Just because: Why we fall in love with the Summer Olympic Games every four years

Golden smiles  x 4 / The American 4 x 100 meter medley relay team
of Allison Schmitt, Dana Vollmer, Rebecca Soni and Missy Franklin
display their gold medals after setting a world record.

Every four years we fall in love with the Summer Olympic Games. And, this year, there were plenty of reasons to fall in love with the London Summer Games.

NPR sports commentator Frank Deford observed that the Olympics are "like an independent movie with foreign actors you've never heard of." Further, he said, it's quite alright if we "cheer for people you've never heard of in a sport you don't care about just because."

During the London Summer Games' fortnight, which wrapped up Sunday night with a smashing three-hour finale that featured a jukebox of British music idols as well as an Eric Idle sing-a-long of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," I found myself cheering for athletes I had never heard of in sports that rarely receive any mention in my country just because ... just because I cared enough to want to. And it was fun.

Golden moment for Team GB / Heptathlete Jessica Ennis basked in
triumph as she won the heptathlon 800 meter run
 and secured a gold medal for Great Britain.

As a result of watching a lot of Olympics coverage live on the BBC via the Internet (here in the U.S., the glamor sports of swimming, gymnastics, diving and track and field aired on tape delay to garner larger nighttime audiences), I got caught up in cheering for a lot of Great Britain's Olympic hopefuls like "Team GB" track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, heptathlete Jessica Ennis and gymnast Beth Tweddle.

Also, thanks to having a lot of Facebook friends from Tunisia, I rooted for their country's athletes like Malek Jaziri (tennis), Habiba Ghribi (athletics) and Oussama Mellouli (indoor and outdoor swimming). And, I marveled at the achievements of David Rudisha of Kenya, who set a world record in winning the men's 800 meters, and little Meseret Defar of Ethiopia (5-feet-3, 95 pounds), who won an exciting women's 5,000 meter race, then pulled a cloth picture of the Virgin Mary from her track top, held it aloft, and kissed it before breaking down in tears of joy, crying: "I won, I won."

David Rudisha / He set a
world record in winning
the gold medal in the
men's 800 meter run.

Mind you, I thrilled in cheering for the U.S. on the basketball court, in the swimming pool and on the Olympic Stadium running track throughout the fortnight, too.

Before the start of the Summer Olympics, Lord Sebastian Coe, the two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500 meters from Great Britain who headed the London organizing committee, said the London Summer Games would be "the Games for everyone."

And they were.

The London Summer Games will be remembered as the most diverse and inclusive Summer Olympics ever.

American gymnast Gabby Douglas in flight / Color her a winner
as she won the gold medal in the women's all-around.

Three traditionally-conservative Islamic nations, known for their cultural and political restrictions of women ~ Saudi Arabia, Brunei and Qatar ~ sent their first female athletes to the Olympics. The London Games will also be remembered for a double-amputee runner (Oscar Pistorius of South Africa, who earned the nickname "The Blade Runner"); an African-American gymnast (Gabby Douglas of the U.S., who became the first woman of color to win the gymnastics all-around gold medal); and an openly gay soccer player whose acceptance by her teammates was very refreshing (Megan Rapinoe of the U.S., who became the first prominent American soccer player to come out in the media).

The world's Olympic athletes, representing 204 nations of the world, came from all walks of life just like the fans who cheered for them. And, their stories were quite compelling, too.

Inclusive but alone, too / Sarah Attar became the first female Saudi
athlete to compete in an Olympic track and field event. 

Last Wednesday, an Olympic milestone was achieved when the first woman track and field athlete representing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia competed. Sarah Attar, 19, born and raised in the U.S. of a Saudi father and an American mother and who holds dual citizenship, ran in the last heat of the 800 meter run. A cross-country runner at Pepperdine University in Calfornia, Attar's Olympic experience lasted less than three minutes.

Sarah Attar wore a white hijab
and a green and black track suit
that covered her arms and legs
to comply with Saudi Arabia's
strict interpretation of
Islamic law.

Attired in a white hijab and a black and green track suit that covered her arms and legs to comply with Saudi Arabia's strict interpretation of Islamic law, Attar received a standing ovation from many in the crowd at Olympic Stadium as she crossed the finish line alone, well behind the others in her heat. Although she finished last in her heat in 2 minutes 44.95 seconds, about 41 seconds behind the first-place finisher, Attar had much to smile about her experience.

