If I could teach the world to sing...

an Iranian Judo champion has dropped out of the Olympics rather than fight an Israeli. Then there is the matter of women from certain countries not competing lest they lead to massive lust. Guess Saudi Arabia won't be playing women's beach volleyball.

I used to just not care about the Olympics, because I don't really care much about sports. But articles like the above make me think move my opnion from apathy to dislike. The Olympics is the world as people wish it was, not as it actually is. It pretends that all countries are good, respect each other, play clean drug-free games for the love of the sport, ect.

It's the same as the UN. For a funny account of the UN, read the first chapter of PJ O'Rourke's CEO of the Sofa. For the more serious part, look at the way they treat Israel and the fact that most UN countries usually vote against us. And don't forget about the notorious Oil for Food program.

The problem with the UN is that it assumes all countries are equal when they aren't. Tiny Lichenstine and the United States each get a vote, despite size differences. It also assumes all countries are equal - suppress you women? Kill people of certain religions or ethnicities? Don't matter - you are all equal.

The same applies to the Olympics. It pretends that all countries are equal, that they can all just get in a circle and sing Kumbayah and everything will be OK. It won't. The Olympics represents an ideal, not reality, and every now and then that ugly reality pokes through