【文章內(nèi)容簡(jiǎn)介】
mail containing razor blades and ropes upon his arrival home.”For the London Games, pared to the Beijing medal haul, “if we win a few less gold medals, ordinary people could abuse us,” said Xiao Tian, deputy chef de mission of the Chinese Olympic delegation in London.Despite many acid remarks online decrying China’s pursuit of gold medals as overzealous, patriotism is alive and well. Perhaps it gets a little bit carried away at an Olympics. But what’s the difference between the “USA! USA!” chants at the basketball arena and the shouts of “China! Fight stronger!” at the table tennis venue? And what’s the harm?A new mentary in the populist newspaper Global Times addresses the criticisms over “excessive” patriotism:The London Olympic Games has resulted in new happiness and confidence for Chinese society. Four years ago, the Chinese delegation topped the gold medal tally on home soil. This time, Chinese athletes continue to win glory overseas. The Chinese public is surer about the country’s capabilities. No matter what the critics say, sporting achievements attest to the country’s progress.Patriotism cannot be denied. It is not denied in any country. It is one of the core values of China, helping sustain its civilization for thousands of years. Patriotic feeling is strong and authoritative. A few try to win attention by condemning patriotism.Zhang Yiwu, a professor at Peking University, cites historical reasons for China’s gold fever, in part because the country didn’t win its first Olympic medals until 1984. The country, after having been essentially closed to the outside world for so long, is just making up for lost time, he says in anoth