Olympics in China
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Commercials with Olympics
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| I am watching the commercials on NBC. They sure seem to have a lot of Olympics you have to watch though. | |
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Future Leaders?
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| Does anyone remember that many Chinese were displaced from their homes (their homes were bulldozed) to make way for the construction of the Olympic facilities? How about the human rights abuses that continue to occur in China? While the elite of the world celebrate these "games", the horrors of human rights abuse continue to happen - but the cries of the abused go unheard beneath the din of cheers as challenges are won and new records are set. I doubt these so-called "future leaders" are thinking much about real human problems as they concentrate on their gymnastic,swimming and other athletic contests. I am personally boycotting watching this travesty called the Olympic Games. | |
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Olympics
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| Its nice to see that the free Tibet issue is getting some light...me personally I am not watching the olympics and root against china every chance i get... | |
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P o l i t i c s / O l y m p i c s
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I thought the Olympics were sporting events for young athletes. When did it turn into a political event? Do you suppose other nations bash every country that hosts it? Including USA? (The TV commercials are entertaining.) |
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RE: P o l i t i c s / O l y m p i c s
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| that is what they are meant to be....but since hitler used them to support that Aryan race was superior, to US skipping the Moscow games, Russia skipping LA games, Munich, they are ripe with politics..... | ||
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They're great!
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I'm enjoying watching the Olympics and the distraction they bring from "real world issues"; it's nice to see dedicated young (and "older") athletes achieving life dreams in a healthy yet competative environment. It's easy to point out the human rights travesties that the Chinese government has had their hand in and while I think it's definately something the International Olympic Committee should have consindered in their selection of Beijing as an Olympic host it's also really nice to see the Chinese culture and people shown in a way we don't experience that often. So, as crappy as the world can be with as many horrible things that happen every day, this is a wonderfully great way to view the other side of humanity! |
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Nothing Humane About These Olympics
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| It's wonderful for the evil people in this world to know that they can count on people like you to be distracted by something as simple as athletic games, while they continue to destroy countless lives. And it's wonderful that they can also distract you with pictures of an often fake image of their culture and people. You can be sure that those in power are letting you see only what they want you to see, and you gobble it up, gushing over how "marvelous" their culture and country is. As for the comparison with the Olympics held in Germany during Hitler's reign, I recall a black athelete did put Hitler to shame by winning several events, thus destroying Hitler's myth of white superiority. Yes, there are many crappy things that go on in the world every day - and many things we can and can't do about them. By NOT supporting watching the Olympics in China we could send a message that we won't tolerate the inhumane crap going on there. Oh, but maybe that would be too "political" for some of you. "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" (and maybe sit at home as couch potatos watching the Olympics). | |
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RE: Nothing Humane About These Olympics
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Yes, it's absolutely atrocious that "people like me" are "easily distracted" by "something as simple as athletic games"...because, God forbid we actually ENJOY something in this world. No, maybe you're right, maybe it would be better to just focus on anything and everything negative, at all times, forget ENJOYING life. You know what Alpha Beagle, I'm half German, I've grown up with stories about how the culture of a people can be distorted by madmen and that's made me enjoy seeing some personal stories about a culture that's been distorted by their government. I do not think that every single Chinese person is fully represented by their government....just like every singe German person was not represented by Hitler and his corrupt, illegal, terroristic regime...and, hmmmm, just like the Bush, Clinton, Obama and McCain do not represent every single citizen of the United States. Do I, personally, think China should have hosted the Olympics? NO, I don't, HOWEVER, sitting in Gallatin Valley, Montana, "protesting" the Olympics by not watching them really makes a statement, that really sticks it to 'em, doesn't it? And judging people who do by making snide comments about those of us who do is really the higher road isn't it? I guess if enough people "protest" in the same way you do, maybe, just maybe China will relinquish their illegal hold on Tibet...as long as the Neilson ratings let China know just how many people in the US didn't watch for that reason. |
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Turns My Stomach
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| It turns my stomach that "athletics" are so important to some of you that concern over basic human rights actually takes a back seat! Go to the Amnesty International website and read about how Chinese authorities have backed off on their promises shortly before the Olympics to improve the human rights situation, thus betraying what are supposed to be the core value of the Olympics. What a joke - a travesty! | |
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RE: Turns My Stomach
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| Alpha Beagle, I'm curious to know what you think a good solution to the human rights violations would be? I know what my solution is BUT it sure wouldn't be too popular. | ||
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every drop in the bucket counts.....
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Mitchel what if you did it, every person in the country, then in the state, region, then nation....Remember you got to start some where. I do think that the US should have sat these olympics out...what is the thing that China feels they are most vulnerable...their public image. If we had sat them out that would have made a strong statement against them, and grabbed national headlines...even if Bush had canceled his trip and said it was because of the human rights issues....that would have been at least taking some kind of stand. On another note...the experience that you see of china is just a picture, one taylored by the government to show western media how advanced and free china is. However the truth is that is just a picture and the real china is very different. Compare it to the WW2 concentration camps, the Japanese and Germans made propaganda videos showing how well prisoners were treated..... |
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Beagle, give it a rest!
