A drag queen “Last Supper.” And at the Olympics’ opening ceremonies, no less.

In real time from Tokyo to Nairobi and Buenos Aires to St. Petersburg, the world got to see what “woke” is. The world got to learn that self-declared elites find it necessary to attack and mock whatever they disagree with. It’s not enough to privately disagree with — or not support —  what others believe. It’s important to them to mock it. To tear it down.

When you’re part of the self-declared cultural elite — those who deem themselves enlightened — no cultural norm, no aspect of society, and no symbol of western culture or Judeo-Christian values is off limits. Moreover, the Left feels duty-bound to target those standards and those very things — even those literally held sacred.

The mockery and attacks are not limited to the editorial pages of the New York Times or woke-focused late night talk shows. Signs, impromptu remarks, protests, and staged events now are displayed or take place unexpectedly, anywhere, anytime.

At coffee shops, at NFL football games, at a Broadway play, during awards ceremonies, during graduations, on highways near airports. And now the Olympics.

Once every four years, from across the globe, athletes assemble in a centuries-old tradition of excellence, the spirit of competition, and the world coming together to put differences aside. For nearly a century, it has been the custom of the host country to welcome the world’s athletes with songs, dances and customs to highlight the host nation, showcasing well-known celebrities, artists, or athletes.

To underscore the welcoming, neutral setting of the Olympics, to take the extra-cautious step to remove politics and avoid using the Olympics as a tool to advance or attack a nation, cause or faith, there is actually a fixed script that the host nation’s leader — president, monarch, prime minister or chairman — is permitted to read. No more, no less. (“I declare open the Games of [name of the host city], celebrating the [ordinal number of the Olympiad] Olympiad of the modern era.”)

Yet, in one of western civilization’s leading cities, the Paris 2024 Host Committee — with the approval of the International Olympic Committee — presented the athletes, families, fans and a world-wide audience with a hateful, “gold medal” performance.

A drag queen “Last Supper.”

This has nothing to do with the athletes or competition. Nothing to do with France or Paris. And it certainly wasn’t expected or anticipated — by athletes, those in attendance, and certainly not those watching at home.

And, the Host Committee, producers and “actors” knew that it was not unifying or welcoming.

And, they didn’t care. Worst of all, many suspect that it was presented intentionally to mock and to make us feel uncomfortable. Because that’s a key goal of woke politics. They have contempt for custom, tradition, rules, laws, and Judeo-Christian religions. We’re supposed to feel uncomfortable.

The audience did not expect — nor, in many cases — want this. I suspect that many in the audience in Paris — and, I’m certain that most watching on television — watched the show as an escape from partisan politics and culture wars.

The Olympics were — until Friday night — a “safe space.” You could watch, cheer, laugh or even cry, regardless of your race, nation, faith — or lack of a faith.

Americans, sadly, have become all too used to this. The ritualistic lawn-signs for or against candidates or ballot questions that were sporadic at our homes and major intersections, have given-way to Obama-Biden looking “Hate Has No Home” and rainbow colored “In Our House…” lawn signs that never come down.

The speeches by actors, producers or directors lecturing the audience pre- or post-performance, even when the performance is a musical or comedy, a supposed safe space.

The NFL and NBA messages on backboards, in end zones and on players’ sneakers and cleats. Often (ironically) “speaking out” against racism, where the audience of majority white attendees has paid hundreds if not thousands of dollars to support, cheer on and even cry tears of joy for many African-American athletes.

The coffee-shops and bistros with front-doors, baristas, waitresses and cash registers adorned with flags, banners or lapel pins with — usually — the left-wing cause du jour.

A few years ago, I first heard about “safe spaces” on college campuses: places students could go to get away from confrontation, verbal or physical attacks, or to step-away from uncomfortable situations. (While I first saw some merit to this, I soon recognized that it was a tangible symbol of the cultural and academic harms that were taking root in higher education.)

Yet, at its heart, there was the idea of a non-confrontational, neutral, or relaxing place.

For nearly a decade I’ve tried to explain — especially to younger audiences — that we used to have “safe spaces” for everyone. There were places to get away from politics, debates on culture and fights over all aspects of religions.

Our neighborhoods. Coffee shops. Plays. Football games. And, yes, at the top of the safe space pyramid was the Olympics.

The tragic part of what has happened over the last several years is that many in the Left have purposefully, intentionally, brought politics, religion and confrontation into what were America’s “safe spaces.” 

This is totally different than the college professor who gives a lecture in a “Western Civilization” class about the benefits of Christianity in advancing literacy or compassion for the poor and unwittingly “triggering” a student who is uncomfortable with Christianity. That offense is unintentional, and the subject should not be surprising.

This is totally different than watching Saturday Night Live and seeing a skit ridiculing Trump’s hair, mannerisms or ego. That’s intentional, yet not unexpected.

And, if one sees a “Pride” (or a “MAGA”) flag flying outside a coffee shop, one can choose not to go there. 

First, the Left got rid of “never discuss politics or religion at work or the holidays.” They replaced it with you may not discuss Judeo-Christian religions, nor conservative politics, at work—and, you must celebrate Left wing politics and culture.

Then, they got rid of having neutral, safe spaces like concerts, award shows, plays, and football games and replaced them with liberal and left-wing lectures, flags, and banners.

And now, in the most public of settings, in one of the capitals of western culture and Judeo-Christian history, in what is supposed to be the quintessential neutral, apolitical of “safe spaces,” an unprovoked, unexpected and intentional mockery of the most popular faith on the planet, attacking one of the most sacred moments in its history and theology. At a sporting event!

Now, Asians, Africans, South Americans, and those from the Middle East know not only what woke is, but also they know that woke has no bounds — and will confront us at any time, anywhere.

Among the last remaining “safe spaces” has fallen.

My prayer is that this unprovoked, intentional mockery of a sacred event in what is supposed to be a unifying event will begin a cultural pushback and a return to true, unifying, safe spaces.  

Guy Ciarrocchi is a Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation. He writes for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. Follow Guy @PaSuburbsGuy.