Opening Ceremonies Boycott for Human Rights?
March 10th, 2008
Submitted By: Chris Kirk
The issues with the upcoming Olympics in Beijing have been well chronicled. Pollution and health concerns about the food that will be provided to athletes are at the top of the list for the USOC which is taking many steps to alleviate these concerns. As we dig deeper into an article that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday however, there are other concerns that are slowly beginning to come to the surface.
Steven Spielberg recently withdrew as an artistic advisor to the opening ceremonies citing that China along with other countries are not doing enough to aid the suffering in Darfur. In addition, a Dutch lawmaker called for a boycott of the opening ceremonies to protest China’s lack of advancement in human rights. Some countries such as Great Brittan have put a specific ban on athletes using the games as a platform for political statements. The United States has taken a different approach:
“The USOC has urged its athletes to come to China well-versed on local customs and on the expectation that the Olympics not be used as a political platform. Much of this has been taught as part of the USOC’s ambassador program that was instituted after the Turin Winter Olympics in the wake of bad behavior from Bode Miller and others in the U.S. delegation.”
The Olympics has long been viewed as the generation of goodwill between nations through competition. However the games have been used in the past to make political statements. These incidents include US boycott of the 1980 Moscow summer Olympics and the Soviets returning the favor in 1984 for the Los Angeles summer Olympics.
Do the Olympics deserve to be used as a political tool? Have we lost sight of the true meaning of the Olympics? The Dutch lawmaker in the article suggests that you can participate in the Olympics without going to the opening ceremony which only serves to glorify the host country. Do you think a boycott of what is being anticipated as the most elaborate opening ceremony in Olympic history might have some effect on China to change its position on human rights? It will be interesting to see what happens in August.
Entry Filed under: Pre-Departure, Beijing, China
9 Comments Add your own
1. hippie | March 10th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Shouldn’t you wave “Stop genocide in Iraq” flag in Superbowl first?
2. Steve Munio | March 10th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Just to expand on the situation with Darfur, it is only that China merely “isn’t doing enough” as much as that they are directly responsible to a certain extent. They have used their veto power as a permanent member of the UN security council to prevent the entry of peacekeepers into Sudan without the consent of the Khartoum government (which they will not give). This is definitely related to the ties China has with Sudan and the flow of petroleum to China’s thirsty industrial development. More information can be found in this article.
http://www.miafarrow.org/ed_032807.html
In my opinion, China’s actions in this matter, in addition to their political situation, undermine the spirit of the Olympic games. This country should not have ever been selected as a host city, as it goes against the Olympic charter which demands “respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.”
3. Simeon Trieu | March 11th, 2008 at 7:25 am
One of the original intentions of the Olympics committee in choosing Beijing in the first place was because they hoped it would improve their human rights standards (among other things). While the US has their own issues to work out, they are not hosting the Olympics this year. China was given a standard when they were chosen to host the Olympic games, and the international community is waiting to see if China will/can hold up to their end of the bargain. Just the fact that the Olympics has raised awareness and, in a sense, forced the Chinese government to respond is a major feat in itself. We need to fingerpoint less and work on improving as a whole. There are endless debates to action, but really, action is what matters most. Overall, if the Olympics can be used to promote action to a greater cause, then why not use it as a tool? If the end result is a better country and a better life for its citizens, then why not promote it?
4. Jana | March 11th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
What Steven Spielberg did was a righteous action and one that he can of course afford to do.. The Ccp has shown and will continue to show its true colours to the world and this will definably sort out the righteous from the evil in this dharma ending period in the world today.
It’s the Ccp who has politicised these Olympic games by jailing, persecuting and removing the basic human rights of the Chinese especially the Human rights activists and human rights defenders and the people of faith while spewing forth massive amounts’ of propoganda to brainwash all Chinese citizens.
BTW the Chinese communist regime boycotted the Moscow Olympics in 1980 citing political issues. This info needs to be spread widely
Why would the international community expect the Chinese communist regime to stop Genocide in Darfur or anywhere else in the world when they are committing their very own Genocide on the peaceful practitioners of Falun Gong in China.
Spielberg would do better in exposing the atrocities committed inside China.
Read the report about the Chinese communist regime committing live forced organ harvesting to the Falun Gong and selling their organs for large money to the rich foreigners.
http://organharvestinvestigation.net/
Crimes Against Humanity and the Olympics cannot co-exist in China.
Some truths are intolerable
Our Governments know about it
Our media know about it
Human Rights organisations know about it
Now you know about it
PLease do something now!!
5. gary chou on his blackberry | March 11th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
I don’t want to comment on topic I am not knowledgeable in. That said, isn’t every opening the “most elaborate in the history?” Every country wants to out spend and out do its predecessor, and a lot of money was spent to build infrastructures for one time use. Maybe we should always host the game at one international territory and compete naked like we used to. I bet that would boost viewage.
6. Chris Carr | March 12th, 2008 at 11:38 am
@ Hippie,
Huh? Are you suggesting that the US is or has committed genocide in Iraq, and if so, on what facts do you base such a claim?
A mistake for the US to be there? Maybe. But a genocide? C’mon.
7. Amy Linker | March 12th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
I think it is a shame that countries and organizations boycott the Olympics and use it as a political platform. The Olympics should continue to be viewed as the generation of goodwill between nations through competition. Can’t we hold a national competition just for fun? Why does everything have to have an agenda? I can see how it could be a useful tool for leveraging human rights. But seriously, how much change would it actually bring about? I think this is inappropriate to use this event as a political statement. Go find a different forum to protest at. There will always be some complaint about how each country hosting the Olympics is engaging in some sort of unjust political activity. Why steal their thunder?
8. Jana | March 12th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
RE Amy tell that to the IOC and the Olympic Sponsers. This is what it is really about. Money Greed and more..
Communist led China should have never been given the games presisly because of the complete disrespect for human rights and human life.
Its not about sport anymore otherwise why would the Intenational Olympic Committe be breaking the fundemental principles of its own Charter?
Would there be any merit in winning any medal in communist China on bloodsoaked soil in those stadiums.What athlete could wear their medal with pride now or in the future when th real truth comes out about just how bad cruel and inhuman teh communist regime has been ?
Ddi you know for instance that the communist regime has murdered 80 million Chinese since taking power in 1949 up to now? Now it has nuclear weapson space and saltellite capabilties , has 1300 missiles pointed at Taiwan, comits Genocide on Tibets, Uyger Musilms, Christians and Falun Gong.
Its awlways about the money Amy not human beings. And we in the west have changed out ethics and principles and listen or turn a blid eye to what those communist leaders are doing to the world and for what? all for money…
9. David Dougherty | March 21st, 2008 at 11:46 am
In response to the questions presented, I do not think the Olympics should be used as a political tool, but am sad to say that it is. The roots of the Olympics have been lost. The basis of providing a competition for all the best athletes from countries around the world is no longer the primary focus. It has become more about how the country holding the Olympics can profit most from this event. I thing Spielberg’s boycott of the opening ceremonies says great things about his character. He is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in (or more so what he KNOWS is wrong) and I commend him for that. However, in order to have a profound effect, there needs to be a significant number of individuals and countries that participate in this boycott. I am very interested to se what happens in august…
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