www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall 2008 Summer Olympics In Beijing. Should We Boycott ?

Absolutely !!! China is guilty of religious and political oppression, slave labor and is a police state. I'd love to see an alternate Summer Olympics held in Taipei.

How much corruption and abuse of human rights is needed in order to call for a boycott? The United States committs millions of abortions, conducts an illegal and immoral war, and has a history of violent racism. Should we boycott the U.S. when the olympics are held in the United States?

Joe

Well if a country wanted to boycott some event held in the US because we have legalized abortion or because of our violation of a sovereign nation's rights i,e Serbia, Iraq etc, I'd say that was very commendable. On the other hand, boycotting the Beijing Olympics would be a good way to call attention to the sins of abortion and religious oppression. The US is not a particularly moral country anymore, but we haven't sunk to the level of China................YET.

Okay, that's fair. I was just trying to flesh out what it is that makes us call for a boycott in one instance but not necessarily in another. Of course, one thing that is problematic is that we have normalized trade relations with China and most of us buy things made in China without even realizing it.

Joe

My opinion:

http://www.rsf.org/

http://byztex.blogspot.com/2007/09/olympics-in-2008.html

The Olympics are supposed to be about sportsmanship. On a national level, I believe the athletes should compete. I really thought keeping our Olympic team home from Moscow was a mistake.

But if spectators choose to stay home and not spend their money in China or any other country for any reason (e.g. not wanting to spend money in a country with a bad human rights record), then that is their right and I'd certainly encourage them to exercise it.

Since I don't have a TV, I'll boycott them whether I want to or not.

Terry

Dear Lord, I thank Thee that I am not like that publican over there...

easy to say hard to prove - try looking at it from an outsider perspective...

What do you mean, "level of China"?

The problem is not with the Chinese people or China itself but with the consequences of immoral state policy and weak business/bureaucratic ethics. The human rights situation in China has greatly improved since its first attempts at state control.

The biggest problem facing China right now is the domestic inflation of needed goods (like pork). We cannot expect China to address issues of how they enforces the one child policy and how they educate their young until their economic situation has stabilized. It is too easy for officials to lean on the interior economic problems and say that China cannot afford to grow very much in population, or to lose workers who happen to be children who fail tests to enter "middle school" and "high school".

Economic pressure will fail, and a private boycott won't be noticed by the Chinese.

Terry

Crimes against humanity are committed daily by many "world leading countries" - the mere difference are the ways, the excuses and the target group/s (against which crimes are being committed).

it is easy to see the dirt in someone else's eye...
but most unfortunately a blind person cannot lead a blind person.

10 Reasons to boycott the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing from human rights activist Lesh Donlup.


1.Human rights are practically non-existent in Communist China Religious persecution, imprisonment and murder of non-violent political dissidents, torture, organ harvesting and sentences to hard labour are widespread.


2.The lack of freedom of the press and safety risks for foreign reporters. Many foreign websites are banned from being visited within China, foreign reporters are prohibited from interviewing anyone without previous permission from the government, and the content of all broadcasting is severely restricted. Foreign news media reporters have been arrested and sentenced to prison under vague and wide-reaching security laws.


3.The 1980 Olympic Games in Communist Russia were boycotted by 64 states, under the leadership of the U.S. Beijing is not any different from Moscow in 1980, which was also the capital of a Communist police state.


4.Communist China constantly threatens to attack Taiwan. China's government passed a law that explicitly calls for military intervention in response to any intention by the democratic government of Taiwan to declare independence. Military manoeuvres indicate that the Communists' military is preparing to enforce this law.


5.Beijing has the most polluted air in the world. Studies and satellites photos have proven that Beijing suffers from extremely high nitrogen dioxide levels, vitally dangerous to the health of the athletes.


6.China is plagued by widespread social, political, and economic unrest A surge in huge land grabs and forced evictions by the Chinese government for reasons of economic expansion and Olympic Games preparations have sparked thousands of protests. The government has murdered hundreds of protesters.


7.The Chinese have been bribing and threatening large numbers of members of the International Olympic Committee. A number of U.S. Representatives, for example, Congressman Tom Lantos, have stated this on national television.


8.A boycott has some potential to serve as a strategy to encourage human rights in China Only the greedy and foolish global elite think this is true the other way around.


9.Holding the Olympic Games in Communist China contradicts the Olympic Charter The Olympic Charter defines the philosophy of Olympism as the "respect for universal fundamental ethical principles" and its goal of promoting "a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity."


10.Don't repeat the errors of 1936 when Nazi Germany was allowed to host the Olympic Games The Olympic Games will give Communist China the same propaganda tool Nazi Germany enjoyed. Not since 1936 have the ideals of Olympics been so trampled upon.

This is too silly for words, but a few points need to be addressed...



China is no longer a Communist state - it is Communist only in name. It's complicated but it's the truth.



It's not a matter of 'China attacking Taiwan'. Taiwan is a integral part of China, and if this troublesome province should attempt independence, OF COURSE China has every right to intervene with force to preserve the integrity of her borders.



This is actually improving - I go to Peking several times a year. I'll be the writer hasn't been to Peking in his life and can't speak Chinese.



Ho ho, comparing China to Nazi Germany. Nice one. Shall I point out how various American cities have been holding Summer and Winter Olympics in the last 50 years while the USA continues to fund and prop up violent, murderous, oppressive, non-democratic and tyrranical regimes as well as constantly meddling in the internal affairs of sovereign states around the world for American benefit?

I think the question should simply come down to: do we as the nation of the USA want to commit ourselves to the Olympic games or not? If so, then we should readily be willing to participate in all games at all times, regardless of locale. Yes, that would have included 1936 Berlin, in my book, and I'm Jewish.

You'll have to forgive me, Edward Yong, if I don't completely accept your view of China, though I am not Chinese, don't speak the language, and have never been there. As a staunch supporter of the Cardinal Kung Foundation, a follower of pro-life efforts in China and elsewhere, and having a basic awareness of the Korean War, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution, there is no way I'm going to have a kind view of what this regime is like and what it has done.

But I'll agree that if we're going to be active in the Olympics, we should not be picking and choosing where and when to attend. If we can't stomach this, then we need to end our IOC involvement completely, once and for all.

Lawrence, you make any number of good points, but this should not be a basis for withdrawing from the Olympics. Even in less egregious situations, one will always being able to find problems with the host country.

Best to all,
Robster

I have no particular reason to expect to visit Peking next summer - and I wouldn't be interested in attending the Olympics, so if I were going I would attempt to avoid the crowds. However, it occurs to me that those who will be going could do something quite worthwhile by making sure to go to Church frequently, by offering their congratulations to the new Archbishop of Peking (apologies to those whose spelling is more up-to-date than mine) and - wouldn't it be wonderfu? - arranging to sing the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral. Provided these things are done in a non-belligerent fashion, the Chinese government would be unlikely to interefere. As Archbishop Joseph (Raya) loved to teach, "love is presence!" A visiting Christian is far more effective than a boycotting Christian far, far away.

As to possible gifts, I have no particular suggestions to offer - those who would like to bring gifts to the Church in China might do well to get in touch with Maryknoll. The Maryknoll missioners will certainly know what is needed, and what can be brought into China without difficulty.

Fr. Serge