Olympic Boycott?

[naiwen]

I for one am appalled by China's human rights record and their recent actions in Tibet specifically. I was curious to find out how other Bubhubbers felt about about potential boycotts of the olympic games (or the opening ceremony etc). I saw that France are considering a boycott for example.
Do you think australia should be boycotting?
:detective:
Do you think China's actions in Tibet are justified?

Poll attached.

[forbetoel]

I agree with your comments. And if it were as simple as punishing China, then I would have voted to a full boycott. However, I think that the athletes who have given almost every waking hour, and have sacrificed so much over the last 4 years to make these Olympic games, should be given the opportunity to represent thier Country.

I voted to boycott opening ceromony, that will say so much, without ruining it for the athletes. It is a hard one though, when you look at what China are doing, I can see why some will vote for a full boycott.

[Noah_and_Elijah]

I don't agree with what's going on at all. I'm not a fan of the olympic games so won't be watching it anyway but as much as I disagree with China's actions, I don't think that a boycott of the games in the answer to the problem.

[ikis84]

I agree with your comments. And if it were as simple as punishing China, then I would have voted to a full boycott. However, I think that the athletes who have given almost every waking hour, and have sacrificed so much over the last 4 years to make these Olympic games, should be given the opportunity to represent thier Country.

I voted to boycott opening ceromony, that will say so much, without ruining it for the athletes. It is a hard one though, when you look at what China are doing, I can see why some will vote for a full boycott.
:iagree:

[FishFace]

I agree with your comments. And if it were as simple as punishing China, then I would have voted to a full boycott. However, I think that the athletes who have given almost every waking hour, and have sacrificed so much over the last 4 years to make these Olympic games, should be given the opportunity to represent thier Country.

I voted to boycott opening ceromony, that will say so much, without ruining it for the athletes. It is a hard one though, when you look at what China are doing, I can see why some will vote for a full boycott.

I came in here not really knowing how I felt..Then I read your psot and I agree.

[tootiredtosleep]

The Olympic Games is about athletes and it "belongs" to the world. It has nothing to do with China specifically.
I don't agree with any kind of boycott of the games.

[cheezelkat]

I agree with 4boys2love.

I am still supporting our athletes - they worked very hard and still need our support.

[the_queen]

I support a boycott - yes it's not fair to the athletes but in the same way a nurses strike is not fair to the patients, perhaps a boycott is the way to wake the IOC up and bring them into the 21st century. By giving China the games, they have effectively condoned the disgusting human rights violations which are systemic in that regime.


I'm boycotting, we won't be watching any of it - and I will be discussing this with my daughter's teacher because I don't want her learning about the propagandised version of Chinese culture that will no doubt be put forward.

[Coffee]

The Olympic Games is about athletes and it "belongs" to the world. It has nothing to do with China specifically.
I don't agree with any kind of boycott of the games.

:iagree:

But that doesn't mean, I support China's actions.

I somehow don't see, how boycotting the opening ceremony will do something.

There are heaps of people who worked hard, not only for going to the olympics also buildimg the whole infrastructure and the stadiums.

Personally, I'd love to see an opening ceremony, I love that. Gives me goosebumbs to see all the dfiferent nations walking proudly in the stadium, representing their Nation.

[MummaBear03]

The Olympic Games is about athletes and it "belongs" to the world. It has nothing to do with China specifically.
I don't agree with any kind of boycott of the games.
:iagree: I fully support other kinds of actions such as not buying things that have Made In China on them (that's a hard task though if you've ever tried it) and other such things but leave the Games alone all that will do is cause irreversible damage to the athletes who work extremely hard to get to the games, and in some cases have only one or two shots at the games before retiring. Any form of action that damages the athletes in any way including removing their support by people not attending, is nothing short of cruelty towards the wrong people and won't change actions in china in the least.

[forbetoel]

I'm boycotting, we won't be watching any of it - and I will be discussing this with my daughter's teacher because I don't want her learning about the propagandised version of Chinese culture that will no doubt be put forward.

That is a real worry. I will also speaking to my childrens teacher to make sure that any discussion is about the Games, not the Country...unless it the truth:detective:

[forbetoel]

The same thing happens with cricket, I don't want them to tour this year. I think Andrew Symons may have pulled out as a personal choice, but I think the ACB should do a full boyott.

