Do the Olympics Hold the Key for Resolving the World's Political Differences?

There is no doubt about it. The world is glued to their television sets, radios, and computer screens in eager anticipation of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. The best and brightest athletes from all over the world are set to compete in such events as track and field (my favorite), gymnastics, basketball, swimming, diving, equestrian, and soccer (football to most of you!).

The fact that a group of athletes can get together in one place, despite the political reality of their home governments, is a sign that people can be brought together for the right reasons and that there is hope for peace. There is still a lot of improvement to be made, certainly, but this is a good start.

This got me to thinking. If we can get Iraqis, Iranians, Israelis, North Koreans, South Koreans, Pakistanis, Indians, and Americans to come together for sport, why can't we get representatives of these same countries to come together to work for the cause of peace?

Think about it. It doesn't have to be an athletic competition necessarily, but we can have representatives from countries whose governments are at odds. Those representatives can meet at a neutral site under international protocols and they can engage each other diplomatically in front of the world without resorting to war and killing each other.

Rather than rely upon lies, innuendos, and subterfuge (Iraq anyone?) to get a certain percentage of the population to back a phony, unnecessary war, we can have two parties openly and transparently bring their differences to the table in front of the world.

I know we have the United Nations, but our own government here in the United States has shown that it will bully other members and use its veto power to override decisions made by the rest of the body. Hence, the need to find another solution to the humanitarian situation in such disparate places as Darfur, Tibet, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Georgia.

Until every country demands accountability and transparency from ever other country, there will be no peace in the world because the sad reality is that bullies calling themselves the last remaining superpower will get to do whatever they want without fear of meaningful repercussions from the rest of the world.

I am now pro-peace and I will always be pro-peace because I hold onto the hope that every citizen in the world (especially the United States) will wake up and realize that we are all the same. We bleed the same color blood. We have the same hope and dreams, most often that our children will inherit a better world than we inherited.

The Olympic Ideal may very well hold the key to making that a reality.