Canada's favourite new columnist, Gil LeBreton, must have gotten an earful for his column comparing the patriotism surrounding the Vancouver Olympic Games to 1930s-style führer fervor, because he's run a (lame, weak, sorta) apology.
Does this sound heartfelt, or like he just found out his editor-in-chief is from Calgary? (I just made that up but it happens all the time – Canadians are super sneaky and in Americans' midst, ready to display their funny-coloured passports when they least suspect it.)
I reached for a comparison and picked one in the 1936 Olympics that unintentionally may have offended the very people whose company I have enjoyed for these past days.
I apologize for offending them.
Ah yes, the classic non-apology. 'I'm sorry you got so offended, if I'd known you were so sensitive I would have compared you to someone other than Hitler.' Maybe half a notch better than 'I'm sorry I got caught.'
Our other pet theory for this follow-up column (other than, you know, giving some Louisiana nobody more free publicity) – he totally forgot to include this last schmaltzy line in his last column and felt it was so golden, so pure, it had to go somewhere! So he closed with it.
Changing trains on the way to the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, I passed a gentleman that I had seen before at that station. He was a street musician and had an electric guitar, but he was dressed elegantly in a white bowtie and dinner jacket. His guitar case was open to collect tips.
The gentleman was slowly strumming the Louis Armstrong classic What a Wonderful World.
I gave him all the change I had.
Jesus H. Christ. Schmaltz for schmaltz' sake? Yes! Patriotism? Nein!
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