[naiwen]

I think boycotting sends a message to China that their actions do have consequenses and they cannot promote one image of being a friendly country when really they are beheading political prisoners as a rountine practice.
If the IOC cared so much about athletes they should have given it to a humane country that would uphold the spirit of the games.
China were proposing to hold beach volley ball in Tianumen Square until it was suggested to them this was a bad idea, nuf said for me.
And yes I have sympathy for the athletes but I have more sympathy for the buddist monks being shot and political prisoners being held without trial.

[forbetoel]

I think boycotting sends a message to China that their actions do have consequenses and they cannot promote one image of being a friendly country when really they are beheading political prisoners as a rountine practice.
If the IOC cared so much about athletes they should have given it to a humane country that would uphold the spirit of the games.
China were proposing to hold beach volley ball in Tianumen Square until it was suggested to them this was a bad idea, nuf said for me.
And yes I have sympathy for the athletes but I have more sympathy for the buddist monks being shot and political prisoners being held without trial.


There is nothing I can argue against in this post.:yelclap:

However, I do feel for the athletes, they didn't chose for their sporting career to become political. A lot of the athletes are counting on winning to gain sponsorships and other endorsements to further their career, and to just pay the bills. I just can't justify the athletes paying the personal cost.

[the_queen]

I think it is the athletes and the athletic commissions/organisations that should have started the boycott movement, the moment China was even considered as a host country.

I agree about the cricket too :yes:

And I agree 100% with you Naiwen.

[the_queen]

Having said that, of course I have sympathy for the athletes, and I totally agree with your point 4B2L about the fact that they work hard and rely on endorsements etc.

[forbetoel]

You are right the-queen, the games should never have had a chance to go to China. That is what probally makes me the most angry of all......it is not like their major human rights issues have only surfaced overnight!

[the_queen]

Exactly :yes: It's pretty awful that the leaders of the world are just continuing to go LALALALALALALA with their hands over their ears and eyes :(

[LilShenanigans]

With this, I am in turmoil from thinking beyond the box.

I say full boycott, um I just don't feel right within me if I support any part of it. I'd be digusted in myself.

But my turmoil comes from also supporting the countries economy because our products are made there. It's conflicting in that sense.

Unfortunately I probably will still have to put towards their economy and all that, but I think with the Olympics it's more showing the world that what they do is intolerable and bla bla bla... sorry, could've made more sense if I was in the mood.

[forbetoel]

Exactly :yes: It's pretty awful that the leaders of the world are just continuing to go LALALALALALALA with their hands over their ears and eyes :(

All for the sake of thier exports and other so called business ties....:(:banghead::mad::shame:

No-one wants to upset China........

[the_queen]

No I see what your saying LilShenanigans :yes: a big boycott is visible and will probably have more of an impact.

[the_queen]

All for the sake of thier exports and other so called business ties....:(:banghead::mad::shame:

No-one wants to upset China........

:iagree: I can't believe that in those high-ranking world-leading boardrooms they basically go "hmm human rights vs money? Well obviously we love money more" and go on ramming their snouts into the trough of humanity :(

[LilShenanigans]

:iagree: I can't believe that in those high-ranking world-leading boardrooms they basically go "hmm human rights vs money? Well obviously we love money more" and go on ramming their snouts into the trough of humanity :(

heh... not helping that I watched Fahrenheit 9/11 again last night ... :rolleyes: leaders are suckier then a natural gravitational pull...

[Navski1]

It should not be our decision anyway. It was up to the Olympic Committee not to let the Games be organized in a country that is so far behind in terms of human rights standards in the first place. It is a complete betrayal of the principals on which the Modern Olympic Games have been built. :shame:Seriously I cannot understand what allowed that to happen at the time. The situation in Tibet was certainly not any better then...
If the athletes end up suffering of a boycott, it will not be the public's fault, but the Committee's.

[forbetoel]

:iagree: I can't believe that in those high-ranking world-leading boardrooms they basically go "hmm human rights vs money? Well obviously we love money more" and go on ramming their snouts into the trough of humanity :(

Something I have sadly discovered about the world is that money IS more important than people:( I grew up in household that valued humanity over anything else, so I sometimes have trouble feeling fully contented in this world. It will be a cold day in hell before my boys put money before people, and that is all I can do right now, help shape the next generation for the better.:dizzy:

[naiwen]

It should not be our decision anyway. It was up to the Olympic Committee not to let the Games be organized in a country that is so far behind in terms of human rights standards in the first place. It is a complete betrayal of the principals on which the Modern Olympic Games have been built. :shame:Seriously I cannot understand what allowed that to happen at the time. The situation in Tibet was certainly not any better then...
If the athletes end up suffering of a boycott, it will not be the public's fault, but the Committee's.

