A major story that is pushed off the front pages due to the Hillary Vs Obama drama is the 2008 Summer Olympic Games which will open on Aug 8th in Beijing, China. Last April we visited Beijing and witnesses hundreds of workers racing to complete construction of the 31 Beijing game venues including the 91,000 seat “birds nest” which is the new national stadium site of the opening ceremony.
Lately we read of crackdowns of Tibet citizens by Chinese military that is causing quite a ruckus around the globe. This is in addition is the ongoing concern of human rights violations on the mainland in China.
The 27 member nations of the European Union EU have not called for an official boycott as yet however we need to monitor this story closely. German Chancellor Merkel has announced that she has no intention of attending the games. Other national figures protesting include President Václav Klaus of the Czech Republic and Donald Tusk, Poland’s prime minister.
Whom do we hurt by these actions? I can recall when US President Jimmy Carter boycotted the Moscow Games in retribution for Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan. As a result athletes representing 16 nations, led by the U.S.A., did not compete in the 1980 Moscow Summer Games. Payback came from Russia during the Reagan years when they, along with 13 other nations, boycotted the 1984 Summer Games that were held in Los Angeles.
The real victims of boycotts are all of the Olympic athletes who train for years to compete against the “best in the world.”
In my view they should not be punished by the actions of their national leaders. Juice readers. What are your thoughts?
Larry,
I agree that the Chinese government is repressive. However the downside of a boycott is simple…the Chinese own our national debt, via their purchases of federal bonds.
They could retaliate and really put the screws to our economy. They already have affected the value of our plummeting dollar by keeping the value of their currency artificially low.
Moreover, most of our manufacturing is now done in China. And they own both sides of the Panama Canal, via long term leases.
All told it sums up to NO LEVERAGE for us versus China. So how about this alternative…we go to China and kick their butts! You know they won’t like that…
We should certainly boycott the opening cremonies – the Chinese leaders don’t need any more kissing-up-to from Bush, etc. The athletes can decide for themselves whether attending is more important that a few lives in Tibet or not.
The Chinese leaders know that “putting the screws” to our economy will backfire, because when we can’t buy their products, their factories close and unemployment will rise in China – creating political political.
It’s unfortunate that athletes [ as well as scientists, artists, writers, etc. ] get caught in the middle of political situations. I think that the United States [thanks to Bush ] has lost the moral high ground, to boycott the olympics now would only add to our sins, by adding hypocrisy.
Email reply:
Oh, by all means, the US athletes should continue with their dreams of competing in the upcoming China Olympics, without a boycott from the US or any other country. What we should be boycotting is GOODS made in China!
Folks.
Upon further reading my sense is that some world leaders will boycott the opening and closing ceremonies as a form of protest but as I stated in the post, the games must go on.
The Falun Gong…are Christians!
They are Democracy Crazies…and
they can’t stand the current China
infrastructure. So, we have a
bunch of crazies here that don’t like the Government. Does it really have much to do with Shot
Putt or High Jumping? How about
the 440 or the Hammer Throw?
The facts are: unless Jimmy Carter
is sent to Beijing and put “in stocks” in Tiannemen Square…well,
then: “Let the Games begin!”
North county email:
Larry:
Agree with you and see no benefit for us boycotting Olympics at this time, and only consider it if our young people are in danger. Our plate of difficulties in the world is full and a boycott would only further our problems, particularly at home.
Carl