A 'really heinous' Beijing Olympics? Don't watch
Posted 34 weeks 5 days ago byA boycott of the Beijing Olympics makes moral sense. The Chinese government is monstrous -- a nasty, repressive regime with a shiny new capitalist veneer. And the point of the games this summer is not to promote universal brotherhood or prod Beijing's communist masters toward freedom so much as showcase emerging Chinese superiority as an authoritarian world power.
Ah, but Olympic officials, athletes, and many government leaders scoff at such notions. "Don't antagonize China." "Not a good idea." "Counterproductive." How so?
"Wouldn't holding the games in China give the world's democracies 'leverage' over that country's Communist dictatorship? Wouldn't the increased media attention and 'scrutiny' force Beijing to relax its security apparatus and increase civil liberties? Wouldn't the Olympics be just another elevation in China's 'peaceful rise' to 'responsible stakeholder,' great-power status?" writes Matthew Continetti in the latest Weekly Standard. "Seven years later, we have our answer. It is a resounding 'No.' " Continetti's article is a must-read catalogue of bipartisan excuse-making for Chinese abuses.
Meantime, the New York Sun editorialized Friday on the bloodbath in Tibet at the expense of Dale McFeatters, a good syndicated columnist whose astonishing speed sometimes undercuts his judgment. McFeatters reports that the Chinese government has killed at least 99 people this week in Tibet -- but strict Chinese censorship ensures nobody really knows how many people are dead or wounded.
I'll let the Sun take it from here:
Mr. McFeatters goes on to mention that this has prompted calls for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics, or at least the opening ceremony. And then he opines: "Barring some really heinous act by China, this would be a mistake."It makes one wonder — if killing 99 innocent Tibetan protesters doesn't qualify as "really heinous," what does? How many protesters would have to be killed in Tibet for Mr. McFeatters to deem it "really heinous"? A hundred? A thousand? Would two thousand innocent protesters slain qualify as "heinous," but not reach the higher standard of "really heinous"?For the Tibetans and the vast millions under the boot of the government of Beijing, this is not an abstract matter, or a laughing matter. And it's a matter that will ultimately have to be dealt with by the American government, at the highest levels. The White House yesterday said that President Bush will go ahead with his plans to attend the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games, despite the Lhasa Massacre. It's the White House's way of agreeing with Mr. McFeatters that 99 dead don't qualify as really heinous.
But a boycott requires more than moral certainty. It also requires political courage. Good grief, even the French are contemplating the idea! (Sort of.) As Chapman University's John Hall argued recently, the comparison between China in 2008 and Germany in 1936 is not a bad one.
"Civilized countries should boycott the Beijing Olympics. If it is politically impossible to do so at this stage, participating nations, individual athletes and media representatives have a responsibility to publicly and frequently express their concerns about China's human rights record," Hall wrote in Investor's Business Daily last week. "In 1936, the Western democracies provided an oppressive regime with a stamp of approval. Surely we can do better this time."
In a world with a good deal more political courage, surely we would.
The United States and much of the rest of the world likely won't boycott the games? Fine. Let them compete. But Americans at home would do well to deny China the audience it seeks. Tune out the games this summer. I know I will.
Thoughts
Indeed, nobody will care it,
Submitted on March 31st, 2008 by AnonymousIndeed, nobody will care it, maybe i have pay much attention to it...anyway, thank you for your comment ^^
Media fools
Submitted on March 30th, 2008 by dotsFox News absolutely takes some Americans as fools. As does Reuters and/or AP with doctored and cropped photographs that don't tell the whole story. As does the New York Times and often CNN with their liberal bias.
A free press is made up of organizations with biased agenda, and it is necessary for everyone to wade through all this, sometimes ridiculous, information to find the truth.
The US government also tries to use the press to influence public opinion.
So what is your point? Yes, I think many Americans are fools for having access to broad base of information and ideas, yet this president won an election on something called "family values".
I don't think Chinese are stupider than Americans. I just think that government sponsored censorship is dangerous wherever it exists, and I won't have anything to do with it whether it happens in your country or mine.
So Tibet in none of my business? That makes Iraq none of yours. I think we both know that neither case is true.
"No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manner of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee."
John Donne
Meditation 17
Devotions upon Emergent Occasions
you know what... The FOX TV
Submitted on March 30th, 2008 by Anonymousyou know what...
The FOX TV Channel still use Nepal police pic to stand for Chinese one, so stupid...so does it mean that Fox treat America people as fool?can't you distinguish them by face?
GOD...many overseas Chinese protest against tibetan terrorist, but few media report it, why?There must been some motive behind it...
http://www.ourvoice.de/Our%20
Submitted on March 30th, 2008 by Anonymoushttp://www.ourvoice.de/Our%20Voice/Facts...
PS: i like beyonce....she is
Submitted on March 28th, 2008 by AnonymousPS: i like beyonce....she is just amazing...
one more thing slaughter?
Submitted on March 28th, 2008 by Anonymousone more thing
slaughter? newspaper will always overstate sth for its sales.
China is great country, our culture make us welcome the peace. slaughter is not a situable word to describe the exsiting gov in China.
as a Chinese, we are here, can feel the truth, things are not like you are told. but you don't trust it, anyway, we don't care it whether you believe or not.
we Chinese don't always believe in everything that the news report, unless we witness it.
most of us live well, we don't suffer the pain from gov. maybe you have some prejudice.
also, we don't want you to treat the tibetan terrorist as hero, as it is unfair for the real victim.
The game belongs to Chinese
Submitted on March 28th, 2008 by AnonymousThe game belongs to Chinese people, not the government.
most Chinese want to celebrate this grand event...
anyway, to relate Olympic game to politic will make it so unacceptable
OK, China
Submitted on March 27th, 2008 by dotsMy words, ALL of them, are directed at your government, not you.