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It's a sporting event and the best US athletes are competing against the best in the world. There is nothing inhmane, evil or unpatriotic about watching and cheering for your favorites...even if one of them happens to be Chinese. It's just plain silly to try to conjure up images of Hitler, WW II Japan and the USSR. You accomplish nothing with an attitude like the one you hold and you deprive yourself of the joy and excitement of some incredible athletic competion. If you don't like sports or athletic competition, then don't watch. You don't need and excuse. But, don't say: "I'm not going to watch Phelps or Bolt or Luikin because I don't agree with what the Chinese are doing in Tibet or Darfur." Actually, you can say it because we are in the United States and we are free here to say things like that. Just don't say it out loud because it actually diminishes the significance of what you seem to hold so important. |
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People Like You Help the Cause of Despots
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| It's funny how a relatively pleasant and innocuous event can get us to put on a blindfold to the evil going on around the "bubble" of the Olympics. And you don't find that an evil in itself? Sorry, but I do and I am going to say so. As for it being "silly" that I bring up Hitler, you apparently are ignorant of history. Hitler thought through the Olympics he would prove the "superiority" of the white race and felt thoroughly confident that Germany's atheletes would come through. However, the U.S. sent a black man, Jesse Owens, to the Olympics, and he absolutely trashed Germany and Hitler. I've watched old clips of Hitler grinding his jaw as Jesse is awarded his medals. In that case, the Olympics upheld the cause of human rights and stomped on a very evil man and his regime. In addition, our whole country went to war to destroy Hitler. Is this Olympics doing the same thing? I think not. Instead, we are "tolerating" the evil going on in this country - turning a blind eye while we cheer and clap because somebody ran a fast mile! Whoop-de-doo! And I am going to say, "I'm not going to watch Phelps or Bolt or Luikin because I don't agree with what the Chinese are doing in Tibet or Darfur". You bet I am! And I'm going to say it OUT LOUD because the importance of what goes on in China, Tibet and other places has been diminished by the OLYMPICS! | |
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RE: People Like You Help the Cause of Despots
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And which despot is that? Hitler thought he would use the Olympics and the Olympics made him look stupid. USSR and USA thought they would, through the boycots, and they looked stupid. China has looked good in their ability to put on a good show, but they have also showcased their problems and their shortcomings. People who have watched have learned a lot more by watching than those who have not watched by not watching. The importance of what goes on in China should not be minimized. Everything that can be done to combat that effectively should be done, but when someone says he/she is contributing to that by "not watching", it contributes little. Worse, it trivializes the problem, as if a personal boycot was all that is required. |
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Where is the line??
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| Ed, the personal boycott is obviously not the only thing required, that is a foolish thing to say the least. But in the same way a single letter to a congress man probably won't get him to change his vote, hundreds and thousands might. A single person not watching the olympics, who cares right? What about if a million people didn't...or a 10 million...you think you might send a message to China saying we don't support you, or your actions. | |
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RE: Where is the line??
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"What about if a million people didn't...or a 10 million...you think you might send a message to China saying we don't support you, or your actions." No message they didn't already have. You might send a message to NBC that they shouldn't do the next China Olympics. Maybe to their advertizers that NBC is a bad investment, but, except for the Olympics, they already know that. What I'm saying is that the only thing acomplished by a personal boycott is making yourself feel good and maybe superior to those who were so crass that they watched. There are many other ways to accomplish whatever your desired goal is that will be far more affective. Your point below is the point I tried to make in the 1st paragraph above. |
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Alpha
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| I wouldn't agree with you...i would say that the olympics have caused a greater awareness even if it is simply because of the torches protests...Free Tibet | |
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Who's bad..?
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From squatter.org "For the 1996 Atlanta Games, some 30,000 poor residents were displaced due to gentrification.About 2,000 public housing units were demolished. Legislation was introduced to criminalize homelessness, the report said" Those terrible, terrible Chinese! If you are so anti-Chinese, you can't buy anything from Wal-Mart. |
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A Journey of a Thousand Miles . . .
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| "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" - I think maybe it was a Chinese philosopher that said that! My personal boycott is only one step in the line - and of course it will accomplish nothing if others do not add their step. I guess if you are one to look at your neighbor and see that they are not taking a step, then you can justify not taking one yourself. That is how countries are taken over. One person looks at another who is doing nothing about the atrocities going on around them, and they think, "Well, so-and-so's not doing anything, why should I?" Even if I should stand alone in my thoughts in this forum, I don't care. For those that call my attitude negative and assume that I don't enjoy anything in life, you're quite wrong. But I can't enjoy something put on in a country that has caused so much human suffering for no good end. Also, alamator, you're comparison of our country to China is shameful. At least in our system of government we can protest and change things, hence the ". . . legislation was introduced to criminalize homelessnes . . ." something I doubt would happen in China. And as for me being against the Chinese themselves - certainly not! I had a friend from Hong Kong, in fact. It is the Chinese GOVERNMENT that oppresses their own people that I find offensive. And don't pick on Wal-Mart for the "Made in China" label - check out your fancy designer duds picked up in expensive shops and you'll see many of those items are also made in China. I buy made in U.S.A. whenever and whereever I can. If our government hadn't given China "most favored nation" trade status we wouldn't be practically forced to buy Chinese products (by the way, thanks, Bill Clinton). And hey, Mitch, I too am of German heritage, with relatives who fought against the country they came from because they understood evil when they saw it. What would be my solution to human rights violations? For the U.S. to continue to have some balls and stand up against evil. We should have boycotted the Olympics in China. | |
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RE: A Journey of a Thousand Miles . . .
