So, Chopping Off Marie Antoinette’s Head Was a Good Thing?
Is that the message from the Paris Olympics opening ceremony?
The first time a heavy metal band performed at an Olympics opening ceremony was in Paris on July 26, 2024. The band Gojira gave a performance characterized by slamming drums, angry guitars, and headless Marie Antoinettes.
I’m still processing why that last bit was necessary and what they were trying to convey. Some observers felt it was brilliant.
But I’m scratching my head.
It’s fine for the host city to celebrate itself, including its culture and history. In the case of France, I obviously have no objection to the French people celebrating they are no longer a monarchy. But…
Must they celebrate all aspects of the French Revolution?
Was it necessary to guillotine Marie Antoinette to establish a stable, prosperous, and noble republic?
Perhaps that was the point of the performance? Maybe they want us to ask that question. If so, okay, but… I’m not so sure.
If the intent was to celebrate (albeit in a gaudy, over-the-top, loud manner) the execution of France’s most famous (or infamous) queen, then it begs the question: Was her execution necessary?