But you accuse me of being narrow minded.
OK.
My mind will never be broad enough to accept any government's slaughter of it's own people. Government censorship creates the environment that enables this to happen. Therefore, I do not trust your governments reporting of the situation in Tibet. My information comes from our media, yes, but also from Chinese people I have talked that live here.
I don't hate your country. It represents one of the great cultures of all human history.
But my disagreeing with some of the policies of your government is steadfast. I have similar disagreements with the government of my own country. That doesn't make me stupid and it doesn't make you stupid.
It gives me the resolve to boycott the Olympics sponsored by your government, regardless of what my government does.
show u some pic for truth
Submitted on March 27th, 2008 by Anonymoushttp://www.anti-cnn.com/
Guys, you said i hurt you,
Submitted on March 27th, 2008 by AnonymousGuys, you said i hurt you, how about your word?it also hurt us a lot
Guys, tell you sth. nearly all young Chinese know what happen 19 years ago in Beijing...we are not stupid as you thought, ok ?maybe it is not good, but why not you guys always focus on that, how many people die every day in Africa, do you know that? why not go to there to rescue them. If i were you, i will go to there to help them
anyway, we are now living well, it is the truth, so we don't want you guys interrupt us
and about running water and electricity, it is a silly question. you can come to see the fact.
I don't read Gaelic, but i can read Japanese, even though Japan used to invade China. but anyway, i think every country has its merit for us to learn
I don't know why the gov not allow you into Tibet, maybe the gov think you will distort the fact...
at last, yes, you have the right not to watch the game, anyway, we Chinese are civilized people. we won't force other to watch the game.But it is seems a little bit narrow-minded. Maybe, next time, i don't agree with you, and do you mean that i have to hate everything in the USA? i won't do that.
Hello China!
Submitted on March 26th, 2008 by dotsIt's OK that you sort of hurt my feelings, but I am strong.
You are influenced by your media and I am influenced by mine. Such is life.
Is it true that the Chinese government censors the internet so that you, without going through some tricks, can not find information about, say for instance, events in a particular gathering place that happened about 19 years ago?
If we don't know anything about China, why is that?
I don't read Chinese. Do you read Gaelic?
How much of the wealth generated by sales of products built in your country goes to the people that build them? Hey, we have our problems with class distinctions as well, but most people have running water and electricity.
Your are right that we are not seeing all sides of the Tibetan protests, and that is mainly because your government won't allow news organizations into the area.
So, no. I won't watch the Olympics this year, and I am in support of boycotting the Olympics by not only the USA, but the entire civilized world until access is given and the truth be told.
Don't worry, though. You won't even miss me.
China is not like you thought, guys
Submitted on March 26th, 2008 by AnonymousBTW, don't say that i am brainwashed or secret agents, if so, all Chinese will be secret agents, haha
I actually have no interest in politics, only an ordinary from China
one more question: who is the real brainwashed?
A.people who can read english news from internet
B.people who can't read Chinese
so your truth comes from only your media, but we Chinese from both
PS: I like American superstar beyonce...all her performance i have watched from internet.^^
I am Chinese
Submitted on March 26th, 2008 by AnonymousYou guys just don't know anything about China. your media have distorted the situation in tibet. we are here, can see the truth, the truth is that tibetan terrorist set fire, hurt people and destory the city...
How can you know sth by never penetrating it? so narrow-minded
If you boycott the game, the world people will lose the chance to see the most splendid palace in the world,
Shame on you
tell me what is the real meaning of freedom? put your "truth" to other country??
most Chinese live a better live than you thought, don't believe?just come and have a look
anyway, welcome to China^^
Done
Submitted on March 23rd, 2008 by dotsI was planning on boycotting the Beijing Olympics on principle anyway.
Here's a better thought
Submitted on March 23rd, 2008 by mxyzptlkI think all the countries should compete. Let the athletes who choose to use it as a platform to speak their mind about Chinese policies right there in Beijing. Let there be commentary from television hosts on the same. Put the story front and center along with the sport. That'll fry the Chinese oppressors. Let them try to kick Bob Costas out during the event.
But if you believe we should boycott, make sure you are also telling Google, Yahoo and other American companies who cooperate with Chinese censorship to get out too.
Oh, and stop buying anything made in China. And good luck with that.
Oh, and remember that the more the American Government goes into debt to fund things like the Iraw war, the more US currency is owned by China.
My point is that if you want to punish or disassociate from China, the Olympics is a drop in the bucket.
turn off the self-righteous indignation
Submitted on March 22nd, 2008 by AnonymousMore than 2,500 years ago warring Greek city-states would suspend fighting to compete in the Olympic Games. Despite their old rivalries and civic shortsightedness, all Greeks could come together for a brief time to honor the gods and struggle for a simple wreath and a large jar of olive oil. And, of course, bragging rights extolled by poets as great as Pindar.
Jimmy Carter made a stupid blunder in 1980 by stopping US participation in the Games. Replied to in kind by the old Communist Bloc in 1984 in LA.
Put down your weapons, curb your hatreds, let young men and women compete -- and let them come home alive, healthy, and honored.
bipolar2
YES, BOYCOTT
Submitted on March 22nd, 2008 by sunshine308truly this should be a lesson to the Olympic Committee that countries with unknown political stability and serious problems like pollution to the extent that some athletes cannot even compete.. should be mitigating factors in their decisions.
This seems unfair to pull out at this time but I believe it is the correct and moral thing to do..It may be politically incorrect.. we don't need a billion Chinese angry at us..but the standards of the games should not be compromised either.