That country THIRSTS for world leadership, down to every small village and hamlet, to almost every beating Chinese heart it seems. They say, to a man, woman and China, Zhonnguo, di yide. "China Must Be First".
It is an impressive patriotism that is awe inspiring and yet chilling at the same time. To stand in a huge sports stadium in China (as I have) with 380,000 Chinese on their feet, watching and hearing them sing in unison the national anthem, is to witness up front a power that is going to have to be dealt with in one way or another.
If anything, I for one, hope this 2008 Olympics Ceremony on Friday woke up masses of dumbass, brain dead Americans who cannot even find China on the world map, and scared them shitless to start thinking out the real world out there. Therein lies its supreme value to us, Americans, after all.
Wake up and smell the Pu Er Cha.
I’m not surprised, either. Everything has been great.
I visited Beijing for the first time as a tourist last October. We were treated with kindness and open arms. At the airport, when leaving for the US on United Airlines, and also at customs at Dulles, we met the male Olympic rowing team...carrying their boats through the airport. They were there to practice and praised the Chinese for doing such an excellent job of constructing the waterway for the event.
Sad to say, I just watched our team come in 4th (out of 4). I did recognize the guys.