OPINION
PAGE 4
THE DAILY TITAN
FEBRUARY 25, 2014 TUESDAY
The Olympics: A tradition worth supporting ASHLEN DOMINGUEZ Daily Titan
The Winter Olympics should receive more appreciation from Americans The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics are officially over. As the Winter Olympic Games wrapped up with an elaborate closing ceremony, many people looked to the final scores. The United States placed fourth, bringing home 28 medals including nine gold medals in skiing,
figure skating and snowboarding. This is a huge accomplishment for American athletes coming home and it’s certainly something America can be proud of. But how many Americans can say they actually care about the final scores? How many Americans even watched the games? Not nearly enough. The ratings for the Winter Olympics were down 12 percent from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, according to Forbes. To put it in perspective, The Walking Dead pulled in more viewers than the Olympics closing ceremony on Sunday. Many have seen the flags waving strong in times of crisis or during those summer holidays, but where is that pride when America’s team
is competing against athletes from all over the world? That alone is something to be celebrated. Many of these competitors train for years just to be considered to be on team USA and the least people can do is support their efforts. It used to be an event where Americans could cheer on their fellow man and be proud of the country they called home. Now the Olympic Games seems to have lost their shine. As a tradition, this year’s Winter Olympics is one Americans should be proud of. As a country, the United States has competed in every edition of the Winter games, and has hosted the event on four separate occasions. Since 1924, the United States has been sending its best
to compete and Team USA has proved itself by bringing home gold on a number of occasions. The United States has had athletes as young as 16 earning gold medals for America. The fact that this country produces athletes that are able to compete at such a high level is something to be proud of. It’s symbolic of what a great country America is and what the citizens are capable of. Still, how many people recognize the faces of most Olympic athletes? How many interviews or stories are publicized when the games have ended? Again, not nearly enough. It shouldn’t take a war, a free Monday or an act of terror to make people think of America with pride. It should be something
citizens do in appreciation for the country they live in. At the very least people should participate out of team spirit. In just 2010, Team USA brought home the most overall medals in their history of competing. Thirtyseven medals total, nine of which were gold. It’s no secret that the United States fell short this year in comparison to previous years, but that is all the more reason a cheering audience is needed. The athletes in this year’s Olympic Games should come home knowing people are celebrating their efforts— whether they won or not. They should come home knowing what they did still means something to Americans and that it’s not a dying tradition.
Letter
MAD MIKE
to the
Editor Stacked Parking Co. provides unintended benefits JACK LOCKER Parking Company of America
Hired to meet the parking needs of university commuter students and guests, Parking Company of America was brought in to stack parking vehicles in Lot A and G located near the stadium. When lot parking spaces were filled up, commuters were directed into a single-file row and were issued a parking receipt; Upon returning from class or wherever. The driver would retrieve the keys to the auto now parked in a parking space or possibly still in the same place. While this system worked well last year, a decline in enrollment this winter/spring semester has opened up parking spaces in both lots, no longer requiring this service available Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. So what does this friendly knowledgeable crew dressed in their recognizable black shirt and beige pants (that also includes
CSUF students) do now under their blue canvas tent? They provide a positive presence and help create a safe environment for students, be it deterring predatory violence against women or crimes related to vehicles and personal property. This unintended value of their presence must not be overlooked in times where other local universities have documented instances of crimes such as kidnapping that occurred in school parking lots even in broad daylight. Parking Company of America also answers questions related to campus directions and purchasing parking passes or helping out to jump start a student’s dead battery. While the parking service is entirely free to CSUF commuters, students have often expressed their appreciation verbally and showered the valet attendants with such things as pizza, Christmas cookies and Starbucks gift cards. Their tenure is due to end on Thursday, Feb. 27.
Letter to the Editor The Daily Titan welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must include the sender’s first and last name. Students must include their majors and other writers must include their affiliation to the university, if applicable. Once a letter is submitted, it becomes property of the Daily Titan. Publication of letters is based on the validity of content and may be edited for length, grammar and spelling. Letters may be sent to editorinchief@dailytitan.com
MIKE TRUJILLO / Daily Titan
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