The Right Track: France should feel stupid, not sorry

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit several countries, including France. With time (and funds) in limited supply, I opted for a brief visit to Paris. I was stunned – like many others – by the city's gorgeous architecture, historical references and incredible food. My word, the food.

Paris is a culinary paradise. The French are the Olympians of gastronomy (Italians might fight me). Macarons, tarte tatins and mille-feuilles for days! I ate my way through the city, walked thousands of steps and wandered around the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. Ernest Hemingway was right: Paris, indeed, is a “moveable feast.”

But that is why I found the opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games both breathtaking and horrifying. It’s why I laughed when the organizers of the ceremony apologized for their drag performer parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” a depiction of an important moment in Christianity. (While a spokesman first admitted that the segment was inspired by da Vinci’s famous work of art, later, the show’s creative director said it was inspired by Greek mythology).

The Olympic Games features the most elite athletes in the world. The opening ceremony is the chance for the host country to highlight what makes their city unique and incredible. Paris’ production featured some of that. I appreciated the transition from Les Misérables to heavy metal. Still, with all Paris' glorious history, architecture, writers and artists and culinary delights, opening ceremony designers decided to present Paris as debaucherous, inclusive and blasphemous.

Many high-profile Christian organizations condemned The Last Supper depiction and people who don’t identify with the Christian faith did too. I also was annoyed at first. But I'm not all that worried: Mocking Christianity is prosaic.

I wasn't mad at the opening as much as I was horrified for France. Even disappointed. They really thought: "Hey, the whole world is watching, never mind Victor Hugo, St. Honorés or Napolean, let’s make an opening featuring sex and blaspheming God. That's who we are!" OK, France. You do you.

And of this writing, America is winning the medal count . Simone Biles helped the U.S. women’s gymnastics team clinch the gold in the women’s team final, the world is now obsessed with our pommel horse hero, Stephen Nedoroscik, and we have a fencer who competed seven months pregnant. Incredible.

We don't have French crème brûlée but we do have religious liberty and amazing athletes. I’ll take that over the can-can any day.

What did you think of the Olympic opening ceremony? Let me know at nrussell@gannett.com .

Here's what else I'm writing about this week:

• Russia prisoner swap brings Whelan, Gershkovich home. US should have done more, sooner.
• I love being a mom. But JD Vance is horribly wrong about 'childless cat ladies.'
• Paris Olympics supposedly promote tolerance. So why are protesters shouting 'Heil Hitler'?

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Right Track: France should feel stupid, not sorry