I agree,
The althletes would never have had to suffer if they had not made such an appaling decision in the first place.
In some ways for me it is reminiscent of the Berlin games, while I realise the regeims are not the same they are/were both dictatorships and both making human rights violations consistently. Obviously facist Germany went on to become much worse but really the IOC have less excuse now than they did then as with the WWW news of atrocities does get out. They just choose to ignore it.
Even 10 years ago when I was volunteering for amnesty international in europe we knew excecutions without trial were occuring :no:.

4Boys and The_Queen thankyou for caring about this issue and agreeing (mostly) with me!:laughing::yelclap::D

[forbetoel]

4Boys and The_Queen thankyou for caring about this issue and agreeing (mostly) with me!:laughing::yelclap::D

:laughing:I love the 'mostly' that you squeezed in.

I think it is sad how that this thread hasn't had many replies when a thread a couple of days ago titled 'baby bonus to be scrapped" Hit 3 pages in about 10 minutes................:detective::barf:

[naiwen]

Yep, And it was just a joke thread!
What I had for dinner get 7 pages and a serious issue involving a nation being oppressed and people being shot gets 3 (with about 3 people!).
Oh well, I have learned to accept that some people are apathetic (thats apathy not pathetic folks) about politics and human rights, the enviroment etc and there nothing I can do except to keep talking their ears of!
People might think I am a boring socialist, greenie but I don't care lol.

[forbetoel]

Yep, And it was just a joke thread!
What I had for dinner get 7 pages and a serious issue involving a nation being oppressed and people being shot gets 3 (with about 3 people!).
Oh well, I have learned to accept that some people are apathetic (thats apathy not pathetic folks) about politics and human rights, the enviroment etc and there nothing I can do except to keep talking their ears of!
People might think I am a boring socialist, greenie but I don't care lol.

This post is sooo true. Makes me so mad really.:footinmouth:

I am happy being a boring socialist too, and I am hoping to raise boring socialist men too, for boring socialist woman to marry, to breed more boring socialist people:p

[~Bec~]

I'm having flashbacks to 1980 :eek:

Much as China's human rights record sickens me I don't know if a boycott would achieve anything. I think hosting countries need to meet certain criteria (eg on human rights, openness in government, open elections etc) before they are allowed to host the games.

I think it might kick off a bit over there during the games but I doubt very much if we will hear anything about it. What makes me more angry is the propaganda that China spews and will spew more of about this issue.

Three cheers for all the athletes though :) how proud must they and their parents be :yelclap:

ETA: I wonder if the games were in the US if the rest of the world would boycott because the US invaded Iraq? hmmmm Me thinks there's double standards...

[FishFace]

I dont think people are apathetic.
You dont know what your thread achieved.
Dont look at how many wrote in it...

Look at how many read it.
You dont know how many went on to google it or learn more.
It can be daunting to come in here and not know about a topic. Alot of people might not want to ask for fear of lookign ignorant.

But your post might have got through and educated them.

[forbetoel]

I am hoping that BECAUSE of the Olympics the world media might stay a little more focused on China's dark side, the more that it is in the media, the more likely that it won't be as easily swept under the rug.....maybe.

[forbetoel]

I dont think people are apathetic.
You dont know what your thread achieved.
Dont look at how many wrote in it...

Look at how many read it.
You dont know how many went on to google it or learn more.
It can be daunting to come in here and not know about a topic. Alot of people might not want to ask for fear of lookign ignorant.

But your post might have got through and educated them.

Good point...lets hope so.:fingerscrossed:

[~Bec~]

It can be daunting to come in here and not know about a topic. Alot of people might not want to ask for fear of lookign ignorant.

I just want to say that we are all ignorant about some things and that no one should feel intimidated or silly for asking a question regardless how sill it may seem. :no: I firmly believe that there is no such thing as a stupid question. If anyone is reading this or any other thread and has questions then ask :)

Also, wikipedia.com is an awesome resource :)

[naiwen]

I dont think people are apathetic.
You dont know what your thread achieved.
Dont look at how many wrote in it...

Look at how many read it.
You dont know how many went on to google it or learn more.
It can be daunting to come in here and not know about a topic. Alot of people might not want to ask for fear of lookign ignorant.

But your post might have got through and educated them.

