Posted on 08/08/2008 12:36:06 PM PDT by manapua
BEIJING -- Just when it seemed that nothing good could pierce the gloomy, gray haze that stifles this city, just when the U.S. Olympic Committee set the bar of foolishness and political expediency higher than any gold medalist will ever jump, a story comes along to remind the world that the Olympics, though appallingly commercialized, still have great redemptive power.
The captains of the U.S. teams participating in the Beijing Games soared above the pettiness of their elders Wednesday when they chose 1,500-meter runner Lopez Lomong, a Sudanese refugee who was abducted from his church at age 6 and targeted for a brutish life as a child soldier, to carry the American flag into the opening ceremony Friday at the National Stadium.
Early in the day, the USOC had all but disowned Olympic speedskating champion Joey Cheek, whose human-rights work with the Save Darfur group undoubtedly led Chinese officials to revoke his visa and prevent him from attending the Olympics. . .
With one noble gesture the rank-and-file members of the U.S. team put their leaders to shame, asking Lomong -- a member of the Team Darfur athletes' coalition -- to lead them onto the field Friday.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
"The American flag means everything in my life -- everything that describes me, coming from another country and going through all of the stages that I have to become a U.S. citizen," Lomong said.
"This is another amazing step for me in celebrating being an American. Seeing my fellow Americans coming behind me [in the opening ceremony] and supporting me will be a great honor -- the highest honor. It's just a happy day. I don't even have the words to describe how happy I am."
This is the best of both possible worlds, a celebration of the greatness of America & a raised middle finger to the Chinese.
Yes, it is. The ChiComs wouldn’t dare raise a stink about a man like Lomong. And for the record, he’s a nice guy, too.
Agreed. Too bad neither Obambi nor his rancorous wife has even a fraction of this recognition of the greatness of America.
AWESOME!
Go LOMONG!!!!!
Cool story, a nice guy & welcome addition to our country.
Dwayne Wade also said something like “it means alot that the President is here to support us and that many AMericans want us to win...” something like that...
Great story (and posted apparently by a friendly Kiwi). Thank you!!!!!
Seeing the quote from Lomong and then seeing the picture of him carrying the flag brings tears...Like all true Americans, he is not in the U.S., the U.S. is in him—everywhere he goes, GO LOMONG!
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