China (specifically, their government) acts as though they are ready to join the 21st century, but they’re still a bunch of repressive fuckwits.
Lots of countries/businesses/organizations line up to kiss China’s ass solely because of the potential of a billion customers.
The IOC just rolls over because they’re a bunch of corrupt, spineless douchebags.
Sure, I understand it’s the Olympics (woohoo! :rolleyes: ) and everybody’s supposed to make nice and leave politics out of it, but I contend that basic human rights like freedom of information aren’t politics; they’re human rights which are greater than politics, or should be.
They shouldn’t have awarded China the Olympics, because they’re repressive, polluting shitheads and they think they can ram their bullshit down the world’s throat because of everybody wanting a piece of their action. The sad thing is that it’s true.
(Just to head another contention off at the pass, perhaps they shouldn’t be held in the U.S., either, until we stop being hegemonius, polluting, over-consuming shitheads, as well, but that’s another thread in itself, I suppose)
Sorry, I’m just a bit cranky this morning and felt like venting. I’m sure I’m wrong and shouldn’t have posted this, as will be pointed out downthread.
I don’t think I’m going to be all that into watching them, except for a few events, anyway. While I hate what’s going on, it’s not the athletes’ fault, and they’ve worked hard and deserve their chance to compete. But when the network starts to fart around showing “beautiful Beijing” propaganda, they can get fucking well stuffed.
Especially considering the shit going down in Tibet, I thought seriously about not watching and actively protesting, but it seems antithetical to the spirit of the Olympics to do so. I just keep thinking of all those athletes and I want them to feel supported. Ultimately the Olympics is not about China, it’s about the world community at large. I really wouldn’t blame anyone for boycotting though. China’s human rights record is shit and it’s absolutely true that the U.S. bends over and kisses its ass.
Just out of curiosity, has there ever been a time in Olympic history where the Olympic games were denied to a country for violating civil rights issues? I’m just wondering what the precedent is on this kind of thing.
I’m glad China are continuing their censorship through the Olympic period.
Seriously - do you want another Berlin? You want them to play nice and pretty through the period, then go back to the way things are after foreign journalists leave? Or do you want the world media to see (even if it is only a small part of) the true face of the Chinese government?
Agreed. I think it’s a shockingly stupid move, considering that China is hoping to use the Olympics to show how “open” they are. I’m glad that this and the numerous other heavy-handed techniques the Chinese government is using to “clean up” Beijing are getting so much coverage in their own right. There seems to be some gap of understanding within the Chinese PR machine, because so much of what they’re doing to make themselves look better, is actually making them look worse.
ETA: I will watch the Olympics, as much as I can (my boyfriend doesn’t like watching sports, so we’ll be fighting over the remote). I don’t think my viewership, or the lack of it, is going to matter to the Chinese government one whit.
The internet censorship is, in the overall scale of Chinese human rights abuses, small potatoes. A good friend of mine who lives there tells me it is very easy to get around using a proxy, and it is more annoyance than anything else.
But sometimes it is the small potatoes that catch the world’s eye, especially if it is inconveniencing journalists. After all, knocking down some statutes of the Buddha was pretty minor on the list of the crimes of the Taliban, but it seems it was that act that grabbed the world’s attention against them.
I was watching something yesterday showing how Beijing is in the middle of a long-term drought, and they are making things even worse for the surrounding area by making Beijing look all green and pretty. Beijing - bad. IOC - bad, too. I’m glad to see this thread; I feel very alone in my hatred for the Olympics sometimes. “Corrupt, spineless douchebags” pretty much covers my feelings for the IOC. I do support the athletes; I support the idea of the Olympics, but I can’t support the actual Olympics because of the rampant corruption. I hate that Canada is hosting them next. I’m already biting my tongue quite often; it’s going to get real sore as the Vancouver Olympics get closer.
Yeah, that’s basically why I’m okay with the Olympics being in Beijing. What happened to the Tibetan protestors earlier this year was ugly, but it draws attention to these repressive practices. I cringe whenever I see this stuff, but in the long term I’m hopeful it will help.
Of course, that’s no excuse for the IOC people changing their tune from “they promise unrestricted Internet access” to “oh well actually they just promised no restrictions on stuff they’ve already approved which is fine but not Tibet or anything oh no.” But that’s the IOC. Corrupt, spineless douchebags indeed.
I’m in southwest China, and when the Olympic Torch passed through my city, the officials changed the route at the very last minute. It was supposed to go through a large chunk of downtown, through the university district, and end up in the main square, Dongfeng Guangchang, where there was to be a ceremony in the evening. Instead, they changed it to go from two places on the outskirts of the city, and ended it at noon, with a tight, heavily-secured crowd.
On the day, there were tons and tons of people at Dongfeng Guangchang, all still waiting for the torch, not knowing the plans had suddenly changed overnight, probably because of “security”, because god forbid they even chance the tiny risk of having a minor loss of face incident. Every time a van would come by, people would think it was the start of the procession, and crowd around, hopes high.
Apparently this last minute route changing has happened in many other cities as well.
It’s funny how most of the Chinese people around me are still going so apeshit over the Olympics, when the government doesn’t even respect them enough to be upfront and direct about something so insignificant as the torch route.
I’m concerned that the event will create a whole generation of athletes with, er… Beijing Syndrome – various lung related illness from the from the incredibly toxic air pollution.
It’s even more unconscionable that the IOC has sent young athletes into an atmospheric cesspool to compete, than that they’re caving to the Chinese in other ways.
LA can be bad, but nothing like Beijing. I was talking about this yesterday with the owner of the laundromat I go to (she’s very talkative) and we agreed that putting all else aside, having the Olympics in that sort of pollution is simply irresponsible and stupid.
