American Outrage

Ignorance with a Splash of Self-Righteousness Makes for a Wicked Cocktail

It seems we Americans have an inherent need to be outraged. Add to that a splash of self-righteousness and you have the makings of a wicked cocktail. This past Friday, that cocktail managed to inebriate millions of Americans, surely leaving them with a hangover that will linger well into Monday. 

I didn't watch Friday night’s Opening Ceremonies to the Paris Olympics, so I was surprised to wake up Saturday morning to a barrage of outrage and hysterics on social media. Americans everywhere, especially Christians, were tightly clutching their pearls, working to steady their breathing, and wildly condemning a performance that included drag queens, and that according to scores, made a mockery of Leonardo da Vinci’s, “The Last Supper.” For heaven’s sake, the self-righteous indignation was palpable! 

The outrage posts on X came fast and furious throughout the day on Saturday, and by the end of the day, even celebrities and prominent Catholic bishops were chiming in. (Click the pics to see the stories and posts)

But here’s the thing: the performance that generated so much emotion wasn’t a depiction of “The Last Supper.” It was a reenactment of an ancient Greek Bacchanalia. For those like me who are unfamiliar with the term, a Bacchanalia is an extravagant, raucous, and lengthy party spanning days, celebrated to honor the god of wine, Bacchus (the blue guy seen above). He is also known as Dionysus, the god of fertility and pleasure. Reverend Benjamin Cremer posted to X to set the record straight: 

“It was a representation of the event called the Feast of Dionysus. Greek God of festivity and feasting and ritual and theater. The Olympics are from Greek culture and tradition. French culture is deeply rooted in feasting and festivity and performing arts. The scene depicted in the opening ceremony was based on a painting called 'Feast of the Gods' by Johann Rottenhammer and Jan Bruegel, circa 1602.” (pictured below)

But even after it became clear that all the handwringing was for nought, posters to social media defiantly held on to the claim that Christians everywhere, especially Catholics, had been mocked. 

Oh well. I guess it’s easier to continue being wrong than to admit you were wrong in the first place. And who’s got time for self-reflection on a Saturday, anyway? 

It’s no secret that anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment is still strong in this country, and that many Americans still harbor an inability to tolerate those that don’t look, act, dress, or behave like them. And let's be honest. What bothered these folks most were the actors in drag putting on the performance. Had it been a completely different performance, many of the same people would have been just as angered by the audacity of putting on a drag show at the Olympics.  

But here’s the thing. We’d all be better off if we acknowledged our mistakes, ignorance, and occasional self-righteousness. It’s OK to be wrong if it facilitates growth. It’s also OK to see the facts after the fact.