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Rick Martin - At least she's thinking about

| 116.3.230.xxx | 2008-04-08 05:39:00

Regardless which side of the issue that person took, I think it's good that she's at least thinking about the issue now.

Wheras before she hadn't considered it.

Christine - yea...

| 71.94.128.xxx | 2008-04-08 05:51:50

I didn't mean to single her out and direct it all at her. Which is why I didn't name her. I hope she doesn't take it too personally.

going to SF on wed. watching the news got to me today. had to turn it off...i think what bugs me most about the olympic torch relay in SF on wednesday is that if I were to bring my little son there to celebrate the Olympic torch experience, i would think twice about it now because i'd be worried that there would be violence...at an event where people would be protesting violence. i feel sorry for the 80 torchbearers and the 1/3 of SF that is Chinese of which many probably support the Beijing Olympics but will be scared to voice their support and feel they can't celebrate the Olympics.

Christine - btw

| 71.94.128.xxx | 2008-04-08 12:48:53

...saw your follow up Seesmic reply.

I half agree with you Rick. You make a good point that the protests are drawing attention to important issues that shouldn't be candycoated. I have nothing against freedom of speech and said so.

You are right,"at least she's thinking about the issue" -- but if her lack of knowledge on China (and her admitted lack of interest) + media coverage of the protest was leading her to think that China was a bunch of "F***Heads" as she mentioned herself...then that is really sad IMHO and if her train of thought is representative of a large portion of those outside China who are against the Olympics being held there...then the protests really become counterproductive and only serve to drive a deeper wedge.

I have no issues with people exercising their freedom of speech and making their opinions known. I do have issue with the attempts to extinguish the flame, cause riots and create an environment where it becomes uncomfortable for those who want to go to China and want to participate in the games because they may be branded as commie sympathizers, etc.

Jacob Redding - Olympics has always been polit

| 123.115.240.xxx | 2008-04-08 06:06:44

I find it interesting that when people protest the Olympics in Beijing they act as if the Olympics really is just a sporting event and has never been politicized. Its as if we forgot the almost every single other Olympics has always had protests at it.

Lets start with America. Do a google search for "utah olympics protest". The U.S Olympics were protested against. Not to the same extent but still protested against.

Is China alone in the boycott the Olympics scene? No. Germany, Moscow, and Melbourne are just a few that received the same treatment.

Does China deserve it? That's a topic for another conversation, this is about being shocked over political uproar around China.
I don't understand it.

Here are my tidbits of random information on my side of the argument that the Olympics have always been about politics in China. I'm leaving out the uber-obvious heavy politicized Olympics of Moscow, Beijing, & Germany

1) The Olympics committee has consistently maintained that the Olympics are a "force for good" in opening up the country.
"
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/01/business/olynet.php

That sounds like one heck of a non-sporting and heavy political statement to me.

2) I'm in Beijing and I am watching the Chinese news, reading their papers and witnessing the massive billboards around the city. More often than not they are advertising the country's strength and its development and how it is "coming out to the world".
These statements are not about sports, they are political statements.

3) Having traveled to China over the past several years and seeing first hand the dramatic changes brought to Beijing and throughout China b/c of the Olympics makes iit extremely hard for me to believe that its only about sports.
If it were only about sports.
Why were the coal plants moved out of town?
Why are plants being shut down to reduce airbone pollutants?
Why can I see people cleaning the city's rivers everyday? They are not being used for the sports.

Of course they want to put their best face forward but isn't that simply a political front?

So my point is that the games have always been political despite us (the world) pretending that it is only a sporting event (although I'm not stating we should stop putting on this facade). China is being treated the same way all other countries have been treated when it comes to the Olympics; as a political platform.

Now the next question is if people are ill-informed. Most definitely, until you live/visit the country you'll never know how great a country it really is and how kind the people are.

