March 30, 2003
Love and War
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) - Reigning French Open champion Serena Williams may have committed a faux pas Saturday.
After winning the Nasdaq-100 Open for the second year in a row, Williams was asked about anti-French sentiment in the United States stemming from the war in Iraq.
The question came at the end of her post match news conference. A snickering Williams responded in a facetious French accent.
"Well, we don't want to play in the war," she said. "We want to make clothes. We don't want the war."
Dropping the accent, Williams added, "I don't want a war either. I don't know many people who do want to be involved in the war."
When two tennis reporters from France were asked how Williams' comments will be received there, they responded with the French word "maladroit," which means "tactless."
Well, I've been to one world fair, Europe, and a few hockey games, and that's about the stupidest question I've heard asked of a sports figure. How about asking about the match that she just played? But I have to say that I agree with her point -- I don't want a war either.
I've been thinking about this most of the day today. Well, in between going to church, lunch with the in-laws, doing the in-law's taxes, and painting the family room -- again. I began thinking about the parallels between the relationships between governments and those between just folks.
I've been blessed with many friends and acquaintances in my relatively short life. Some left when I needed them the most. Some I've hurt more than I can imagine, others have hurt me more than I thought I could bear. Some come and go when they have a need. Some say that they're my friend, but really aren't. Others I'm not really sure of at all. Then there are those very few that I know I could count on, whatever the circumstances.
Sort of sums up my understanding of relationships, both personal and international. I could easily get very cynical about the whole thing, and believe that the sole basis of relationships is a zero sum gain -- I win, you lose. I want to belive in the win win model, even against the evidence. Ah, thank goodness for those few, cherished friends that always seem to be there when I'm down -- they are one of life's blessings. Internationally? Hopefully, in time cooler heads will prevail and draw together those who have shared values and mutual interests. But thank God for Tony Blair...
Posted by mjwoods at March 30, 2003 11:27 PM