Boycott the 2008 Olympics?

[atreas]

Personally, I do not advocate a boycott on Chinese goods as this would be economically suicidal. I do, however, think that a boycott of the Olympics would be a useful gesture to indicate disgust at the behaviour of the Chinese government.

It is OK to not understand something (in this specific case, the idea of the Olympic games). But it is not OK to suggest using something you don't understand to make "gestures".

 

[Xenocrates]

I'm a bit mystified at your reference to a "transition." Are you expecting China to become a democracy?

I'm not Davo; just in case he's upset by the comparison. Let's face it he's not likely to be pleased!

I sincerely hope that China does not become a democracy, not for a long while at least. However, some political and social reform is happening very quickly.

My point is that when the US/Britain does something evil everyone makes excuses. When another country does evil we all think there was another choice and they chose evil.

The Chinese want evil no more than we do, but unless we are able to propose a better way we shouldn't judge. It's not a state run by madmen like Nazi Germany was, the Beijing leadership is quite rational and sincere, it's the regions that are rotten. The regional governments P-off people, then the state has no choice but to impose iron law. If they didn't, the country would fall apart and there would be rejoicing in Washington and civil war there.

Britain didn't get to where it is today without passing through a long period of human rights abuse.

I'm going there on the 10th of June so if you have any suggestions for policy changes, please let me know.....

 

[Urederra]

Well a lot of countries have extensive human rights violations. American's have the Native Americans, South America has its junta's, heck practically Spain is responsible for the utter destruction of nearly every mesoamerica civilization from the Rio Grande to Cape Horn.

hehehehe... You have to go 500 years back to find something bad abou Spain.

And so wildly exaggerated.

 

[Caprice]

For all intents and purposes, I've boycotted the olympics ever since I was born. I've simply never had the slightest interest in going or watching...

 

[blackheart]

For all intents and purposes, I've boycotted the olympics ever since I was born. I've simply never had the slightest interest in going or watching...

I think you mix up boycotting with sheer boredom

 

[Caprice]

I think you mix up boycotting with sheer boredom

Possibly, but it works out the same -- they aren't getting any of my money or time.

 

[North King]

An emphatic No. I dislike the PRC as much as the next guy, but for heaven's sake, SEPARATION OF SPORTS FROM STATE!

Geez, even the Greeks felt that this was a sacred tradition, a celebration of athletics, and not some politicizing event. Curse Nero for the precedent he set.

**********

hehehehe... You have to go 500 years back to find something bad abou Spain.

And so wildly exaggerated.

Franco?

 

[Urederra]

Franco?

He stopped the comunist coup d'etat, which, according to what we saw in other countries, was much worse.

 

[North King]

He stopped the comunist coup d'etat, which, according to what we saw in other countries, was much worse.

And that excuses Gernika (Basque spelling intentional (I hope I didn't misspell ))? I don't think so. Facists are as bad as Communist dictators, from what I have seen in history.

 

[Urederra]

It is spelled correctly, eskerrik asko.

And what do you expect in a civil war? no casualties? Communist shouldn't have started in Oviedo in first place.

Besides, i have seen documentaries and read books were the estimation of the number of deaths in Gernika surpases the number of people who were actually living in the village. The first casualty in a war is always the truth.

Nice village, Guernika, I have been there a few times.

 

[CaptainF]

I will leave the boycott of a harmless, apolitical worldwide sporting event to the douchebags.

Why boycott something like this? Sport ain't politics ladies and gentlemen.

If you are really so pissed at the PRC, have your athletes train harder and kick their asses in front of the whole world. That would cause way more embarrassment for the PRC than any sissy boycott could muster.

 

[boarder]

Boycott them?
Our country will be the first in the world to sign a free trade agrement with them (or is it first western country?).

 

[Sims2789]

It's stupid to let politics ruin these athletes' dreams. If they don't wanna go because it's in Fascist China, they can choose on their own free will to not go; the government shouldn't force them against their will.

 

[amadeus]

Fascist China

Was there a revolution I hadn't heard about?

 

[The Yankee]

It's stupid to let politics ruin these athletes' dreams. If they don't wanna go because it's in Fascist China, they can choose on their own free will to not go; the government shouldn't force them against their will.

No argument there. Especially since we know seven years ahead of time where the Olympics will be.

 

[Ramius75]

It's stupid to let politics ruin these athletes' dreams. If they don't wanna go because it's in Fascist China, they can choose on their own free will to not go; the government shouldn't force them against their will.

they have such problem in the "western countries" ?? well, 1 think about athletes is if they wait for 4 years, their prime will be mostly gone.

 

[plarq]

I turn my back and walk away...not interested in Olympics.

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

What effect would boycotting the Olympics have on the Chinese? The same effect it had on Hosts which were also boycotted I would guess.

 

[7ronin]

I voted no. The Olympics should be above politics.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Pasi you decry that China is a human rights violator, but you have the flag of communist Vietnam as your avatar?

In case you hadn't gotten it yet, my avatar is because my person is physically in Viet Nam, not because of any sympathies to the Vietnamese government.