Here come the Olympics

Well, here we are.

The Beijing Olympics are getting underway with auspicious numbers on the calendar: 08.08.08.

Let's hope this global event contributes to more harmony, better understanding and greater openness between all people.

The Games, of course, have been overshadowed by concerns over human rights, pollution and freedom of expression, among other things.

As the Olympics begin, editorial cartoons provide a sense of how the event is perceived in the West against the political backdrop of the moment.

The tension between the Chinese central government and the people in Tibet who seek the preservation of the Tibetan language, culture and religion remains a hot topic. Signe Wilkinson jabs with humour in this example.

In South Africa, meanwhile, Zapiro addresses the issue of censorship with this original take.

Jim Morin of the Miami Herald focuses instead on the big concern over air quality in Beijing. Not so funny, but very illustrative.

Finally, for a lighter look, we turn to Stuart Carlson, whose funny cartoon reminds us that we should be careful when we criticize.

Let's hope for the best for these Olympics. The spirit of the Games is a positive one -- may the sports competition help bridge differences and lay the groundwork for progress.
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Thanks to gocomics.com for the links.