The Olympic Opening Ceremony, a boil that should have been lanced ages ago…
The opening ceremony to the London Olympics has been greeted with various comments from the media, some have described it as barmy, wacky, some said they couldn’t understand it, one thing I’m sure about is that at a time when the vast majority of ordinary folk of the UK are struggling to meet their basic needs, the extravagance of the opening ceremony was a tasteless waste of money.
Danny Boyle’s dream of Britain was rather sad, I thought the idea was to celebrate all that was good about Britain; Boyle’s dream seemed to be our past greatness, something which has been destroyed by political machinations of the past and present, Mr.Boyle missed a great opportunity to highlight one of his successful film productions, remember “Train Spotting”, a film about Heroin Addicts, I can see it now, people injecting themselves in some back street setting then going on to mug some innocent bystander when they’ve run out of money for their next fix, all this highlighted by a crescendo of fireworks, now this would of been great drama and instead we got Mr.Bloody Bean?
I thought the celebration of the NHS and the steel Industry was a joke, the NHS is being broken up and privatised at every opportunity, we no longer have a steel industry, in fact we hardly produce anything anymore in the UK accept mass unemployment poverty and homelessness, Boyle never highlighted the huge amounts of abuse being handed out to vulnerable patients and the elderly in our great NHS system on a daily basis, he never showcased patients dying of dehydration in our hospitals in there thousands each year, he didn’t highlight the way our government are using the ideology of Eugenics to end the lives of our disabled and sick, mind you Boyle did throw in the occasional wheelchair bound crip to make sure they met the Equality legislation.
Another thing that angered me was the inclusion of Shami Chakrabarti of pressure group “Liberty” carrying the Olympic flag towards the end of the ceremony, what on earth was this obnoxious woman doing in the opening Olympic ceremony? Danny Boyle must have been on some form of hallucinogenic when he thought of that one, how come he didn’t invite the president of Atos to wheel in disabled athletes participating in the Paralympics?
I thought the appearance of Mohammad Ali was in very bad taste, the man obviously didn’t know what was going on, his helper kept on telling him to clap, the poor man didn’t respond, the dignity of probably the greatest sportsman of our generation was overlooked for the overall spectacle.
With all the pyrotechnics and the air filled with smoke and fumes I had presumed one of the main sponsors” Dow Chemical’s” had rein acted the disaster of 1984 in Bhopal, this was not the case but there were demonstrations around the world over Dow Chemical’s Involvement in the London games?
Ahead of us we have 17 days of sport, years and years of hard work have gone into this production, how come this nation can put such a worldwide event together but cannot provide employment, housing, equality for the disabled and sick or treat our servicemen and woman with the respect and dignity they deserve, when this country can provide its own people with what they need then maybe we can all have something to be proud of, until then I’m afraid this event is a complete non entity for me and millions of others in this country, the legacy the politicians keep talking about will not happen it never does except the sponsors and multi corporations will have gotten richer, the poor of the world will still remain poor, all I know is that this event is a complete waste of money and an indulgence this country cannot afford, just wait till next year’s Queens honour’s list, arise Sir Danny Boyle, I’m sorry but this is one Boil that should of been lanced a long time ago…
Paul Smith
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I cannot comment on the “spectacle” but I did note the report of the inclusion of the NHS.
Did this include somehow seeing lights dim and fall to darkness over hospital beds?
Porters taking off their overalls and being handed a P45?
Better still some mad axeman hacking chunks out of an operating theatre would have been good.
Yes, so bloody adolescent, all of it, this celebrity culture-con that has so many of us dumbed-down to it/by it. Anybody who does/did manage to sqeeze some ART in there (Boyle, not Emmin) seems to go all ‘Animal Farm’ on us; not sure about Shami Chackra-Whatsit. has she also been hijacked, then?
Taking such an unnecessary and sceptical stance over an event that was designed to bring people together (not show off the world ills) is rather poor form. I get the feeling that you had made up your mind to hate it on principle, regardless as to what the content was. I tuned in as a sceptic and as someone who sees the Olympics as an overly priced, corporate laden mutation of what it should be, but that opening ceremony was wonderful. It was vibrant, frantic, calm, colourful, multicultural, self depreciating, funny, reflective, poignant and had a genuine heart and soul to it’s design. In short, it reflected many of the GOOD things about Britain (including the internet that gives you your voice!). Whilst I appreciate that using the Olympics as a platform to piggy-back protest isn’t a bad thing at all, I think there has to be a time when it’s best to just be quiet and let the majority enjoy a moment of connectivity. Sending out status’s like this one is only essentially doing two things, preaching to the converted and alienating most people away from your cause by being so churlish. Take a moment to reflect on how exactly that helps matters?!