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Beagle...There's a flaw in your reasoning. You say: "...if you are one to look at your neighbor and see that they are not taking a step, then you can justify not taking one yourself." But you define the step as not watching the Olympics. My point is that it will accomplish little if anything, even if 10 million people do the same thing. What can you do that is more substantial? The Olympics are on 10+ hrs/day. What are you doing to combat Chinese evil during those 10 hrs. you're not watching the Olympics? Boycotts are "feelgood" endeavors that seldom accomplish a thing, but at least you get to say you did something. Then, when you run into someone who did watch, maybe someone from Butte who knows Levi Leiphimer and wants to watch him compete, you can denegrate them for not holding the same convictions as you. No! We should not have boycotted the Olympics. When we do, we contribute to the politicization of them. The best thing we could do is to compete and compete well. We have done that and we are continuing to do so, but you don't know that because you're not watching. We'll keep you updated. |
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Most Inspiring Olympics
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| Just a follow-up - If you want to see what I think is the most inspirational Olympic Games, go to You-Tube and watch the video, "Jesse Owens vs. Hitler". Now Jesse was a leader! | |
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One Person Can Make a Difference
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| Ed, I'm sorry you are missing the point. You say that even if 10 million people did the same thing, it still wouldn't accomplish anything. Who are you to know what is being accomplished and in what time frame? I'm so glad Mahatma Ghandi believed he could do something as a single person. Or Mother Theresa. Or any of the scores of individuals throughout history who changed history because of their individual acts. If we all gave up and gave in like you, no one would step up for or against anything. We'd all just shrug our shoulders and flip on the boob tube while waiting for the roof to cave in. I have nothing against the Olympics per say, and have certainly watched them in the past. But I'm not going to repeat to you over and over again why I think this Olympics is so far off base, because you just don't get it. The best thing we can do is to compete and compete well as a nation - by standing up to evil and refusing to turn a blind eye to it - not by hopping, skipping and jumping in an oblivious la-la land like this year's Olympics. | |
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RE: One Person Can Make a Difference
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| No, I'm saying 10 million people refusing to watch the Olympics wouldn't accomplish anything. 10 million refusing to buy anything with a Made in China label would. 10 million refusing to vote for any candidate who did not demand compliance from the Chinese on human rights matters would. 10 million standing up for US values would. Just because someone doesn't follow your lead and refuse to watch TV for your specified reasons does not mean they have given up. By your standards, we would never watch the Olympics again because there would never be a host nation, including the US, who measured up to your definitions of nobility. Back to my original statement: Give it a rest! | ||
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Get Back to Your Boob Tube
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| Lay off, Ed, and cut out the not-so-subtle put-downs and twistings of meanings. I'll let you get back to your "boob tube", honey. | |
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RE: Get Back to Your Boob Tube
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OK, this last argument convinced me. No amount of logic, however sound, can stand up to this kind of reasoning. Cwrite, I agree with your original post. The Olympics are impressive and the performances are incredible. They are well worth watching. Unfortunately, the Beagle has convinced me that I'm unAmerican for watching, so excuse me as I bow out of this discussion. I've got a whole lot of Olympics not to watch. I hope the rest of you are as humbled as I am. |
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I Get it, Ed
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| I get your logic Ed. You use your not-so-subtle put-downs, implying I think I'm better than you and others, (more "noble", etc.) because I have an opinion of THESE particular Olympics that differs from your own, Using your own twisted logic, that is your not-so-sbutle put-downs, you are in fact attempting to elevate yourself and your opinion above me, to "prove" you stand on the more "noble" side of things. You attempt to portray MY logic as ignorant and twisted - perhaps you should be recognized with a "noble" prize award, ha ha. | |
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What did I miss here?
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I know I said I was out of this, but this demands a response...well, maybe not demands, but at least suggest a response is in order. There is no attempt to elevate anyone or to portray anyones logic as ignorant and twisted. I am simply arguing that you are wrong just as you are arguing that cwrite, Mitchell and I are wrong. That is the nature of civil discussion and disagreement. You make your point, I make mine and then you agree that you were wrong and we move on. It's that simple and for that I will accept the "noble" prize. |
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RE: What did I miss here?
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Ed, you crack me up! But really, so, we can all agree to disagree on this right? I'm just glad I live in a country in which we can agree to disagree and I can sit my couch potato butt on the couch at 10 pm after a long day of non-couch potato activities and watch whatever I darn well please while AlphaBeagle can do the same, watching or not watching whatever he darn well pleases... |
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RE: What did I miss here?
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"...whatever he darn well pleases..." or she. Maybe one evening we can all do it together. |
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RE: What did I miss here?
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