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Post by Sapphire on Apr 8, 2008 10:50:45 GMT -5
As you probably know many people have been protesting the arrival of the Beijing Olympic torch this week because of alleged Chinese atrocities against Tibetans.
Should the US and other countries mix the Olympics with politics? Should the athletes lose their chance to compete over issues beyond their control? Should we let foreign turmoil put a damper on a long admired tradition of cameraderie and competition? Should we pretend that all is good when people are dying and being mistreated or should we take a stand at any every opportunity?
What say you?
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Post by coldfront06 on Apr 8, 2008 11:00:29 GMT -5
This is a good thread. We have a history of mixing politics with the Olympics. We boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow during the Cold War, as a protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Its not really fair to the athletes. For most of them, the Olympics IS the event they train and work for.
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Post by DamieQue™ on Apr 8, 2008 11:18:39 GMT -5
Boycotts are symbollic at best. We boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics, Russia boycotted the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics...
...nothing changed because of either one of them IMO.
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Post by Southie on Apr 8, 2008 11:24:24 GMT -5
They should direct that question to the Athletes. Many have been training since they could walk for a moment at the Olympics, and I am not certain about their view on the political aspect of the event.
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Post by Champs Elysees on Apr 8, 2008 13:50:11 GMT -5
This is bullshit all around.
It's not fair to the athletes to have to sit out the biggest athletic event of their lives because the International Olympic Committee was stupid enough to grant China the games anyway, knowing the record of China's oppression of its people and Tibet.
Those European Commie bastards . . . 
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Post by Sapphire on Apr 8, 2008 14:42:42 GMT -5
LOL, tell em how ya feel LadyL!
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Post by Cambist on Apr 8, 2008 22:26:42 GMT -5
We are some of the biggest fuckin hypocrites on the planet.
We deal with China, human rights violations and all, because they are and will continue to be, an economic power. With that many people living in that much relatively undeveloped or underdeveloped space, it's a prospectors dream.
YET...
We have an embargo on an island 90 miles off of our coast because they aren't democratic.
That's horsechyt.
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Post by Warner Fite on Apr 9, 2008 10:50:34 GMT -5
The Olympics serve as the ultimate pissing contest for superpower societies....It's the ultimate hypocrisy in world diplomacy. Besides, we kick everybody's ass anyway....
Regarding Tibet....*shrugs*....I mean, do we REALLY care what goes on in Tibet?....*shrugs*.....Unless Sam Adams opens a new brewery to continue the legacy of producing the greatest beer known to mankind in Tibet, I could give a flying fvck....*shrugs and burps*
Let the games begin....
Oh, one more thing....these people who go out and try to steal the olympic torch have got to be some of the dumbest assholes this side of Mars. I mean, what the fvck dude? Why are you standing in the way of the world's greatest stage for a pissing contest? I have a novel idea!...Grow some balls and get like Castro a create your own society with your own rules...fvcking declare war!...I don't know about the rest of ya'll, but that will get my attention...
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Post by Warner Fite on Apr 9, 2008 10:55:25 GMT -5
As you probably know many people have been protesting the arrival of the Beijing Olympic torch this week because of alleged Chinese atrocities against Tibetans. Should the US and other countries mix the Olympics with politics? Should the athletes lose their chance to compete over issues beyond their control? Should we let foreign turmoil put a damper on a long admired tradition of cameraderie and competition? Should we pretend that all is good when people are dying and being mistreated or should we take a stand at any every opportunity? What say you? What say me? Hey, I'm a BIG fan of China....the #12 beef and broccoli plate and # 22 Shrimp Fried Rice plate, in particular. Leave the fvcking Chinese people alone. Aren't we, like already 22 billion in the hole with these frckin' people anyway?...Let's not piss these people off. I think they're next financial power in this world, and I would like to continue to grow my 401k... |
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Post by Prissy New Year!!! on Apr 9, 2008 15:12:22 GMT -5
I think the time to protest was BEFORE they were awarded the Olympic games. The athletes who have trained hard for most of their lives for this moment in time should not suffer just because some folks have a crisis of conscience about Tibet.
I am pretty pissed off about the lead-laden toys that China has been shipping to the US. If we want to send a message, we could stop allowing them to manufacture ALL of our goods! It would make no sense to boycott the Olympic games, meanwhile they are manufacturing everything we purchase--creating a trade deficit and keeping us in debt to them.
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Post by Southie on Apr 9, 2008 18:55:23 GMT -5
The Olympics serve as the ultimate pissing contest for superpower societies....It's the ultimate hypocrisy in world diplomacy. Besides, we kick everybody's ass anyway.... Regarding Tibet....*shrugs*....I mean, do we REALLY care what goes on in Tibet?....*shrugs*.....Unless Sam Adams opens a new brewery to continue the legacy of producing the greatest beer known to mankind in Tibet, I could give a flying fvck....*shrugs and burps* Let the games begin.... Oh, one more thing....these people who go out and try to steal the olympic torch have got to be some of the dumbest assholes this side of Mars. I mean, what the fvck dude? Why are you standing in the way of the world's greatest stage for a pissing contest? I have a novel idea!...Grow some balls and get like Castro a create your own society with your own rules...fvcking declare war!...I don't know about the rest of ya'll, but that will get my attention... ...Unless they are producing the best Merlot and Pinot Noir in Tibet, I do not care!! But, really why the sudden fuss about something that has been going on for years. If the U.S is not careful; China, Russia and Kuwait will call in thier notes and then what are we going to do? Learn Russian and Cantonese/Mandarin?  |
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