China Olympics

[Harlan Huckleby]

PARIS (AP) - Moves to punish China over its handling of violence in Tibet gained momentum Tuesday, with a novel suggestion for a mini-boycott of the Beijing Olympics by VIPs at the opening ceremony.

Such a protest by world leaders would be a huge slap in the face for China's Communist leadership.

France's outspoken foreign minister, former humanitarian campaigner Bernard Kouchner, said the idea "is interesting."

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080318/D8VG3QDG0.html

I'm in favor of some sort of statement. Those bastards are being real turds in Darfur, too.

On a related note, I got a fortune cookie in chinese restaraunt yesterday that predicted, "You will be hungry in one hour." At least they have a sense of humor.

[The Leaper]

What is embarrassing is the IOC...that they even CONSIDERED China as an appropriate venue in the first place.

Let's have the Olympics in Iran in 2012.

[oregonpackfan]

I am upset at the harsh methods used by the Chinese in Tibet.

Boycotting part or all of the Olympics is a bad idea, IMO. When America boycotted the Olympics in '80, it just hurt the American Olympic athletes. It had virtually no effect on the Soviet Union(now Russia).

Many of those athletes train for years to qualify for the Olympics. It does a major disservice to them to deny them to opportunity to participate.

One major goal of the Olympics is to enable people from different parts of the world to come and meet and get to know each other. To mix political ideology and governmental practices interferes with that goal.

Keep political agendas out of the Olympics.

[BallHawk]

Agreed, OPF.

Well said.

[Harlan Huckleby]

The boycott is by non-athletes at the opening ceremony.

Totally appropriate in my opinion, doesn't effect the olympics themselves.

[Scott Campbell]

I plan on boycotting synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics.

[Partial]

I have read Athletes are boycotting over the air quality. I know Roddick just skipped a tournament their as well over it.

[Freak Out]

I have read Athletes are boycotting over the air quality. I know Roddick just skipped a tournament their as well over it.

The air quality in Beijing makes LA of the 70s seem like Eden...it is that bad. The Central Government has promised to shut down all the coal fired plants within 100s of miles during the games but it is still an ugly situation. Summers there are pretty nasty anyway. These games are going to be very strange to say the least.

[Harlan Huckleby]

nuke 'um. Gotta be done, you know it, I know it.

[Freak Out]

nuke 'um. Gotta be done, you know it, I know it.

I thought London would have been a better place to hold the games anyway.

[Harlan Huckleby]

"Political Science", Randy Newman

No one likes us-I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around, even our old friends put us down
Let's drop the big one and see what happens

We give them money-but are they grateful?
No, they're spiteful and they're hateful
They don't respect us-so let's surprise them
We'll drop the big one and pulverize them

Asia's crowded and Europe's too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name
Let's drop the big one
There'll be no one left to blame us

We'll save Australia
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo
We'll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin', too

Boom goes London and boom Paris
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We'll set everybody free
You'll wear a Japanese kimono
And there'll be Italian shoes for me

They all hate us anyhow
So let's drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Very few athletes are boycotting the games. Some are choosing to arrive late as to not endanger their health.

The athletes that will most likely not show are the long distance runners. That level of air quality can basically kill their careers. Haile Gebrselassie has pulled out ONLY from the marathon but will still attend. Other long distance runners can suffer from things like exercise induced asthma.

It isn't just the air quality, it is also that the games are being held in August which combines that with extreme heat and humidity.

Justine Henin says she won't compete as well...she has asthma.

[The Leaper]

Boycotting part or all of the Olympics is a bad idea, IMO. When America boycotted the Olympics in '80, it just hurt the American Olympic athletes. It had virtually no effect on the Soviet Union(now Russia).

I disagree OPF.

While I do admit that our boycott in 1980 probably had little effect on the USSR, a boycott of China in 2008 is an entirely different scenario. For starters, it isn't ONLY the US who is considering pulling out...and the reasons for pulling out are not simply political disagreements, although they play a significant role.

Russia was ALREADY a world superpower in 1980. An Olympic snub meant little to them.

China is TRYING to become more of a power on the world stage...and an Olympic snub would mean a great deal to them IMO. As such, since little else works in getting China to listen, a boycott should certainly be a heavy consideration. I think it should be a last resort...but we, and the world in general, should certainly use the potential of a boycott to pressure China into human rights reform.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Boycotting part or all of the Olympics is a bad idea, IMO. When America boycotted the Olympics in '80, it just hurt the American Olympic athletes. It had virtually no effect on the Soviet Union(now Russia).

I disagree OPF.

While I do admit that our boycott in 1980 probably had little effect on the USSR, a boycott of China in 2008 is an entirely different scenario. For starters, it isn't ONLY the US who is considering pulling out...and the reasons for pulling out are not simply political disagreements, although they play a significant role.

Russia was ALREADY a world superpower in 1980. An Olympic snub meant little to them.

China is TRYING to become more of a power on the world stage...and an Olympic snub would mean a great deal to them IMO. As such, since little else works in getting China to listen, a boycott should certainly be a heavy consideration. I think it should be a last resort...but we, and the world in general, should certainly use the potential of a boycott to pressure China into human rights reform.

Gonna be hard to pressure ANYBODY on human rights reform when we are torturing people. Regardless of your, mine, etc. viewpoint..most of the world deplores our actions in GT, Abu, and our methods.

Also, using a big stick against china is the wrong method. Diplomacy is what is needed.

Time to start listening to leaders like Fox Fallon. We need a "combination of strength and willingness to engage."

The chinese ARE a power. The way to engage them is opening new lines of communication and reducing the capacity for misunderstanding during times of crisis. But beyond that, it means telling the Chinese, if you want to be treated as a big boy and a major player, you've got to act like it.

If you want recognition of your power, then you have to accept the responsibility that comes with such power. Boycotting isn't the way to do that.

China is our most important relationship for the future, given the realities of people, economics, and location. We've got to work hard and make sure we do our best to get it right.

Since the Chinese are big on respect/shame..is this the way to go? Do we want to slight them in a way that will cause us major problems?

Boycotting is the wrong thing to do.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Gonna be hard to pressure ANYBODY on human rights reform when we are torturing people. Regardless of your, mine, etc. viewpoint..most of the world deplores our actions in GT, Abu, and our methods.

It's not a unilateral action by U.S. It would be broad statement.

Also, using a big stick against china is the wrong method. Diplomacy is what is needed.

Boycotting a ceremony is not a big stick. And we already have plenty of engagement and diplomacy.

The way to engage them is opening new lines of communication and reducing the capacity for misunderstanding during times of crisis.

Again, we have great engagement with china already. Lack of communication is not the issue.

Since the Chinese are big on respect/shame..is this the way to go?

yes! yes!

Do we want to slight them in a way that will cause us major problems?

Again, it's a broad boycott, not just the U.S. or another coallition of the willing. China is not going to withdraw from the world. Why do you suppose this Olympics means so much to them? This is a rare and appropriate time to remind China that they will BENEFIT from less authoritarian treatment of their unwilling subjects.