
For many people, Olympic stadiums such as Rio’s Olympic Aquatic Centre that have failed to find a purpose after the Games symbolise extravagance. Paris 2024 has sought to minimize new construction. Almost all venues use existing or temporary sites, often relying on the city’s landmarks as backdrops.
Organizers say the replacement of concrete with low-carbon building materials, including sustainably sourced wood, will reduce the Olympic Village’s emissions by 30% compared to what the organizers referred to as conventional projects without giving details (Can Paris Be the Greenest Games Yet).
The original marketing slogans from Paris said the organizers would make the games the first climate-positive ones. However, as air travel and other transportation methods have begun to expand carbon footprints, no one is touting this development anymore. Nonetheless, I tip my hat to the French organizers and think it is commendable that they are trying. All of us have to do something, but unfortunately, too many of our fellow American citizens are more focused on their own whiny agendas.
Over the weekend, the 2024 Olympic Games officially opened in Paris, France, but one Ohio State Buckeyes star was not at all happy with what he saw during the opening ceremony.
The performances at the opening ceremony from Paris included drag queens among other performers appearing to parody the iconic painting “The Last Supper,” showing Jesus sharing a final meal with his disciples before his crucifixion. And former Ohio State Buckeyes star running back Master Teague III was not happy about it (Ohio State Star Furious at Olympics).
This young man’s reaction, which he is entitled to, is wrong for one primary reason: The scene depicted wasn’t of Da Vinci’s “Last Supper.” It was instead one similar in the way the main figures are displayed, but it is Jan Harmensz van Biljert’s Feast of the Gods, which was painted around 1635.
Many Christians in the U.S. have been expressing extreme anger and using phrases like “REPENT, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” I think repenting is in order, but it should be done by these lunkheads who are so quick to judge without doing about a minute’s worth of research before screaming to the world, “Look at me. I’m special. My feelings were hurt.”
Christians, and it seems mostly American Christians, are bending over backward to take offense at everything. It reminds me of the scene in the classic movie Stripes when the recruit informed his comrades that if they called him by his name “Francis,” he’d kill them. The drill sergeant immediately responded by telling him to “lighten up, Francis.” Christians in America need to stop being so weak, pull their heads out, and lighten up. There is no grand conspiracy to persecute them, and if a few Muslims hate them, well, I am sure the feelings are mutual.
This odd notion that everyone has to like everyone and no one can have a differing opinion is turning us all into a cackling coop of chickens. The constant bickering, always finding reasons to be hurt or outraged by people or things that have entirely different aims, pushes people to make stupid comments into the virtual abyss, and those hurt feelings bounce around for a bit until absorbed by others in the silo — I guess I do it to an extent here. Maybe I am seeing more in the MAGA ugliness than there actually is. I don’t know.
What I do know is that the efforts made by Paris to use the beautiful city to display the talents of the world’s best athletes while trying to shrink the carbon footprint should be applauded. Bravo, Paris! Boo boring, always-offended , and not-so-bright American Christians who found the opening ceremony offensive. As it turns out, the scene has zero (0.0) to do with Jesus.
The 2024 Olympics opening ceremony received rave reviews, with Gojira, Lady Gaga and Celine Dion in particular drawing praise from critics.
Not everyone was a fan of the festivities, however. Multiple far-right politicians spoke out against the event and, more specifically, a skit featuring drag queens in what seemed to be a recreation of Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” painting.
Elon Musk, Piers Morgan and Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker also decried the performance, labeling it as insulting to Christians (Olympics Last Supper Controversy).
So get over yourselves!