Attar said she wanted to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics as a way of inspiring women. "This is such a huge honor and an amazing experience, just to be representing the women," she said, following the conclusion of her race. "I know that this can make a huge difference. Hopefully, this sparks something amazing."

A few other milestones worth sharing from the Olympic fortnight:

• Malaysian diver Pamg Pandelela Rinong won the first-ever diving medal for Malaysia when she won a bronze medal in the 10 meter platform competition. "I feel a great honor to win the historic medal for my country," said Pamg, who was the flag bearer for Malaysia at the opening ceremonies. "I'm very proud of Malaysia for the breakthrough, and hope my country is also proud of me," she added.

• The tiny Caribbean nation of Grenada (population 109,000) became the smallest country to win an Olympic gold medal when 19-year-old Kirani James won the men's 400 meter sprint.

• Before the London Games, the last all-male sport in the Olympics was boxing. No more, as the first gold medals in women's boxing were awarded in three different weight classes. Great Britain's Nicola Adams became the first female to win an Olympic gold medal. Then, Ireland's Katie Taylor won her country's first gold medal of the 2012 Games. Finally, Claressa Shields won the first U.S. women's boxing gold medal. "It's a dream come true," Adams told BBC Sport. "I am so happy and overwhelmed with joy right now. I have wanted this all my life and I have done it."

A bronze moment / Pamg Pandalela Rinong won Malaysia's first-ever
diving medal. "I hope my country is ... proud of me."

The American poet Maya Angelou, who has written about diversity and inclusion throughout her lifetime, observed: "We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color."

A friend of mine from England shared their perspective about the Games with me that are worth sharing with you: "As a nation, Great Britain has found itself not only through its medal success (Team GB won a total of 65 medals, including 29 golds), but by realizing that we are a truly diverse and inclusive nation who welcome and celebrate the success of all."

While the London Summer Games have been about "inspiring a new generation," these Olympic Games will be remembered for its diversity and inclusiveness, too.

Indeed, breaking down barriers one medal at a time, and welcoming and celebrating the success of all.

Various photographs courtesy of The Guardian.co.uk, 2012.

Photograph of David Rudisha courstesy of nbcolympics.com, 2012.

Image of Sarah Attar courtesy of NBC, 2012.

Dateline Cairo: Let's celebrate the revolution tonight, then see what happens tomorrow

Breaking News / President Obama praising the Egyptian people.

The people of Egypt, at last, have brought down the regime.

Tonight has brought excitement mixed with a bit of bewilderment over the speed in which the events that paved the way for democracy in Egypt unfolded.

"It's the greatest day of my life," opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei told NPR.

Yet, for eighteen historic days, ElBaradei and the rest of the world watched in tense anticipation.  The images, voices and actions shaping the Egyptian revolution were riveting: Peaceful, non-violent mass demonstrations, beamed from around the world into our homes, were filled with hope.  Then, one day last week those peaceful demonstrations were broken ~ albeit briefly ~ by an angry mob uprising.  Instead of diplomacy, Molotov cocktails were a weapon of choice by the mob. Journalists, some of them American, attempting to report the unfolding story for an ever-growing and curious world audience, were beaten up by supporters of President Hosni Mubarak.  Others were detained and threatened before being released.  Doubts remained. Which side would prevail, the people or the dictatorship?

The story continued to unfold around the clock:  Through Facebook, on Twitter, in the New York Times, on CNN and Al Jazeera. The whole world was watching.

Shaken but not defeated, in the days that followed, there were more mostly peaceful mass demonstrations. The demonstrators, whose numbers increased daily, camped out in Liberation Square for the long haul because democracy doesn't happen quickly.  And, it's not always orderly, either.

Today's New York Times /
The anger before the euphoria.

Then, last night, there was a huge let down that shattered the hopes for the entire nation, when the autocratic Mubarak refused to quit, announcing he would not be stepping down as president as had been widely speculated in the hours leading up to the announcement.

The country had been blind-sided, victims of another sucker punch from the regime.  Supporters of democracy in Egypt vented their anger well into the night.  Some feared violence as things reached a standoff.  What could possibly happen next?

What happened was this: Today, at 6 p.m. Cairo time (11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT), a history-shaping moment occurred. The announcement heard around the world was made on Egyptian state television by Vice President Omar Suleiman that Hosni Mobarak had stepped down as President of Egypt, after it was disclosed he had flown to Sharm-el-Sheikh.  Mr. Suleiman said that power was being handed over to the higher council of the Egyptian armed forces.

