The question above is in reference to this morning’s BBC 1 Parade of the Heroes at 11am. It was to do with the British Olympians and Paralympians; they were parading through London in recognition of their achievements.
I know that the Olympics were a huge event, not only for China but for the rest of the world (including Ireland, yes), but Britain takes things a little too far; they always seem to if anyone puts the UK on the map for anything- be it swimming, running or just throwing a stick to see how far it travels and maybe get a medal if you’ve thrown the stick further and higher than others.
The Irish Olympians are modest. At least, I do not see them parading through Belfast or Dublin just because they won us a few medals (they did well, but they do not shout about it); they get over their achievements and excitements, they come home and go back to their daily lives. Medals were won two months ago; get over it.
I see the attraction in the Olympics and Paralympics, of course. I watch the former, wishing I could be that able bodied, lithe and fantastic to represent Ireland in swimming, gymnastics or whatever takes my fancy at the time. Likewise with the Paralympics- as part of those who are “disabled”, I feel a surge of pride when I see an Irish person or Irish people competing, and more pride when they win something. But they do not have super powers to enable them to compete and possibly win, nor do they have superhuman capabilities. They are like you and I, ordinary. Just people.
We are not heroes if we win medals or perhaps overcome great hardship to get to where we are today; it takes an incredible amount of strength and courage etc sometimes, but hey- it doesn’t make us automatically amazing or give us the power to dictate we should be put on a pedestal!
At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Dame Kelly Holmes won a gold or two for England. Fair play to her, I say; yes, she did exceptionally well. But did she really need to be invited on every chat show in the land? Did she really need to keep flashing her medals around, as if to remind those of us watching that we are mere mortals, not fit for pedestals like her, and “Oh, look at me, I’m bloody fantastic!” Yes, dear. You may be one of the best athletes, but I still wanted to kick your head in every time I saw you. The furore died down soon after, only to be replaced now by this!
A money grabbing, attention grabbing, general piece of tripe.
Who thought of this title, Parade of the Heroes? Who in Britain is, honestly, that much of a patriot? Raise your hand and prepare to be sneered at! Which editor, sitting in his big office thought this was a good idea; let’s piss off most of the country, the ones who really, really don't give a damn? Of course, it’s all over the BBC 1 news tonight (10pm). Ugh, they glory in it. It’s like Last Night of the Proms (I like that but I’m not patriotic, frankly)
£100 million from the private sector for 2012? Where will that come from? Where will the rest of it come from? Us- we pay tax, remember.
Part of me cannot believe this. Britain simpers over every decent person it has (athletes, musicians and rugby players alike) but this really takes the biscuit. What the hell IS this?
I was talking to my sister Claire earlier on the phone, when this came up
“Yeah. Oh, did you see Parade of the Heroes?”
(sigh)
“They’re just people who won a lot of medals. [They were flown] Home in a gold nosed plane, for god’s sake! They’re just people.”
“Exactly.”
She’s right. The athletes were flown back to Britain from China in a gold nosed plane… now, where did the money for that come from, I wonder? Where is the money coming from for this parade? Let me think… us! Why must we finance Britain’s bloody whim to bow down to whoever the hell makes them look halfway decent in sport? What were Ireland’s competitors flown home in? Probably a regular plane. (I have to confess I’m not sure.)
What the hell else do they want from us? They won’t get it by shoving their triumphs down our throats.
The Olympians “met the Queen at the end of the parade.” Chris Hoy said it was the “stuff of dreams.” Excuse me, please, while I go and stick my head down the nearest toilet bowl. There will supposedly be a Palace reception for the Paralympians next year. Dear god. Would I get this if I competed? No. Why? Ireland takes pride in its musicians, athletes and beer, but we know when to shut up and sit quietly in the corner! England is like the loud family member that everyone hates- the difference here is Europe aren’t afraid to say they dislike England.
Boris Johnson was quoted as saying, "There's never a wrong time to celebrate the greatest achievement by an Olympic and Paralympic team since 1908. I hope there are kids watching today, saying 'that could be me in 2012'." What? What?! Other fools are saying the same, such as Jowell (“a fitting tribute”). Mark Hunter, medallist in lightweight double sculls (what the hell is that?!) said, “Our success is everybody’s success.”
Yes, it usually is- the UK media is based primarily in London, and it glories over events like this. Does anyone in my generation remember the famous 1966 World Cup win? No? We’re all too young. But yet, some of us probably feel as if we were there because England never shut up about it. Like they don't with the Olympics now. It’s been two months, perhaps longer. Get over it. I will not remember Rebecca Adlington’s name in four years’ time. Why would I need to?
London 2012 chief Lord Coe said the athletes' efforts in Beijing had been "Herculean". Jesus Christ in a tomb. What? Excuse me? Did I just read that right? It seems I did. Good Lord. No, no, no, it wasn’t “Herculean”! “Herculean” was the combined efforts of the passengers on Flight 91 as it was hijacked in September 2001. This word is never used for something as (seemingly, now) trite as this- it’s really getting stupid and out of hand now. If the UK wanted to celebrate the success, they should have done so earlier when momentum and excitement was still high. As it happens now things have died down. Go away and die with it! Start training again or something; just get the hell off our screens.
I dread the upcoming 2012 Olympics. How are England going to beat China in the opening ceremony? I can’t wait to see that! The country will be lambasted the world over, because it won’t match up. How can it? The UK have wasted money on war and investing money in Icelandic banks... they will have none for 2012 at this rate.
Not that I care, really. England’s ‘glories’ means nothing to me; I just wish they’d all go away now because the world is over what happened. Are they milking it for all it is worth? They may be doing so. Perhaps they know that in two years, no one will remember them and now they must try and hold on to this memory?
They are not heroes. They are ordinary people doing their job. Real heroes are those who are not featured in the media, but work behind the scenes- and you don't see them parading through London, Belfast or Dublin, do you?
The Olympians did well. But they are simply ordinary. Will you remember them in ten years’ time? Will you remember what they did and how they did it, where and when and why?
No. Tax money and the like has better things to be spent on, such as education or maybe trying to bail Ireland and the UK out of the credit crunch. But the government thinks it better to parade these ‘heroes’.
Utter bullshit.
Athletes are just ordinary. Not heroes. Just ordinary.
Quotes from here. *puts feet up with cup of tea* Now, to wait and watch the wank roll in.