I’m starting to feel like some old ‘Ante-Establishment’ artist just by virtue of doing my best, creatively: in trying to produce some unaffected, unbiased, unextroverted, open and improvised music (that doesn’t involve videos with umbrella’s and other props ((Queens and things)), but not so quiet as like IDS in ‘The Quiet Man Speaks …’ Do-What???? 3-in-1? Oh, “Squeaks!” …. Like a rusty door.
“In short, it reflected many of the GOOD things about Britain”
Like the non existent steel industry?
Like the NHS that is being surgically removed?
Talk about bread and circuses! I don’t feel good about this blue unpleasant land of ours right now Ian and no amount of expensive propagandist lies will veil the reality that I see ALL the time.
26 million watch the show on the BBC. How wonderful of them all to feel warm and cosy.
Take a minute to reflect on the reality that these games are built on the foundations of others suffering.
In my reflective moment, I thought about moments-of-connectivity, poignancy: that had a genuine heart, and a soul, to its design; and of self-what? -depreciating? And then I thought of the competitive mirroring of the great contest of blah … Well, Ian, it was Dynamic, in-yer-face (just like so many sporting aspirations are being forced to be, in fact) and it reflected, erm … Danny Boyle reflecting, er-, opium-of-the-masses? Nah …! It was good!
As for the big “GOOD” things about Britain … Who’s Britain was that, then?
Oh dear, I’m sorry for being all prolific today, but everytime I turn the TV on (since 3:30 this painful morning) it’s in-my-faffing-face, I haven’t had any news fix, on the news, yet! Any of them! I’ll stop now, then. Ian ….
Paul, I think what you are doing here is ever so slightly selective. Yes industrial manufacturing is now sadly a bygone era and what is left (including Remploy) is being savagely and needlessly eroded by the current Government (whom I despise as much as any sane person should). Yes the principles of the NHS (along with ever increasing numbers of its workforce) are being hacked apart by a succession of capitalist Governments..And YES, both facts are saddening and appalling to say the least and need to be protested.
However, you can choose to see the opening ceremony of a major global event (an event that was awarded to the U.K well in advance of the current recession and cuts) as a ‘slap in the face’ (which I gauge you do) or as a highly visual way to highlight and remind the country (and the world) just what we are capable of if we have progressive attitudes. Rather than seek to rubbish the ceremony I would think it far more balanced to praise it and take a stance of using that praise to also align messages of protest about current happenings. As you state 26 million people watched this on T.V. (though I feel your inferring that all of them are ‘sheeple’ to be rather insulting). Wouldn’t you like these 26 million to be onside with the argument and protest against the Government? I certainly would. Perhaps the best way to do this isn’t by using such extreme viewpoints but by instead using balanced, sustainable and inclusive arguments? I don’t want to openly offend anyone but I see the militant nature of some protesting to actually have a negative effect when trying to put together a ‘bigger picture’ on how to highlight what’s happening to the wider populous. As I said, it does come off as somewhat preaching to the converted whilst missing the trick of trying to get ’26 million people’ on board in an effective manner.
Think about what the aims are. Think about what is required to achieve them (weight of numbers!). Then decide the best method of creating what is required. I don’t see taking ‘extreme’ (and slightly out of context) arguments as being a hugely effective method of doing this. I appreciate that you may disagree though.
Gosh! Did I say I was ‘Prolific?’ when I only meant ‘self-depreciating’ [sic] it’s degenerative, that is, bloody self-degenerative! I didn’t know the Olympics was a platform for an arguement, even? I would’ve gone there and got a platform ticket if it wasn’t so patronisingly -deprecating (not even to mention: “CONDESCENDING”).
And in fairness, most of the products that we all use on a daily basis were built on the foundations of someone suffering so to single out an Olympics opening Ceremony seems slightly selective.
People may be being selective Ian but so what, the vast majority of people who are on this website see the hypocrocy of the event, it’s not inclusive whatsoever, far from it.
How can any rationalle organisation allow one of the major sponsors world partners to be a couple of companies that have such dire names and histories, companies such as “Dow Chemicals and Atos”, inclusive, not for the thousands of people who died at Bhopal in 1984, nor is there any inclusativity for all the disabled and sick of the UK who are being abused on a daily basis by Atos through the corrupt and fraudulent WCA (WORK CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT” process, maybe I am selective and maybe I’ll alianate some people for what I’ve said, but then again If people are so blind as to turn a blind eye to what’s going on then I would rather not have their support….
Maybe your not suffering as much as the vast majority who come to this site through our governments Eugenics ideology, I hope your not suffering but just remember, it could be you and your family next who need support but don’t get it….
Problem is, if you don’t get up and be a bit selective in times-like-these, some else will de-select you for not doing it, by default, And, in fact, they just did, anyway.
