tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371488418137899762.post7134400938289344754..comments2023-11-05T06:04:58.113-05:00Comments on New Perspectives...: My Olympics 2 CentsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371488418137899762.post-45975351313822592332008-05-14T22:21:00.000-04:002008-05-14T22:21:00.000-04:00Steph, I remember when Carter boycotted the Olympi...Steph, I remember when Carter boycotted the Olympics and a friend of mine could not compete. Very few people remember the boycott let alone why he did it. However Darrell does. It is easy for someone who has not prepared for many years to run, to say don't go. Even easier when a camera is giving them a little more free publicity. If we cancel our tickets to China how can we really get to know the real china, the people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371488418137899762.post-61648703986449528122008-05-09T03:37:00.000-04:002008-05-09T03:37:00.000-04:00Hey Steph, Thanks for your thoughts on the whole O...Hey Steph, Thanks for your thoughts on the whole Olympics thing...I agree that it isn't right that some Chinese people, not affiliated or able to influence the actions of their government in any way, feel upset and embarassed by the torch protests. In everything that I've read in the media about these protests, the true target is the policies of the government itself; policies that include continuing to sell arms, for profit, that have been used to murder hundreds of thousands of innocent people in Sudan. And against policies that result in the oppression and systematic extermination of the Tibetans, who are powerless to defend themselves. These things are wrong, and it would be wrong to not speak out against them. At this moment, the government of China is on the world stage, and maybe, just maybe, words of protest may have more of an effect now. The companies supporting the Olympics may be more sensitive to protest than China, and they too may also be able to exert influence on China. Maybe not. This doesn't in any way suggest that our own government is blameless in its actions internationally either, and we should also speak out against oppression and injustice that our own country perpetrates as well. And no, it isn't fair to ruin the experience of the Olympics for the average Chinese person, who, as you so accurately point out, has *no freedom* to resist, or change anything, again because of the policies of the government. But, by the same token, it also isn't fair to be murdered because a country a half a world away from you is selling arms to the local thugs who want your farm.<BR/>As far as this being some media hype, not even China disputes that they sells arms to Sudan or that they have claimed Tibet as their own country. Their response, far from denial, is that this is not anybody's business but theirs. This isn't an issue of spoiled westerners vs. blameless Chinese citizens. It's just human decency, to speak up for what's right when we can, especially because the smart and sensitive and good people of China cannot.<BR/>Love, KatbobAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com