Should the Olympics in Beijing be boycotted?

[fela fan]

They cant possibly be non-political. Every Olympic games is a prestige event for the reigme that hosts them. From Bejing 2008 to the Berlin Olympics in 1936.

The 2008 Olympics are clearly being used as an opportunity for the chinese state to demonstrate to the world that they are a modern, progressive, 'peaceloving' country with a large and growing influence on the world.

Depends whose eyes you're looking through. To the thousands of athletes, to the billion or two tv viewers, to the hundreds of thousands of spectators, no politics at all. Just sport, pure sport, and a four week period in their lives of great positive human spirit and friendship.

I hope you would call for instant boycotts of any games awarded america, and that due to the appalling human rights record of the UK you are calling for a boycott of the london games.

 

[fela fan]

A final concern on top of it all is the Eminent Domain abuses that took place in the construction of the Olympic facilities. Whole neighbourhoods bulldozed with no legal recourse, nor an equitable settlement.

Rachamim, do you know about diego garcia? How the british cleared all island dwellers off their home, sold the land to the US, who then created a military base on it?

To most people around the world, listening to american and british people calling for a boycott smacks of the most arrogant and overt hypocrisy imaginable.

I know you're not from those two countries, but there you go.

 

[rachamim18]

Fela: "Anyone in England calling for a Boycott is a hypocrite.": TRUE, VERY TRUE! However tht still does not change the fact that Tibetans should call for it.

As for the post to me...Of course i know about it and I agree with your view 100%, as stated above. The Brits are still, sadly, palying that "White Man's Burden" shi%. They still thnk they know what is just and correct for other nations and People. That is sad, and of course the US is no different.

 

[fela fan]

Fela: "Anyone in England calling for a Boycott is a hypocrite.": TRUE, VERY TRUE! However tht still does not change the fact that Tibetans should call for it.

As for the post to me...Of course i know about it and I agree with your view 100%, as stated above. The Brits are still, sadly, palying that "White Man's Burden" shi%. They still thnk they know what is just and correct for other nations and People. That is sad, and of course the US is no different.

The US is of course just the british empire in another guise... another time another space...

Yes, it comes across very much like british people still thinking they know best and still thinking they're the looker afters of all the people they perceive are being trodden upon. While turning two blind eyes to their own atrocities.

As for the tibetans, i feel sure i read a day or two ago that their spiritual leader the dalai lama is specifically saying no boycott. In fact i'd be interested to know exactly where in the world outside of the US or UK people are calling for a boycott. Perhaps it's not even on anybody else's agenda?

 

[Yossarian]

I
Any briton or american calling for a boycott is being hypocritical.

How about Britons who think their country's fucked-up foreign policy should have led to the IOC not choosing London for 2012?

The spotlight on Beijing this Olympic year is probably going to be a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the Tibetans and their supporters to put some squeeze on the Chinese government over the cause, they'd be fools not to take as much advantage of that fact as possible - this time next year the Free Tibet movement will probably be getting about as much attention as the Free West Xinjiang movement gets.

 

[Yossarian]

In fact i'd be interested to know exactly where in the world outside of the US or UK people are calling for a boycott. Perhaps it's not even on anybody else's agenda?

Taiwan?


http://www.chinapost.com.tw/sports/olympics/2008/02/22/143977/Rights-forum.htm

 

[Andy the Don]

If the Olympics are boycotted the only ones to suffer will be the athletes of the boycotting countries who would have wasted four years of their life & for many off them forgone the best opportunity they have of winning a medal. Sports boycotts do not change regimes, economic boycotts do. South Africa had suffered over a decade of sporting boycott before the economic boycott began to bit & forced the South African government to talk to the ANC.

 

[Dimitris]

Greek police break up Tibetans' Olympia torch ceremony



The ones with casual clothes are also policemen, they are only speaking greek, it is difficult for these tibetans to understand who is arresting them and for what reason....

On the topic of the poll now, the real issue from my point of view is of the Olympic games to stop alltogether not just boycott the Chineze ones. The olympics are now a big profitable bussiness for the sponsors and the drug companies and nothing more. All athletes are taking "legal" substances in order to be able and compete at the olympics as they are pressed from their sponsors to do so, or they will loose their sponsorship. Countries (like Greece for the 2004 Olympics) spend millions of taxpayers money in order to build constructions, sport pavillions etc for the Olympics that in a lot of cases are useless afterwards. We are still paying for a lot of these constructions, even the next generation will still be paying for them, all these for no real reason.

