[Sigga]

Other countries get criticized all the time, but they don't always start a petulant child's whine of 'It's so unfair'...

If China's leaders want their country to be more internationally involved, with a more prominent image, they'll have to develop a thicker skin, too.

Selling weapons to, and financially supporting, a murderous (and possibly genocidal) regime like the current dictatorship in Sudan is terrible, and China deserves all the criticism it gets.

[Lammarite]

Originally Posted by Sigga

Selling weapons to, and financially supporting, a murderous (and possibly genocidal) regime like the current dictatorship in Sudan is terrible, and China deserves all the criticism it gets.

Oh please- where do you come from that has its hands clean?

[Sigga]

Originally Posted by Lammarite

Oh please- where do you come from that has its hands clean?

I've never murdered anyone or sold a gun. What does it matter where I come from?

You know, that's what's called an ad hominem remark. It doesn't matter who's saying it: the issue stands on its own virtues.

[KnowItAll]

The olympics would not exist if they had a list like Santa Claus has ...

"Only countries that have done no bad over the last 4 years will be allowed to participate or host"

[Sigga]

No, the Olympics wouldn't exist in that case.

But China has an oppressive and recalcitrant regime. There's no getting around that. Should this be linked to the Olympics? I don't see why not. Are we to imagine that the Olympics are somehow separated off from the lives and beliefs of people? A utopian fairyland of sporting excellence, unaffected by anything else in the world?

Murder, oppression, torture, rape and irresponsible arms deals are bigger than the Olympics. That's a fact.

If it were any other country I would say the same thing. But then there wouldn't be so many apologists whinging that we are hurting the feelings of the Chinese people, victimizing them, 'demonizing' them.

It would be nice if the Chinese people could stand up and have some say in what is done in their name, but they are too cowed and oppressed.

[Crocodile]

The Olympics are not needed to "demonize China". The Chinese government are doing a perfectly good job of that themselves.

The Olympics and politics have been associated with each other for a long long time. Just look at the history of the Berlin ('36) and boycotts in Melbourne ('56), Moscow ('80) and LA ('84). Everyone has their own agenda to push at different times.

China are using the Olympics for their political gain - of course they are, they would be stupid not to. But they are realising that it is more difficult that they thought. Having the world watching how powerful and great China is, isn't without it's problems (and there have been many). They are having to come good with promises, such as being "green".

Good Luck to them - it will be an interesting year.

[Mat]

"Murder, oppression, torture, rape and irresponsible arms deals "

Your kidding right?
France sold arms and still do so and organised the olympics many times...
The USA sold arms (and still do), torture (Just take a look at the recent iraq scandals..)
... and the list goes on and on....as I said only maybe Liechtenshtein could qualify to organise them...not even sure...

Linking politics and the games as stated before is something that always happened but somehow is plain stupid...it should be about sport (and money) but it is indeed seldom...

Beijing is trying to use the media and the olympic event for its own propaganda, but so does the West the other way round....

As for the whole, athletes are starting to complain and some might withdraw..this is plain rubbish too...

[Football16]

Goleoboy is right on with his point. There is not a single country in the world where there are not some dark sides to it that someone can protest something about it.

I too think Spielberg is wrong to accept and then quit. It strikes me that he must have some better paying gig that came up or why else would he make himself look this dumb.

Linking Darfur or any other cause to the Olympics helps very little. The more the world trades with each other, the safer it will be to prevent wars with the possible exception of George Bush at the helm of the USA.

I have zero difficulty in free speech and some actors like Robert Redford and George Clooney are very sincere in the causes they hampion but I doubt Clooney would do a Spielberg.

My main point is that linkage is not the right way to go as everyone can find things wrong with the other guy to link to in opposition. Every country has some flaws and dark sides!!

[Football16]

Right after posting on this topic, I was reading the Vancouver Province online and here is what the Olympics for the winter of 2010 in Vancouver are getting from local idiots. I do agree that the Vancouver downtown eastside is a bad place and needs a clean up but linking this to the Olympics is not the solution. This place is a blight on Vancouver and a cess pool but has little to do with the Olympics.


Anti-Olympic protesters demand 'homes for everybody'
Countdown clock defaced but police officers hold back
Ian Austin, The Province
Published: Monday, February 18, 2008

Protesters vowed further civic disruption yesterday as they defaced the Olympic Countdown Clock in downtown Vancouver.

"This isn't the end of resistance," said Thomas Malenfant, as he glued two posters to the clock in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery. "This is only the beginning."

A female protester lobbed two yellow paintballs at the clock, obscuring some of the numbers that continuously count down the time remaining until the 2010 Winter Olympics.

[goleoboy]

I think at the end of the day, economics drives all 'political' decisions anyways... and i do see that the west, esp the US, is indeed threatened by emerging markets in Asia. Doesn't bode well as American still have the largest voice on the world stage... I do agree that if China is to have a profile in the international arena, it needs to develop a thicker skin and be more well-polished - something american politicians have always been known for (ie. stage presence)... heck an actor for US president and the "Terminator" as the CA governor- need I say more? and with the current election looking more like a year long run of American Idol... it doesn't look like it'll get any better anytime soon...

China has been closed off not only economically and politically from the rest of the world - and what it needs is a PR dept that can spin a story as good as the rest of them...