Reflections amid the Olympics
Postcard from Paris: The Olympic hot spot that’s giving the Eiffel Tower and Louvre some competition, July 30
The Eiffel Tower was built for a World’s Fair and was supposed to be only temporary, yet now it’s become the symbol of Paris. Perhaps Paris should keep the Olympic hot air balloon permanently in place, simply to remind people that there is always light in dark times, especially in the City of Light.
Douglas Cornish, Ottawa
It would make sense for the International Olympic Committee to consider different dates for the next summer Olympics because of climate warming. Because our summers are getting hotter by the year, perhaps the summer Olympics should be held sometime during the month of September. The extreme heat we are experiencing over July and August is a health issue for athletes and should be given serious consideration.
David Gladstone, Toronto
The venue for swimming leg of the Paris Olympics triathlon is both “in Seine” and insane. They should be concerned about their sport, not water quality. Surely the Olympic organizers could have chosen a more appropriate site.
Steen I. Petersen, Nanaimo, BC
‘The Last Supper’ presentation a matter of interpretation
French police investigating abuse targeting Olympic opening ceremony DJ over ‘Last Supper’ tableau, July 30
I was 16 when I first sat through Luis Buñuel’s 1961 film “Viridiana.” For someone who grew up Catholic in Quebec, I was shocked and stunned by the scene that parodied “The Last Supper.” It was devilishly irreverent. Standing in for Jesus and his apostles was a gluttonous band of squatters who overran a country estate where food and liquor were abundant and a lavish banquet was possible. The scene didn’t enrage me. Instead it gave me insight into the power of iconic imagery. Moreover, it moved me to begin to question the authority of the church in the province; it enlarged my intellectual resources. As for the utility of the interpreted parody of “The Last Supper” staged at the Paris Olympics, I am unsure. I will only say that it seemed more like a gratuitous insult.
Orest Slepokura, Calgary, Alta.
Team punishment is inequitable
The Canadian women’s soccer team got caught in Paris, but cheating is everywhere in sports: Feschuk, July 31
I do not condone the Canadian soccer staff’s use of a drone to spy on another team, but I would like to point out the inequitable treatment. It can be argued that Canadian soccer players did not benefit individually from the spying, but they are being penalized harshly. China, on the other hand, had many of their competitive athletes test positively for a banned drug in 2020. They got off scot free after they reported something they ingested was contaminated. Per the Olympic organization, there was leniency for China yet a severe rule for countries like Canada.
Jacob Psutka, Toronto
We need testing more than ever
In the infinite wisdom of the Ford government, wastewater testing was terminated as of Wednesday. Given there appears to be a surge of the latest COVID variant, it is nonsensical to terminate a testing program which has proven to be extremely effective. A silver lining in this situation is that if I am isolating because of a COVID infection, someone can purchase some beer for me at the local convenience store. Thank you, Premier Ford!
Jeffrey Manly, Toronto
Biden’s timing was perfect
It is likely U.S. President Joe Biden deliberately waited to pass the torch until after the Republican National Convention so that all the delegates would debase and lie about him rather than his successor, Kamala Harris. Waiting made their speeches meaningless and a waste of a conference. The timing must be frustrating for Republicans because they spent their time attacking the wrong candidate. Biden is a hero, not “undignified.”
Myrtle Larson, Mississauga
‘Me first’ attitudes
From elementary students to adult drivers and corporate CEOs, we are seeing a lot of bad behaviour based on a “me first” attitude that seems to be pervading most aspects of our society. We all have rights, but no corresponding responsibility. Not only are drivers ignoring safety concerns, but pedestrians and cyclists sometimes do as well. On another note, I note one cannot see some drivers because of heavily tinted windows. There are regulations for those in the name of safety. Where is the enforcement?
Geoff Johnson, Hamilton
Rethinking the death penalty
While executions are declining, the U.S. remains an outlier among Western democracies in upholding the death penalty. In fact earlier this year Alabama garnered worldwide attention when the state introduced a new method (nitrogen hypoxia) of execution. Capital punishment is a costly rattletrap, a failed experiment, and to paraphrase jurists, the needless extinction of human life with marginal social benefit. In the case of this article, more than two decades passed from the crime until the sentence was imposed when the offender was reportedly no longer a threat to society. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Kudos to Bri-anne Swan for adding a voice for life.
Brendan Heath, Toronto
Best to keep Vladdy, Bichette
I’m glad the Blue Jays chose to hold on to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette at the trade deadline despite much interest from other teams. They have more Toronto life in them. In the case of Guerrero, he’s logged a recent two-week hitting streak, his 150th home run and seven hits over the course of a doubleheader. I understand baseball is a business, but Guerrero and Bichette wouldn’t look right wearing another team’s cap.
Adam Silbert, New York, NY
