Madrid Posts 1 & 2

The following entries are on behalf of the Madrid Group: Steve, Chellsie, Megan, Barbara, and Scott.

Salt Lake City Olympic Ceremonies:

1. Parade of Athletes:
   Each country paraded in proceeding their countries flag. 77 nations were represented with 2,399 athletes participating in the 2002 winter Olympic games.
2. Speeches by local and Olympic officials:
   In keeping with the theme of American patriotism following 9/11, the speeches delivered by Salt Lake Organizing Committee Chairman (and future presidential candidate) Mitt Romney and IOC President Jacques Rogge both contained explicit references to the attacks in New York City and Washington DC. More importantly, both speeches presented a firm and united front in the face of terrorism, advocating a world that can live in peace and in which all individuals can pursue their dreams. Additionally, then-President George W. Bush sat, as Hogan (2003) said, “among US athletes, seemingly without bodyguards (pg. 118),” as he opened the games from the stands. These speeches reinforce the United States’ War on Terror as a virtuous endeavor, and present a strong national and international front against enemies of the US.
3. Raising of the Olympic Flag and Playing of the Olympic Anthem:
   The Olympic flag was carried in by 5 flag barriers, representing the 5 continents of the Olympic rings and 3 pillars of Olympic movement: sport, culture, and environment. The flag bearers were: John Glenn, the former President of Poland, and a Nobel Peace Prize winner from Africa, 1998 Japanese gold medalist, 2000 Australian gold medalist Kathy Freeman, 1968 French Olympic gold medalist, Steven Spielberg, and the son of Jacque Cousteau. The choir sang the Olympic anthem as the flag was raised. Then, Sting and Yo-Yo Ma performed together to remind people of the peace and beauty of the Olympic Games.
4. Host nation’s national anthem:
   The national anthem displayed the flag that was flown over the World Trade Center on September 11th during the terrorist attacks. The flag was carried by U.S. Olympians and members of the New York City police and fire departments and the Port Authority. The Star Spangled Banner was sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The overall vision of the spectacle that was the national anthem was very moving and quite patriotic. It displayed the state that our country was in and also showed unity by bringing together the law enforcement officers who are protecting our country as well as the Olympic athletes to carry the flag. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing was amazing and allowed representation of the uniqueness of the local culture in Salt Lake City.
5. Torch relay and lighting of Olympic cauldron:
   The torch was ran across the nation by many former Olympians and finally passed to Mike Eruzione, who was the captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey team. Along with the rest of his teammates, Eruzione lit the Olympic cauldron which was extremely tall with the final flame at the very top. We agree with the Hogan in the fact that this action was very symbolic for the Olympics. In 1980 when the Ice Hockey team won the gold medal, they defeated the U.S.S.R. who were also our cold war enemies at the time. Now, at the height of the war on terror, these same champions are representing our nation by uniting together, as the United States came together to fight the war on terror.
6. Oaths on Behalf of Participants and Judges:
   Jim Shea, member of the US Skeleton Team, took the oath on behalf of all the athletes. He said they will respect the rules, commit themselves without drugs, use sportsmanship, and show honor for their teams. American judge, Allen Church, took an oath of fairness and impartiality in the name of all the judges. Both men raised their right hands while taking the oath.

Crisis of Canadian Identity- Question 2:

The crises of Wayne Gretzky’s trade and Ben Johnson’s steroid scandal related to the crisis of Canadian identity because both resulted in the loss of Canadian points of pride. Both situations occurred at the same time as the Free Trade Agreement, which many Canadians believed represented the encroachment of the US on Canadian markets and culture. This was exacerbated by the loss of Gretzky to Los Angeles, as Americans now “owned” a Canadian hero. Because of these circumstances, many Canadians felt as though they were losing their independent identity to the US, and distrusted the FTA, as they felt it would lead to Americans stealing Canadian resources. For many Canadians, the trade of Gretzky exemplified this, as a large American market “stole” the greatest Canadian “resource.”

These crises illustrate the undeniable link between sport and nationalism or local pride. This is something we have seen repeatedly throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Recently, we have seen it in Cleveland with the loss of LeBron James. When James decided to "take his talents to South Beach," he left behind a city in mourning over the loss of a sports star, struggling to find their identity without him. His departure from Ohio left many Clevelanders feeling that they had lost a part of themselves, causing them to feel angry and betrayed.

This feeling of betrayal and loss of identity is similar to what many Canadians felt after Gretzky's departure as well as Johnson's steroid scandal. They felt as if integral pieces of what made them Canadian were stripped away, leaving them angry and confused. However, it is important to note that, while Gretzky would eventually be forgiven and re-accepted as a Canadian hero, Johnson was almost immediately "stripped" of his Canadian identity, and instead relegated to back being a Jamaican immigrant, less than fully Canadian. This disparity illustrates not only how Canadians coped with the scandals, but also issues of race and immigration within Canada, as a white native Canadian was forgiven while a black immigrant was not.