I was among a group of people from various political and activist groups that we were activelly protesting against the greek olympics, our effords were heavilly oppresed by the police.

 

[david dissadent]

It's totally wrong to let politics ruin everything in life. Huge human celebrations like the olympics, football world cups, music jamborees, are ways for people from all nations to enjoy life together, barriers down, friendship up. In other words a bit of positivity in the generally negative political world we have to face in our daily lives.

Building a better tomorrow.

 

[david dissadent]

Greek police break up Tibetans' Olympia torch ceremony



The ones with casual clothes are also policemen, they are only speaking greek, it is difficult for these tibetans to understand who is arresting them and for what reason....

On the topic of the poll now, the real issue from my point of view is of the Olympic games to stop alltogether not just boycott the Chineze ones. The olympics are now a big profitable bussiness for the sponsors and the drug companies and nothing more. All athletes are taking "legal" substances in order to be able and compete at the olympics as they are pressed from their sponsors to do so, or they will loose their sponsorship. Countries (like Greece for the 2004 Olympics) spend millions of taxpayers money in order to build constructions, sport pavillions etc for the Olympics that in a lot of cases are useless afterwards. We are still paying for a lot of these constructions, even the next generation will still be paying for them, all these for no real reason.

I was among a group of people from various political and activist groups that we were activelly protesting against the greek olympics, our effords were heavilly oppresed by the police.

I live in the bit of London they are building for the 2012 Olympics. A bigger waste of goddam money I could not imagine. Virtualy none of it will have any uses once its finnished. Guargantuan waste of money to site and stare at the Millenium Dome.

 

[fela fan]

Boycotting the olympics for money reasons is different to political reasons.

 

[fela fan]

How about Britons who think their country's fucked-up foreign policy should have led to the IOC not choosing London for 2012?

The spotlight on Beijing this Olympic year is probably going to be a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the Tibetans and their supporters to put some squeeze on the Chinese government over the cause, they'd be fools not to take as much advantage of that fact as possible - this time next year the Free Tibet movement will probably be getting about as much attention as the Free West Xinjiang movement gets.

Then they'd not be hypocritical.

Nothing wrong with protests, movements, demands, and so on. But boycotting is different. It hurts the wrong people.

What do you say about the dalai lama not wanting a boycott?

 

[brasicritique]

I voted no because like OP said no country is perfect. If we started boycotting the Beijing Olympics for the occupation of Tibet then shouldnt we boycott the London Olympics in 2012 for the invasion of Iraq and so on...

Both should be boycoted and used as platofrm seeing how they represent corperate power and act as money making scemes for the rich with no real benefit for anyone else. I think it is a mark of right wing the left/liberal media has become that it now shrugs it shoulders and says human rights abuses .. but at least sport might make people chnage there minds about etc etc

 

[Yossarian]

What do you say about the dalai lama not wanting a boycott?

I think the Dalai Lama's in a tough spot - he's already getting blamed by China for the recent protests, if he dropped the 'boycott Beijing' bomb he could be further demonized and the consequences could make life even harder for the people of Tibet.

The Dalai Lama advocates autonomy for Tibet within the Chinese state and seems pretty keen to not rock the boat too much - that's probably a wise approach but I can't blame Tibetans today for not following his teachings: the man hasn't set foot in the country for 50 years so can't be relied upon to gauge the feelings of the Tibetan people, and all that schmoozing with Richard Gere, etc. doesn't seem to have had many concrete results.

 

[brasicritique]

Then they'd not be hypocritical.

Nothing wrong with protests, movements, demands, and so on. But boycotting is different. It hurts the wrong people.

yeah it stops inwards investment social and ethnic cleansing we cant have those corporate leaders getting hit in the pocket

What do you say about the dalai lama not wanting a boycott?

does the dalai lama really represent the opinions of all in tibet

 

[Geri]

I don't really think it would be fair on the athletes to boycott it, although personally I am boycotting all Chinese products at the moment.

 

[8ball]

I'm boycotting chinese food.

Not soy sauce, though - that doesn't count.

