Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Olympics: Opening ceremony grapples with weighty issues
AFP ^ | July 27, 2012

Posted on 07/27/2012 6:45:57 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe

A celebration of free healthcare, the trade union struggle, the battle for women's rights and a fleeting lesbian kiss: the Olympics opening ceremony Friday did not shy away from weighty social issues.

Unsurprisingly, the show devised by Oscar-winning British director Danny Boyle drew accusations from the British political right that it had strayed into "leftie" issues.

Aidan Burley, a lawmaker from Prime Minister David Cameron's ruling Conservative party, tweeted: "The most leftie opening ceremony I have ever seen -- more than Beijing, the capital of a communist state! Welfare tribute next?"

He followed that with: "Thank God the athletes have arrived! Now we can move on from leftie multi-cultural crap."

Several people tweeted their support for his comments.

Alastair Campbell, former British Labour prime minister Tony Blair's communications chief, retorted on Twitter: "Brilliant that we got a socialist to do the opening ceremony."

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: 2012olympics; brilliant; dannyboyle; healthcarenotfree; leftiepropaganda; nhsisnotfree; socialist; weightyissues; welfareparade
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-102 next last
To: Tailgunner Joe

Why did Palestine have athletes there? Maybe I have been out of the loop, but when did they officially become a country?


41 posted on 07/27/2012 7:42:59 PM PDT by squidward
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FrdmLvr

Not only awful.....but extremely boring!


42 posted on 07/27/2012 7:44:06 PM PDT by Aussiebabe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe
“It’s something that is very dear to people’s hearts.

Unless you need surgery on it, in which case you have to go to the end of the line.

-PJ

43 posted on 07/27/2012 7:50:23 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (It doesn't come naturally when you're not natural born.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: submarinerswife
French fly the flag at London Games - France will play a prominent role in the medal ceremonies at this year's London Olympics with all the athletes who make it onto the podium saluting French-made flags. French company Doublet, based near the northern city of Lille, is the flagmaker for the Games so even the beloved Union Jack of hosts Britain will have a Gallic touch.
44 posted on 07/27/2012 7:53:15 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

It was a communist show- communist theme and a leftist telecast- leftist hosts.


45 posted on 07/27/2012 7:54:18 PM PDT by citizencon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: VanDeKoik

Or long bowmen, billmen, knights, or anything cool like that. I know there are politically correct reasons for not having them, and there might be some good reasons for not including them. Sorry to the British FReepers if you think that would have been lame, but I love that stuff.


46 posted on 07/27/2012 7:55:27 PM PDT by nerdwithagun (I'd rather go gun to gun then knife to knife.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: AD from SpringBay

“This ‘celebration’ was a reflection of someone who thinks western society is completely addicted to popular entertainment - nothing more. Compared to Beijing’s opening ceremony this was childish and vapid, bereft of any sort of true achievement or dignity.”

Athens was really good too. I think those will continue to hold the 1 and 2 spots as the best.

This one started out like it could have been the best, but flamed-out badly.

It was a missed opportunity. Much of the pop culture stuff should have waited for the closing


47 posted on 07/27/2012 7:55:36 PM PDT by VanDeKoik
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: Die_Hard Conservative Lady
"I was so dissapointed, what a bunch of left wing crap!"

Haven't seen much of their logo floating around either:

yitbos

48 posted on 07/27/2012 7:56:23 PM PDT by bruinbirdman ("Those who control language control minds." -- Ayn Rand)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

Comment #49 Removed by Moderator

To: Tailgunner Joe

“Jerusalem”

The hill of Glastonbury where Joseph of Aramethea built a church - with all the flags of the world planted on it.

“Abide With Me”

And that majestic sequence with Isembard Kingdom Brunel, and the Industrial Revolution that changed the whole world, ending with the five rings of molten steel.

Even the brief homage to the NHS was hidden in a perfectly laudable piece about the Great Ormonds Street Hospital.

But where would FR be without its resident pack of “I refuse to watch this” know-nothing haters?


50 posted on 07/27/2012 8:02:06 PM PDT by agere_contra (Vote ABO. Don't choose the Greater Evil and then boast about how principled you are)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RightOnline

Britain, the UK......is England, Scotland, NI and Wales.

When you insult or attack Britain or the UK, you therefore do so to all of us who are proud to be British (as well as our constituent nationalities). You insult or attack of all of us on these blessed islands.

