1984.
A year made portentious by George Orwell's book of the same name. The supposed terminal date for liberty and freedom-loving nations.
I'll tell ya, by the late 70's, it sure looked as if Orwell's vision was coming down the pike right on schedule. It didn't help that the President of the United States, the leader of the Free World, was talking about the malaise of his own people and nation.
But in 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected to the Presidency.
So, how did 1984 turn out at Reagan's hands?
Some of you may have your own memories of 1984, but I have two vivid ones. The first was President Reagan in the TV booth being interviewed at the 1984 Olympics, then held in Los Angeles, California, USA. Pretty damn appropriate, it being in the State that he ran as Governor, in a city where he worked as an Actor, and where he fought communism as a union boss. The comment that stuck out in my mind was, as he looked over the young people from all over the world, something along the lines of trusting the future of the world to the young people down there on the parade ground, and how everything would turn out okay.
Although he spoke during the Opening Ceremonies, what struck me was the Closing Ceremonies. After the athletes marched in, and some activities were gone through, Lionel Ritchie began singing "All Night Long".
Then it happened.
People started dancing. From almost all the nations and cultures and peoples of the world, the youth of the world began to dance. With each other. In America.
For a few shining moments, the vision appeared of the Shining City on the Hill expanding and engulfing the world as the infectious optimism on the fields spread to the seats and the tiers. The vision of peace among all mankind appeared for a few bright minutes. Once again, the Gipper had bet on the right people.
To this day, I cannot hear "All Night Long" without thinking of that night in 1984 when, for a moment, the veil of cynicism and politics was lifted, and we saw Reagan's Vision of REAL peace on earth.
True, not everyone was there: The Soviet Union and many of the Warsaw Pact countries boycotted in response to Carter's decision to boycott the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. They had one last hurrah in 1988 before disappearing off the face of the planet. Good riddance. I was pleased to see the Russian flag and truly free athletes in 1992. No, I wasn't pleased. I was JOYOUS.
But there were rumbles. Romania, if I recall, defied the boycott and came. Perhaps a hint of what lay in the future?
And ONE myth was totally slain and laid to rest: the 1984 Olympics not only were singular by turning a profit, but by such a magnitude that even the Democrats had to admit that we had indeed turned the corner in the Economy. I don't think any of the others, save the Atlanta Games, turned a profit.
Oh, and one last little bit of irony: The Olympic Anthem of 1984 is the damn best one ever written, in my humble opinion. It was written and conducted at the Opening Ceremonies by John Williams.
He also happened to write the score for "Star Wars".
So, how DID 1984 turn out?
"Not bad. Not bad at all."
Posted by ptah at June 10, 2004 09:35 PM