 

[brasicritique]

yes very true if someone tries to explain it all to them what little working parts of there brain they have may stop working

 

[tbaldwin]

If the Olympics are boycotted the only ones to suffer will be the athletes of the boycotting countries who would have wasted four years of their life & for many off them forgone the best opportunity they have of winning a medal. Sports boycotts do not change regimes, economic boycotts do. South Africa had suffered over a decade of sporting boycott before the economic boycott began to bit & forced the South African government to talk to the ANC.

What you saying here Andy?
I think if your in favour of economic boycotts you should probably favour sporting ones too...I bet both pissed off the White South African Apartheid regime....Sport probably more....I mean it wasnt like the people at the top of that regime went hungry was it?

 

[tbaldwin]

I don't really think it would be fair on the athletes to boycott it, although personally I am boycotting all Chinese products at the moment.

Wot even there chips....
I mean they have got to be OK almost english...

 

[Bob_the_lost]

Wot even there chips....
I mean they have got to be OK almost english...

You mean computer chips? Made in taiwan for the most part iirc.

It'd be a difficult choice, give up on a competition that you've been training for five, six years for, 8 hours a day. Sacrificing booze, social life, job, hobbies and god only knows what else for years only to throw it all away to make a point that will almost certainly be ignored.

Then there's team sports, if one goes then sometimes it means the entire team is not going to have a chance. Give up other people's dreams too?

 

[Yossarian]

I don't really think it would be fair on the athletes to boycott it, although personally I am boycotting all Chinese products at the moment.

Does boycotting all Chinese products involving contacting the head office of retailers selling goods not clearly marked with country of origin, or just checking things for stickers saying 'Made in China' with a picture of a smiling Chairman Mao?

 

[tbaldwin]

I see some of those tibetan monks have been running....

 

[Geri]

Does boycotting all Chinese products involving contacting the head office of retailers selling goods not clearly marked with country of origin, or just checking things for stickers saying 'Made in China' with a picture of a smiling Chairman Mao?

It is quite difficult. I just got a hat today I ordered from eBay and it said "Made in China" on it! I forgot about my boycott when I ordered it.

But it should get easier, once I stop buying things off the internet.

 

[Yossarian]

I think it'd be close to impossible to effectively boycott Chinese goods in European countries - unlabeled manufactured goods are likely to have been made in China and even things marked made elsewhere are likely to have been assembled in a different country from Chinese-made components.

Might be more effective to single out particular brands for a boycott but I can't offhand think of any that are big in the West - assuming Flying Horse cigarettes or Long March refrigerators haven't suddenly captured the market.

 

[PaulOK]

..... this time next year the Free Tibet movement will probably be getting about as much attention as the Free West Xinjiang movement gets.

Agree....It does all have a certain 'flavour of the month' feel about it - Strange how many people have suddenly become Prayer Wheel spinning, Onion-headed Buddhists all of a sudden.

Suppose slagging Israel and the Great Satan was getting a bit boring - Plus the present anti-Chinese hysteria presents one of the few opportunites of attack a non-White nation and not feel guilty about it - Hardly an endearing race of people are they?

 

[fela fan]

yeah it stops inwards investment social and ethnic cleansing we cant have those corporate leaders getting hit in the pocket



does the dalai lama really represent the opinions of all in tibet

For your question, i think he represents their opinions more than you do.

For your first bit, it's difficult to uncover what you're trying to say.

 

[taffboy gwyrdd]

I can not watch the olympics - Id feel like a hypocrite. The 5 ring circus egrandises the capitalist tyranny. however, the boycott of the games will remain a hypothetical question. It wont happen even if it should.

In the abscence it would be a good campaign to get people to boycott all products advertised there.

 

[fela fan]

We're all hypocrites taffboy.

Unless we have ceased to judge others...

While it's obvious that corporatism is rubbing its dirty hands together in glee and wetting itself with excitement at all the money it's going to get, there is still the other side to the games.

The thousands of athletes from all corners of the globe getting to perform after all their hard work training.

The friendships that are engendered between peoples from different nations.

Wiping politics off the front pages for a month.

The joy that one or two billion people will get watching all the sport.

The pride and satisfaction that millions of chinese people will get hosting the games.

There really is so much time spent by politicians in dividing us peoples across the world that it's a welcome relief when things like the olympics come along and people enter a spirit of camaraderie instead.

 

[8ball]

It's basically a big drugged-up clusterfuck at all levels.