London 2012: The women's Olympics?
By Sarah Brown, CNN
Share your experiences, photos and videos from the London 2012 Games with CNN iReport's Olympics Open Story.
London (CNN) - It may not have been the most dramatic of moments, but it was certainly an important one: Two women, modestly dressed and veiled, walked proudly alongside the flag of their nation Saudi Arabia into London's Olympic stadium at the Games' spectacular opening ceremony.
This understated entrance marked an extraordinary moment for the kingdom and for the Olympics itself, as the first occasion in the history of the Games when all countries participating have had women athletes in their teams.
The achievement was welcomed by those at the highest echelons of sport, with Jacques Rogge, head of the International Olympic Committee, noting with pride in his speech at the opening ceremony that it was "a major boost for gender equality."
Women have been the center of attention throughout much of the Olympics, both within and without Games venues, as they broke records, sparked drama, impressed with immense skill and poise and won medal after medal. Indeed, for many, London 2012 has truly been "the women's Games."
Holder calls Sikh temple shooting a hate crime
By the CNN Wire Staff
Oak Creek, Wisconsin (CNN) - In the strongest denunciation to date by a U.S. law enforcement official, Attorney General Eric Holder on Friday labeled the attack on a Sikh temple that killed six Sikhs "an act of terrorism, an act of hatred, a hate crime."
Holder spoke at an emotional memorial service for the victims of the attack that emphasized healing and forgiveness instead of retribution for the shooting rampage by an Army veteran who killed himself after being wounded by police gunfire.
Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Sikhs in America have been targeted by revenge-seekers who apparently have mistaken them for Muslims, perhaps due to the traditional turbans they wear and their dark skin.
"In the recent past, too many Sikhs have been targeted, victimized simply because of how they looked and what they believed," Holder said Friday.
He called for a discussion on changing laws to prevent future shooting attacks, as well as looking at how to change hearts filled with hatred.
Holder also declared the attack at the Sikh gurdwara, or house of worship, in a Milwaukee suburb to be "an act of terrorism, an act of hatred, a hate crime." Officials have previously called it a case of domestic terrorism, but said they were investigating the motive.
Opinion: U.S. Olympic athlete, Mexican flag?
Editor's note: Ruben Navarrette is a CNN contributor and a nationally syndicated columnist with the Washington Post Writers Group. Follow him on Twitter: @rubennavarrette.
By Ruben Navarrette Jr., CNN Contributor
San Diego (CNN) - Every few years, I reassess how I feel about Mexican-Americans who wave Mexican flags. Much of it has to do with who is doing the waving and under what circumstances.
In 2006, I wrote a column saying it was a bad idea for immigration reform advocates to wave Mexican flags as they marched through U.S. cities such as Phoenix, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles. It's illogical to show your allegiance to one country while demanding accommodation from another.
But in 2007, I penned another column after attending a Luis Miguel concert in Las Vegas where fans of the Mexican singer unfurled Mexican flags. Nothing wrong with that, I concluded.
It's all about context. There is a big difference between a political protest and a concert.
Now, thanks to U.S. Olympic medalist Leo Manzano, and what I consider to be the misguided and ill-mannered way he chose to celebrate his silver medal in the 1500-meters final, I get the chance to think through the subject of flag-waving once again.
After Manzano finished his race and secured his medal, he did what athletes typically do at the Olympics. He held up his country's flag - the Stars and Stripes.
Latinos in California seeks council seat in ongoing tension with Anaheim police
By Natalie Brunell, Jaqueline Hurtado and Michael Martinez, CNN
Anaheim, California (CNN) - As tensions roil between Latinos and city officials over accusations of police brutality, Hispanic activists will press the Anaheim City Council for a way to have at least one elected Latino to represent them, leaders said Thursday.
Their pledge to continue their grass-roots campaign came after the City Council rejected Wednesday night a ballot measure that would have established voting districts, including at least one to represent Latino neighborhoods.
The measure, voted down 3-2 after more than three hours of passionate appeals by residents, would have ended how city council members are now elected at-large. Latino residents feel that under the current conditions they are not being represented adequately - especially in the wake of videotaped violent confrontations between police and Latino residents.
Last month videos captured protestors confronting Anaheim police and officers shooting rubber bullets at mostly Latino residents. One video also shows a police dog running at several people and biting a man in the arm.
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