Rio respite: Olympic Games have proven welcome relief from bad news

The Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, have come as a welcome relief from the normal news of terrorism, death and politics that has taken over our collective consciousness.

Watching gymnasts, swimmers, track stars, soccer players and other world-class athletes compete without animosity has, for a short time, replaced the contentiousness and brutality of our troubled world with the near-pristine climate of honorable competition among nations.

We badly needed a break from the usual barrages of political invective, the nightly news of killings and hatred. And these young athletes provided just that -- a view of the world as a place of peace and striving for excellence. It is something we tend to forget, that the world is generally a good place and that people are for the most part honorable, forgiving and simply trying to do their best.

Would that the games -- or at least the spirit of the games -- could continue.

Published in Editorials on August 20, 2016 11:53 PM