Quickly, the news spread throughout the country and, collectively, the Egyptian citizens erupted in joy. Overwhelming happiness. Jubilation. Freedom.

History continues to unfold.  This much is certain: Tonight, Mubarak is out of power.

The Egyptian revolution /
The whole world is watching.

Monitoring the news on NPR, CNN, the BBC and Al Jazeera English, one can't help but feel there is a sense of pride in the Arab world that the Egyptian people have prevailed. Peaceful protest, without military force from the outside world, has brought the end to 30 years of autocratic rule.  The reaction, both locally and from world leaders, has been mostly positive, if not cautious.

"Let the celebration begin tonight, then wake up and see what happens tomorrow," said Ethar El-Katatney, a staff writer for Egypt Today, during a live interview Friday with CNN's Anderson Cooper, about three hours after the announcement that Mubarak had stepped down.

"The people in Egypt have spoken ... and Egypt will never be the same," said President Obama.  Standing in the foyer of the White House, he added: "It's not the end of the transition.  It's the beginning.  There are many difficult questions that lie ahead.  I am confident that the people of Egypt can find the answers. Egyptians have made it clear that nothing less than genuine democracy will carry the day."

Obama said the United States will be "a partner" to Egypt, ready to help if asked.

According to the BBC, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she welcomed the departure of Mubarak as "historic change."

Tonight, there's a giant euphoric party going on in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the Ground Zero of the Egyptian pro-democracy movement, and Egyptians are also joyfully celebrating in Alexandria, the country's second city.  Fireworks have replaced Molotov cocktails.  People have come out of their homes en masse to celebrate their new-found freedom. The dictator is now gone and the process to rebuild a large, proud Arab nation begins.  There's a new day in Egypt.

"It's joy, exhilaration, total emancipation for 85 million people," ElBaradei told the BBC. "For the first time Egypt has been liberated and has put its feet on the right track toward a country of democracy and social justice."

Google executive and activist Wael Ghonim vows that Egypt will become a democratic state.  "This is Revolution 2.0," Ghonim told CNN.

The transition to democracy can be chaotic ~ and won't happen overnight ~ but there's a lot of optimism spreading throughout Egypt tonight.  One thing is certain: There's a lot that has to be done to ensure a peaceful transformation happens.  In the days ahead, I'm sure we'll all learn the backstories of just how democracy prevailed in Egypt.

The world awaits.

The story continues.  The adventure has just begun.

Jolly good show: Election Day in the U.K.

It's Election Day in the United Kingdom and as the country goes to the polls to vote in the next House of Commons, this curious observer wonders: Just who will emerge as the next Prime Minister?

The candidates, please: Will it be the dour, incumbent Gordon Brown of the Labour Party; the elitist, Oxford-educated David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party; or the handsome and potential deal-breaker Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, whose profile was nicely enhanced during two recently televised debates?

Draw your own conclusions, but remember this: You've got to be careful what you wish for in politics.

One British humourist suggests: "This year it's a three-horse race. Or, two horses and one Gruffalo." The suggestion is that Brown looks exactly like the Gruffalo as illustrated for the Julia Donaldson storybook.

It's a long day, so vote early ~ if not often, as they do in Chicago ~ then, go on a pub crawl.

Post script: When the polls closed at 10 p.m. British Time (5 p.m. EDT/2 p.m. PDT), the BBC exit poll revealed the following ~ Conservatives 305, Labour 255, Liberal Democrats 61 and Others 29. What this means, dear Americans, is a Hung Parliament is in the making ~ and time for a lot of deal making to happen to see just who gets to claim the U.K.'s prime address at 10 Downing Street.

Some in British political circles suggest the exit poll points to an "utter rejection" of the Labour Party. Draw your own conclusions, but, again, remember this: You've got to be careful what you wish for in politics.

The tallying of the votes ~ or, at least, revealing the tally has been painstakingly S-L-O-W. After three hours, only 15 of 650 seats had been declared. The magic number for any party to take control of the House of Commons is 326. It's going to take a while for things to sort themselves out.

Let's make a deal!

In the meantime, let's retire to the pub and drink a pint or two ~ or three. It's going to be a bloody, long night.

Cheers!