A Symbolic Boycott of the Olympics?
March 19th, 2008 at 03:01am Mark Noonan
This might be an idea worth considering:
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.”
Kouchner said he wants to discuss it with other foreign ministers from the 27-nation European Union next week. His comments opened a crack in what until now had been solid opposition to a full boycott, a stance that Kouchner said remains the official government position.
The idea of skipping the Aug. 8 opening ceremony “is less negative than a general boycott,” Kouchner said. “We are considering it.”
I would prefer an outright cancellation of the 2008 Olympics - China, under its corrupt and cruel communist leadership, is unworthy of the honor. Absent that, I would like to see us boycott the Olympics - but that is not likely to happen. So, a boycott of the opening ceremony might be the best we can get - and it would be a stinging slap in the face to China’s horrific, anti-human leadership.
Entry Filed under: Foreign Affairs
12 Comments
1. Freedom1 | March 19th, 2008 at 4:29 am
Mark,
You appear to regard China like I regard Saudi Arabia. Like most Islamic nations, the Chinese government is at war with the US. China has weaponized space. Like many Islamic nations, China slaughters its own citizens at will. However, as horrific as China’s Communist government (dictatorship) is, China allows its people a lot more freedom and human rights than do most Islamic nations - much, much more freedom. Why the intense enmity from you? What puts China over the edge for you?
The Chinese goverment is America’s enemy. I’d like nothing better than for China’s horrible, oppressive Communist dictatorship to fall. But, what about the Chinese people? There are over a billion Chinese and they aren’t all our enemy. I actually have a lot of hope for them. We need to reach out and preach the Gospel to the Chinese people. In order to do that, we need access to China.
China has historically been very isolated and in its isolation it has been abhorrently cruel. I’m not sure how a strategy of more of the same isolationism would improve China and its human rights policies?
Sunlight is the best disinfectant. The Olympic Games in Beijing shines a spotlight and focuses the world’s attention on China; and that world attention will hopefully push China to implement more humane policies and practices towards its own people. A mini-boycott is an excellent idea. It’s a slap in the face to the Communist Chinese government which may force them to reign in their slaughter of Tibetans as well as to improve human rights policies in general.
If you believe that American intervention in Muslim Iraq can change it Iraq for the better, then why not the same for China? At least the Chinese people don’t follow the religion of Islam which commands that Muslims continuously make war with non-Muslims until Islam violently dominates the whole world. That’s something, at least. Here are a few brief videos that give a little insight to some small but significant improvements in China:
1) “A Place of Blessing” - “A Beijing restaurant run by Christians serves up salvation along with meals.” - CBN (Video) http://www.cbn.com/media/?WT.svl=PgmMedCenButton
2) “Christmas Bells Ring in Beijing” - “Although China is officially an atheist state, in recent years it has allowed people to celebrate this very significant Christian holiday”. - CBN (Video) http://www.cbn.com/media/?WT.svl=PgmMedCenButton
3) “The Art of the Gospel” - “George Thomas has the story of one small farming village east of Beijing that’s witnessing a powerful move of God.” - CBN (Video) http://www.cbn.com/media/?WT.svl=PgmMedCenButton
2. Freedom1 | March 19th, 2008 at 4:48 am
Correction: “At least the Chinese people don’t follow the religion of Islam…”
Actually, about 20 million Chinese people are Muslims and do follow the religion of Islam. (But, that’s 20 million out of 1.2 billion Chinese.)
3. congressive | March 19th, 2008 at 5:43 am
Mais oui, once again the French lead the way to the moral high ground.
Sacrebleu, before long you’ll be calling for a French-style healthcare system!
Peut-être pas…
Still no mention of Bush’s promise to attend. Interesting.
4. phnx | March 19th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Republicans and Democrats are showing no spine on this issue. If they don’t have the spine to boycott entirely, President Bush should cancel his trip. and Congress should issue one of their famous sense of the senate condemnations.
Sarkozi is showing real leadership.
5. Christian Wright | March 19th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Bad Idea.
I qualified for Nationals and was all ready to compete for a spot on the 1980 Olympic Swim Team when Carter cancelled our participation.
