By The TimesLedger
The city is now one step closer to winning the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games. The American cities have been narrowed down to two: New York and San Francisco.
New York is the sentimental favorite. Although the city has plenty to offer, it doesn’t hurt that the International Olympic Committee may decide to hold the Olympics here as a display of international solidarity in the wake of the attack on the World Trade Center. This isn’t a matter of pity, but rather recognition of the fact that New York, like the Olympics, is a symbol of the triumph of the human spirit.
What concerns us, however, is not the international support but the potential for divisiveness within the city and, in particular, within the borough of Queens. The IOC must believe that the mayor can count on the cooperation he needs to build an Olympic stadium and make the necessary changes to the infrastructure.
There are activists who know how to use the courts to tie this city in knots. They must not be allowed to stand in the way of the city’s Olympic dream. Just as the city pulled together to host two World’s Fairs in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, we trust that a spirit of unity might prevail that would allow this city to host the greatest Olympics ever.
