Let's see if I can wrap my mind around this. Countries from all around the globe have congregated in China to have a world sports festival in the spirit of global unity, or something like that. People are so angry at China that they attacked the Olympic flame wherever it went. Something about claiming control over a Himalayan country called Tibet. Let the games begin.

You could protest many things about China, but do you really care? How many of us know any Chinese people or Tibetan people. Not Chinese-Americans or people of Asian descent. I mean, Chinese people. Or Tibetan people. Don't say the Dalai Lama because you haven't met him. You've seen him. What about the Chinese? There are over a billion of them, and unless you actually went to their country, you probably don't know much about them. I watched a documentary once about Tibet. They reminded me of American Indians, both in their attitude and plight. Nobody says Free Native America! But if you think about it, America did the same thing to them as China is doing to Tibet. Let the games continue.

Then, there's Russia. And Georgia. And I don't mean the Peach Tree State. The one from the old Soviet Union. As soon as anyone could say Olympic spirit, these two countries which used to be part of one big country began fighting. Not like boxers fighting for Olympic gold. Like two countries at war. Russia has a bunch of athletes at the Olympics. I'm sure Georgia has a few. They are pretty much the same people, from the same area of the globe, like neighbors on the same street. Now they are killing each other. Go for the Gold, Baby! Go for the Gold!

Then, there's the red, white & blue. The good ol' US of A. The medal winners. The supreme Olympic power. The juggernaut. We currently "occupy" two nations, Afghanistan & Iraq. I know Iraq has no athletes at the Olympics due to "government meddling." I don't know what that means, but it sounds silly. I don't think Afghanistan has any athletes at the Olympics. Mainly because I can't think of one Afghani athlete who ever competed at the Olympics. Ever. These are the countries that my country "occupies." Why? Well, there was this terrorist attack on our soil about seven years ago, and we went a little funny in the head. Just a little...funny. USA! USA! USA!

So there's China & Russia & the United States of America. No doubt these three countries will be near the top of the medal count at the Olympics in 2008. They also seem to be causing a great deal of the suffering in the world. Is it coincidence? Is it irony? Is it expected?

When the Olympics were originally conceived, it was to keep Athens and Sparta from fighting each other. If they played competitive games together, the assumption was that they wouldn't have to play competitive war together. Bragging rights instead of bloodshed. That sort of thing. I guess it worked okay. I wasn't really around back then, and history is kind of sketchy on recent events, let alone the teachings of ancient happenings. Kind of like The Bible.

But before I digress too much, I do know that the Olympic games started back up a little over 100 years ago. Since then we have had two World Wars, a bevy of countries destroyed, new countries sprouted up, the resurgence of Israel which caused the hatred from everyone else in that region, enemies becoming friends, friends becoming enemies, and a whole bunch of Olympic Games to boot.

I like the Olympics. Mainly because I like sports. And gold. And the idea of all the countries of the world putting aside their petty differences in the spirit of unity and good natured competition. But it doesn't solve anything. It doesn't fix anything. It doesn't even help anything. It is a nice summer distraction that comes every four years. Kind of like the World Cup. And we all know how well soccer fans get along.

Happy Olympics, one and all! Try not to start any fights or wars or anything.

Chris Jungle dreamed of being in the Olympics until he discovered his lack of athletic talent.