There are often times when I am ashamed to be a Brit: when we kow-towed to the Americans and backed them up in two pirating enterprises in Iraq, when I encounter the groundswell of racism that still exists here, when I see us creating a culture which protects and encourages the high-end brigandage that is modern banking practice.
But after witnessing the Opening ceremony last night I feel somehow renewed. Danny Boyle (and how long will we wait to see Sir Danny? not long I suspect)pulling off an astonishing piece of theatre which, unlike previous opening ceremonies I have seen, was devoid of schmaltz and painted a picture of our nation of which we can truly be proud. The set pieces, the music, the personalities, it all came together in a wonderful culmination of the best aspects of Britishness.
The only slightly awkward moment for me was St Paul of Beatle not quite carrying off "Hey Jude". But then the poor guy is 70 or something; maybe I should cut him some slack.
The high point? Doreen Lawrence being chosen as one of the Olympic flag bearers. Though as my wife pointed out, there can be no doubt she'd have swapped all that glory in a heartbeat to have had her son not be there on that fatal night in east London back in 1993.
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