That was my window. After 1980 I could not afford to train any more. I had to go to work and make a real living. In 1979 I was one of the fastest swimmers in the US. By 1984 I was in a police academy.
There were many people like me who missed out on that one shot. I don’t want anybody else to experience what I did.
6. js | March 19th, 2008 at 8:30 am
When the Chinese hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, then we will rejoice.
Until then, Communism is the enemy of Freedom, that is one thing we can not forget unless we want to surrender that freedom.
7. Bigfoot | March 19th, 2008 at 9:39 am
I hate commmunism as much as anyone, but I’ve never liked the idea of boycotting the Olympics. Our 1980 boycott didn’t accomplish much of anything, deprived our athletes of a chance to (figuratively) kick some Soviet rear end (as CW mentions), and only led to the USSR boycotting our Olympics in LA four years later.
8. InDaVa | March 19th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Totally agree with you Christian Wright….
9. Michael | March 19th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
The nations of the world don’t have the courage to boycott the Olympics in China so any attempt by a few will fail. I doubt even the boycott of the opening ceremonies would work for the same reason. But that does not mean we shouldn’t try. The real problem is that the IOCC continues to award (and award is the right word) the Olympics locations to oppressive countries and until they refuse to do that, we are being asked to do their job. And as was mentioned, the athletes are the ones who suffer most. Another possibility is if by chance a boycott were called and actually came to pass, that may give the Chinese government the green light to go hog wild in Tibet on the “nothing to lose” principle.
10. TiredofLibBullSh** | March 19th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
“once again the French lead the way to the moral high ground”
Aaaaaaaahhhhhh, the same french that accepted bribes from Hussein hoping to avoid war, bought his oil despite the embargos on Iraq and built many of Hussein’s palaces in Iraq!!!!!!!!
Wow, what someone will do for a few francs.
A MINI-boycott, wow, that really takes guts.
LMAOFF!!!!!
11. Some Assembly Required | March 19th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
“Wow, what someone will do for a few francs.”
A lot more than someone would do for a good ol green back right about now.
12. Nate | March 20th, 2008 at 1:42 am
i think the olympics should go on as planned to continue opening up China to public scrutiny in support of political change.
an interesting conversation at work around this topic happened today. we had Korean, Chinese (mainland), USA, and Australian nationals in the room. our Korean colleague let us know that the 1988 Olympics in Korea helped move along the process of change in her country.
From wikipedia:
“Hosting the 1988 Olympics presented an opportunity to bring international attention to South Korea. The idea for South Korea to place a bid for 1988 games emerged during the last days of the Park Chung Hee administration in the late 1970s. After President Park’s assassination in 1979, Chun Doo Hwan, his successor, submitted Korea’s bid to the IOC in September 1981, in hopes that the increased international exposure brought by the Olympics would legitimize his authoritarian regime amidst increasing political pressure for democratization, provide protection from increasing threats from North Korea, and showcase the Korean economic miracle to the world community. South Korea was awarded the bid on September 30, 1981, becoming the 16th nation, the second Asian nation (following Japan in 1964) and the second newly industrialized economy (after Mexico in 1968) to host the games.
In an attempt to follow the model of 1964 Tokyo Olympics as a rite of passage for the Japanese economy and re-integration of Japan in the family of nations in the post-war era, the Korean government hoped to use the Olympics as a “coming out party” for the newly industrialized Korean economy. The Korean government hoped the Olympics would symbolize a new legitimacy of Korea in world affairs.
However, this attempt to provide legitimacy to the Korean government, particularly the Chun administration, backfired. The anticipation of the Olympic Games intensified world scrutiny of Korea during a time of political crisis. As political demonstrations emerged in June 1987, the possibility of jeopardizing hosting the Olympic Games contributed to the June 29 declaration which issued President Chun out of power and led to direct elections in December 1987. The desire not to taint the Olympic Games with military dictatorship and riots served as an impetus for Korea’s transition to democracy. Roh Tae Woo served as the transitional president, directly elected by South Koreans in December 1987, during the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. The 1988 Olympic Games provided a catalyst for controlled political change to maintain stability in South Korea.”