Britain/UK and England are NOT the same thing.


51 posted on 07/27/2012 8:03:13 PM PDT by the scotsman (i)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe
Old curmudgeon here. Was a 17 year old working class lad in 1948. Remember the Olympics well and although lived only eight miles from Wembley Stsdium, had to work and likely did not have the money. Poor as church mice, as the saying goes. Happy we were though, as unemployment was a thing of the past.

Mixed feelings as I watched from Canada, Michigan just a spit away from us. Ok, I am going to say something positive. Alright, we did not need Danny boy and his epic with it's sublimal messages, but.....

The wonderful smiles on the faces of the young athletes. Yep, most have their lives in front of them. All power to them I hope they can face future that they must grapple with.

Sermon over.

52 posted on 07/27/2012 8:03:13 PM PDT by Peter Libra
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman

Oh jeez! Where did those ugly hats come from?


53 posted on 07/27/2012 8:03:38 PM PDT by tapatio (In memory of my Dad 5-27-26 2-4-2010)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: AD from SpringBay
"This ‘celebration’ was a reflection of someone who thinks western society is completely addicted to popular entertainment - nothing more. Compared to Beijing’s opening ceremony this was childish and vapid, bereft of any sort of true achievement or dignity."

Post of the night. And one that completely captures the degeneration of British society from the defenders of Western Civilization to the sorry welfare state non-entity we see today.

54 posted on 07/27/2012 8:04:57 PM PDT by hcmama
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: agere_contra

Clearly a British ceremony for a British olympics which will host the entire world should have simply pandered to purely one nation whose knowledge of the UK dosent seem to extend beyond beefeaters, The Beatles, ‘Montee Pythonnnnn’, and Benny Hill.

Silly us.

Imagine the audacity to remind the planet that we basically built the modern world.


55 posted on 07/27/2012 8:09:23 PM PDT by the scotsman (i)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe
Whoops! A little severe on Danny. I will make amends. Christian hymns beautifully sung

(1) <1> And did those feet in ancient time, walk upon England's mountains green.
And was the holy lamb of God, on England's pleasant pastures seen.....Til we have built Jerusalem in England's green and pleasant land.

(2) Guide me, oh thou great Jehovah.....Bread of heaven, bread of heaven feed me now and evermore. (Welsh hymn Cwm Rhondda)

(3) Abide with me, fast falls the eventide, abide with me, Oh Lord with me abide. In death's dark vale I fear no ill, in life in death, Oh Lord, with me abide. (Sung by crowds at the Football Association Cup Final each year).

Trying to be positive, though I have glass of red merlot in hand. Please bear with me friends.

56 posted on 07/27/2012 8:17:52 PM PDT by Peter Libra
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: the scotsman

...and by my post, you know that I know the difference. Let me put it more simply: those who attack the P.C. Brits don’t necessarily attack the U.K. Some here just don’t know the difference.

Straighten your kilt and relax.


57 posted on 07/27/2012 8:21:02 PM PDT by RightOnline (I am Andrew Breitbart!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: the scotsman
Cool down man, I like cowboys and rodeos and wouldn't begrudge people of other countries for wanting to see them. I made a similar comment of how I think longbowmen, pikemen, and knights are pretty cool. This is an American right of center political website, and sometimes people vent on countries that are doing something blathering leftwing stupid like this Olympic ceremony.

You're well within your right to argue against broad based comments made about your people, but don't take things so personaly.

58 posted on 07/27/2012 8:26:09 PM PDT by nerdwithagun (I'd rather go gun to gun then knife to knife.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: agere_contra

At least they weren’t afraid to say the word “Jerusalem”, like our administration.

But I was disappointed that they made fun of one of my favorite movies, about one of the most compelling stories of a british olympic athlete.

I also found it interesting that NBC wouldn’t tell us what “Tim” was known for.


59 posted on 07/27/2012 8:34:21 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe
celebration of free healthcare, the trade union struggle, the battle for women's rights and a fleeting lesbian kiss:

What the hell does all that horse**** have to do with the Olympics? Romney was right when he says the Brits aren't ready for prime time. This was supposed to be a sporting event not a commie circus. I stopped watching the Olympics after the famous hockey gold medal win by the U.S.A. Haven't watched the Olympics since.

60 posted on 07/27/2012 8:36:45 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (The NRA did not create James "The Joker" Holmes. Harvey Weinstein's Hollywood did.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-102 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson