Did you see and hear the way the Americans were welcomed when they paraded into the stadium during the opening ceremonies? Thunderous applause and cheers roared up from the crowd. The reason is of course obvious. Those in attendance are most likely productive members of society from their respective countries. I assume this means they are employed (Olympic tickets are not cheap) most likely raising a family, and in Athens on vacation whispering thanks to God (and America) that they can be safe from being blown to bits by some Islamic extremist with a bomb strapped to his chest.            

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The majority of the world “gets it,” i.e., what America is all about including what the president’s pre-emptive war on terrorism means for the long term stability of Homo sapiens.  It’s the nut cases, the leftovers from the 60s who have nothing better to do but protest every institution under-girding America; democracy, capitalism and Christianity for starters, that are spotlighted by much of the news media, Hollywood and John Kerry’s town hall meetings. They don’t speak for the Americans I know and apparently not for the citizens of the world in attendance at the Olympics either.

Did you catch the US women’s volleyball match against China? China spanked us pretty good in the opening round 3-1 but here’s something I noticed which you might think is obvious: All of the women on the Chinese team were…Chinese…what else?  But on America’s team? There were African-Americans and Caucasians from various ethnic backgrounds. E. Pluribus Unum—from many, one—more evidence of American greatness and why the world, the same world that “gets it” beats a path to our shores.

And how about Iraq’s soccer team, making its first appearance at the Olympics in 16 years? No one gave them a chance. They were barely able to put a team together, having disbanded after the war started over a year ago. Under Saddam Hussein’s regime, they were “coached” by Saddam’s son Uday who employed torture to motivate the players. A story in the Aug. 12 San Jose Mercury reported “…[W]hen Haidar Jabar scored an own goal to give Portugal an early 1-0 lead, one could only wince, imagining what punishment he would have earned from Uday: Perhaps his feet would have been caned, or he would have been dragged on the pavement. The Iraqi players once lived in mortal fear of making such a mistake. …[I]n the midst of so much sorrow, it is a moment of so much joy for Iraqis.”

            These Iraqis can thank America, led by George W. Bush, for liberating their country and returning it to them. They “get it” too. n