How do we fix the misinformation? I'm American so my thought is simple. China needs freedom of the press, simply stated. More information needs to leave the country to tell the world how great it really is but it has to be told my non-government filtered methods. (ahem, people like you! ;) )

uumm. so that was a bit off topic from your video. In short yes that person was misinformed and should have facts for themselves before declaring "China bad, rest of the world good"

Kristina - Thanks for the 2 cents...

| 68.42.80.xxx | 2008-04-08 08:50:04

Christine,
Thank you for your two cents on the issue of protesting the Olympics. I completely agree that as most controversial issues play out, the general American public is ill-informed about both sides of the controversy. Typically the opinion of the mainstream media is what most Americans will go with. And in the West, we're very ego-centric on how the world should operate (i.e. the Iraq war).

I have to say that I have not completely formed my opinion yet regarding the Olympics. I'm looking forward to moving to China so that I can talk with Chinese nationals and better understand their perspective on the issue. I'm also struggling with the fact of whether or not I should attend the Olympics considering that it may be a once in a lifetime opportunity. My family has cautioned me not to go because of possible protests and terrorist activities. The verdict is still out on that one?your thoughts?

FOARP - The Olympics have been politic

| 138.37.250.xxx | 2008-04-08 09:34:16

Given the way in which the Chinese government commited themselves to liberalising access for western journalists and improving human rights is it not possible that by offering political concessions in return for the games that the Chinese government itself has had a part - pehaps the main part - in the politicisation which you complain of? By the way, the demonstration here in London were almost entirely peaceful - but that doesn't mean it was pretty. I would certainly not take children to such a politicised event - but I would not blame the protesters for having a part in that politicisation.

Most of all though, if you go to see the torch relay you are unlikely to be able to see it from ground level. I caught a glimpse of the torch but that was only because I was in the road - it was almost entirely surrounded by a double layer of policemen as well as a bodyguard of tough-looking 'attendants'.

THM	\| 147.226.217.xxx \| 2008-04-08 12:31:56

I don't have a problem with people protesting against the Chinese government during the torch relay, as long as it's done with some tact. I'd rather see that than a boycott of the entire Olympic Games. At the same time, I wish all of these "Free Tibet" yuppies would crawl back under their rocks; If you're going to protest, at least protest legitimate issues. Calling for Tibetan independence is akin to Mexicans calling for the return of California and the rest of the SouthWest.

FOARP - Except . . .

| 138.37.250.xxx | 2008-04-08 18:52:33

@THM - Except that movements that demonstrate with tact rarely get noticed, and that peaceful protests who stand by the roadside shouting slogans find it difficu;lt to be 'tactful'. Except that BOCOG itself hardly acted by in good faith by bringing its own blue-suited 'attendant' security force rather than trust the police of the countries it visited. Except that by instructing the local overseas student population to show out in force, with armband-wearing 'security' which was wholly un-necessary as the London metropoiltan police were there in strength the Chinese embassy showed an attitude of distrust towards Londoners. Except that the pro-tibet, pro-democracy and pro-human rights protesters were in the main students and not 'yuppies'. Except for all these exceptions, I agree that Londoners were misguided in the violent reception with which some of them greeted the torch relay.

I personally do not support a boycott of the games - this seems to punish the atheletes who have spent half their lives preparing for the games far more than it punishes the PRC government. As for Mexicans calling for the return of California and the south-west, the next time you see latinos rioting in the streets of Phoenix and calling for the return of their exiled leaders then maybe you might have a point.

Carson - China Itself Politicized

| 202.134.71.xxx | 2008-04-14 01:18:32

Jacob is on the money when he pointed out that the Chinese government has utilized the Olympics to strengthen (I'd argue greatly) its domestic political standing. Initially, the games seemed to be a recognition of the many accomplishments of the Chinese people; however, from what I can see, the government has manipulated that message so that it now plays domestically as a recognition of the many accomplishments of the party. While government has obviously played an important role in China's development, it would be incongruent if the Olympics were only used for the government's political benefit, rather than to also point out the controversial aspects of its leadership.

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Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.

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