The Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles this week is extraordinary in its multifaceted reach. The Opening Ceremonies in front of 65,000 people in the Coliseum and on ESPN on Saturday was number one on Facebook. The competitions have been drawing full houses and an international television audience for the first time. Moreover, the lives of the athletes have been changed in ways no other sports competition achieves.

Special Olympics is an American import that is an unalloyed good. It does not arouse suspicions of ulterior motives, as we see even in vaccination programs.

More than 6,000 athletes from 165 countries have gathered in Los Angeles for the Special Olympics, a competition for people with intellectual disabilities. The opening ceremony will feature first lady Michelle Obama, and singer Stevie Wonder will headline a long list of entertainers.

Two years from Wednesday, more than 7,000 world-class athletes and 500,000 spectators will descend on Los Angeles for the biggest sporting event in the region since the 1984 Summer Olympic Games...Mayor Eric Garcetti said it is an honor for L.A. to again serve as host city, after also holding the games in 1972. "Los Angles is the city of hope, opportunity and inclusion, and these games are the embodiment of our spirit," Garcetti said. "This unique event will foster greater understanding and respect for all the world's people."