I saw a great thing about Churchill, the other night, on Hitler: ‘He’s murdering the Jews and if you don’t stop him he’ll murder you!’
I can stand some selectivity, here!
Well said Manus
I can remember years ago watching a documentary about just what you’ve brought up about Churchill, many people thought he was mad and that Germany wouldn’t attack the UK, they tried to appease Hitler, Churchill knew what was going, sadly we don’t have any decent leaders around today….
And, in fairness ….
People of Britain, please turn your televisions off, and keep them off.
WELL SAID PAUL!
I’ve been waiting for someone to react to the ceremony. I confess I couldn’t bare to watch it all. It was another example of the “American Way” that’s engulged this nation as we are little more than another American State with everything, from welfare reform to popular non-alcoholic drinks to instant food an import from the US. The entire design of the opening ceremony was much more US than UK. Humiliating Mohammad Ali must have been painful to watch.
With respect Ian, I think it is you who are missing the point. This is a website for the VICTIMS of Atos Healthcare and the totally bogus Work Capability Assessments, as confirmed in very detailed research.
I very much doubt that any of the 26 million people who viewed the opening ceremony would think to check this website if interested in offering opinion as to the ceremony itself. (1 billion worldwide viewed it)
Speaking personally, I am a former WRAF healthcare professional, I think our Head of State was diminished by agreeing to particiapte in role play for the masses and She lost some of her dignity by doing so.
The final straw must be the need to hang a ribbon around the neck of all audience members advertising the Atos logo, as corporate sponsors. There are limits to what suffering people can and will tolerate, and I think it’s just been reached.
Thanks Mo…
well said mo myself spent 3 yrs in our gloroius forces and enloyed it but this lot dont now whot its like to have to wait months sometimes yrs for hospital appoinment ,but most were treated with repect others didnt get it but mostly i can only say ive been treated well by the nhs,but now it will be virgin serco unum atos who could be giving me my meds and hospital stays .WHERE is my nhs going this lot dont care about it and thats the sad part we lossing parts of it day by day .TORYS selling it off just like yanky land where unum sells you insurance policy to cover your stay in hospital but you find out like in america they wormed out of it and left you with the bill ouch so how can a firm take money for you and profess to pay while in hospital but also run it so they also get payed while you in there so is this not caleed conflict of interest where are the torys i now holding their hands out ,but the olimpics atos and others who give money to it ,are not only killing people but also making money by it ,and lo and behold all the dla athletics who claim when its over the fanfare died down is that the brown envelope through their door calling them in for medical ops interigation ,and while they wonder whots it about will they recall when we sent tammi and olimpic committee about them taking money from this firm and others reply was not very helpfull but condisending .but now the times nearly over and in the next 6months a lot of these atheletes will be called and most because of their mobilty will pass atos test fit for work whot work we dont know as they wont say ,so where were you when we shouted about atos now you find out to your surprise no dla ffw no surprise to us ps dont moan about my spelling or english ive lost so much of my short term memory its a wonder i can write some shape at all so the olimpics to us is just another waste of money as big companys have once more got the little man to pay whislt they benefit jeff3
Paul,
Your comments about Shami Chakrabarti are spot on.
I was also intrigued to see her Doreen Lawrence there. Doreen is, no doubt, a decent woman, but why her attempt to get justice for her murdered loved one is more important or relevant than than hundreds of other mother’s of murdered teenagers in the UK I do not know. No doubt a mother of a white murdered teenager who fights to get his black murderers convicted would be called a racist rather than a promoter of anti-racism.
More on this here:
http://edgar1981.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/political-correctness-at-olympics.html
Edgar you are very welcome to my website first of all.
Shami Chakrabarti has always dissapointed me, I wrote to her a few years back about the awful treatment of the elderly population in this country by the government, I asked her what her “Liberty” group had done to defend the rights of those people who fought for the very privalidges that she now takes for granted, she sent me a rather turse reply insinuating the usual PC rubbish.
I also found the inclusion of “Doreen Lawrence” typical of what we can now expect in the UK, Doreen Lawrence has had her terrible grief hijacked by the bastards in power, as you say, why is Doreen Lawrence’s grief or sorrow any more than that of a white persons grief or sorrow?
Her son’s killing was disgusting, awful, the corrupt police never did jack shit to apprehend the bastards who did it at the time even though they had a bloody good idea who was involved, the problem over that case was that it was used to label all white working class lads as RACIST scum, 99.99% of people in the UK are not RACIST yet If you speak out against anything to do with colour or ethnicity you are branded as being RACIST, I personally believe that for far too long the white Indigenous population have been sidelined by Neo Liberal Politicians who follow the PC ideology.
Sorry for the rant….