Politics Out of the Olympics- Should U.S. Even Send a Team?

[Marlow]

I have a feeling this will be a disaster for the Chinese government, but a victory for their people.

In a western company that might be true, but I think in Communist China, a disaster for the govt would also be a disaster for the people. Op(sup)(re)pression of some of the people would INCREASE.

[kuha]

I am naive and hopeful enough to think the Olympics are sacred and above politics....or at least they should be.

Unfortunately the Olympics are not above politics. They were not above politics in Berlin '36 and they are certainly not above politics in China. The Olympics are a major political tool for the Chinese government.

Exactly. We might wish that they were "above politics," but that doesn't remotely make it so.

[guru]

I am naive and hopeful enough to think the Olympics are sacred and above politics....or at least they should be.

Unfortunately the Olympics are not above politics. They were not above politics in Berlin '36 and they are certainly not above politics in China. The Olympics are a major political tool for the Chinese government.

Exactly. We might wish that they were "above politics," but that doesn't remotely make it so.

Any venue that attracts the eyes of the world will inevitably become a political forum.

[SQUACKEE]

I am naive and hopeful enough to think the Olympics are sacred and above politics....or at least they should be.

Unfortunately the Olympics are not above politics. They were not above politics in Berlin '36 and they are certainly not above politics in China. The Olympics are a major political tool for the Chinese government.

Exactly. We might wish that they were "above politics," but that doesn't remotely make it so.

Any venue that attracts the eyes of the world will inevitably become a political forum.

Of course every Olympics are drenched in politics as well as everything else on the planet and that will never change.

What i am saying is my dream is what i thought the Olympic dream was. That for 2 weeks the world puts down their weapons and competes in athletics.

This is a splendid idea and should be a sacred vow from all the people on this planet. I know its never gonna happen, although there are brief moments where it almost looks possible. Its very sad.

[jhc68]

"given the tainted toys and food imported here from China"

This aspect ought to have nothing to do with boycotting for human rights reasons.

American corporations are directly responsible for the products they sell using overseas producers. American consumers are being given, and eagerly buying, "something for nothing" in the form of cheap products that are cheap because there is no corporate or governmental oversight in their manufacturing process.

A hundred years ago the same sorts of poisonous products were being made on the cheap here in the USA and exported to the rest of the world (see the thread about The Jungle from a few weeks ago).

[Pego]

Does anyone else think it's ironic that we boycotted in 1980 because the USSR was in Afghanistan?

No.

I could be wrong, but I don't believe any of those Afghans flew planes into the Kremlin.

For what it's worth, neither have the Iraquis.

[lonewolf]

Every Olympics is political in some sense for some of the particiapants and non-participants.. Surely we learned the futility of our boycott in 1980 and the Russian counter-boycott in 1984.

[Kurt Francis]

I am naive and hopeful enough to think the Olympics are sacred and above politics....or at least they should be.

Unfortunately the Olympics are not above politics. They were not above politics in Berlin '36 and they are certainly not above politics in China. The Olympics are a major political tool for the Chinese government.

Well put, Per! They ARE a major political tool for the Chi-coms. It doesn't matter one iota what the rest of you head-in-the-sand people want to believe or not, but in the eyes of the Chi-coms and their own internal police-state, their regime is JUSTIFIED in all of its political repressions by the hosting of the games.

[Mennisco]

in the eyes of the Chi-coms and their own internal police-state, their regime is JUSTIFIED in all of its political repressions by the hosting of the games.

They really are a stupid lot, aren't they? :roll:

A 5,000 year old people saw their country turned into a colonial basket case in a matter of a few hundred years. I bet at least half a billion Chinese who hate their government are nonetheless thrilled to see their nation emerge as a world power, economically, culturally, and politically.

How many crack babies are born in China, and feed on crack enhanced milk, from single mothers living in apalling ghetto conditions? Not officially sanctioned repression of course, just tolerated.

[gh]

The problems with the boycotts we've already had is that they were so small, relatively speaking (even w/ the U.S.'s bailing) that the host country has been able to come out smelling even better by spinning it that they were able to put on a fabulous Games despite the absence of a few malcontents who only screwed their own athletes.