Thats a good point,
I did say that I have grown used to a certain level of apathy in general ie IRL as well as on here but I hope you are right :yes:

[FishFace]

I just want to say that we are all ignorant about some things and that no one should feel intimidated or silly for asking a question regardless how sill it may seem. :no: I firmly believe that there is no such thing as a stupid question. If anyone is reading this or any other thread and has questions then ask :)

Also, wikipedia.com is an awesome resource :)


So true..sadly there are people who like to make fun of others lack of knowledge, spelling, understanding..

[naiwen]

I'm having flashbacks to 1980 :eek:

Much as China's human rights record sickens me I don't know if a boycott would achieve anything. I think hosting countries need to meet certain criteria (eg on human rights, openness in government, open elections etc) before they are allowed to host the games.

I think it might kick off a bit over there during the games but I doubt very much if we will hear anything about it. What makes me more angry is the propaganda that China spews and will spew more of about this issue.

Three cheers for all the athletes though :) how proud must they and their parents be :yelclap:

ETA: I wonder if the games were in the US if the rest of the world would boycott because the US invaded Iraq? hmmmm Me thinks there's double standards...

I marched against the invasion of Iraq and in no way think the US has a brilliant record..But for me this is unique oportunity to bring attention too and show China for what it really is. They may say they are good on human rights but it is blatantly obvious to all they are not. There are familys all over Tibet in paticular that are burying their loved ones. Tibet has always been a remarkably peace loving nation yet China has brutally oppressed it for years. I have never and will never support that and if they awarded the olympics to Israel I would be protesting that too (but thats another debate altogether:D).
I agree though that the althletes and their familys are fantastic but they are not top priority for me,:ecomcity:.

[naiwen]

So true..sadly there are people who like to make fun of others lack of knowledge, spelling, understanding..

They better not in this thread or they will get a peice of my mind:laughing:.
I am dyslexic and anyone making fun of peoples spelling will get a big stick waved at them.:yes:

[forbetoel]

I marched against the invasion of Iraq and in no way think the US has a brilliant record..But for me this is unique oportunity to bring attention too and show China for what it really is. They may say they are good on human rights but it is blatantly obvious to all they are not. There are familys all over Tibet in paticular that are burying their loved ones. Tibet has always been a remarkably peace loving nation yet China has brutally oppressed it for years. I have never and will never support that and if they awarded the olympics to Israel I would be protesting that too (but thats another debate altogether:D).
I agree though that the althletes and their familys are fantastic but they are not top priority for me,:ecomcity:.


Err, no the U.S most certainly do not have a great record:no: And I would also feel the same about Israel hosting the games too:mad:

There are just some countries that should not host the games.

[forbetoel]

They better not in this thread or they will get a peice of my mind:laughing:.
I am dyslexic and anyone making fun of peoples spelling will get a big stick waved at them.:yes:

:laughing:I hate to think what people think of mine. I have a wireless keyboard that never works right, it misses letters that I press and sometimes even puts letters out of order:confused:

But yes Sassafras comment is true, it was only yesterday that someone in another thread asked for people to stop asking silly questions, and I replied with "there are no such things as silly questions" As long as there is a question, there will be education:thumbsup:

[naiwen]

:iagree: *faints* I dont think we have agreed this consistantly since the election debate:laughing:.

As my father says, the only silly question is the one you do not ask.

I wonder how long the two of us can keep this going :D.

Everyone is very welcome in this discussion, if you cannot spell please join me!

[forbetoel]

Oh no, please do not bring up the election thread *wipes a tear from her eye* I really miss them. My post count doubled during the election. I am still on cloud nine over all that.:D

[naiwen]

Those were the days,

I saw this somewhere and thought it was relevant:


First they came for the socialists,
and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.

- Pastor Martin Niemoller, Germany, 1945.

[forbetoel]

WOW! That says it all. I have goose bumps.


I am signing off for the night now. Have a great night naiwen, and thanks for the chat.xoxoxo

[LilShenanigans]

In addition to people not knowing whats going on, I didn't really til a couple of weeks ago.

I was appalled at the tibet stuff, but I avoid news and such for those sort of things. When it was brought up about a boycott I did my own research... so, it's never too late, and Im one of those :)

[kccmylife]

I agree with 4boys2love.

I am still supporting our athletes - they worked very hard and still need our support.

Totally agree!!

[nasalhaironfire]

I remember when the International Olympic Committee gave China the 2008 Olympic Games I was totally disgusted. I still am.

However, now that China are going to host the games, I think it is a great opportunity to get all the activists and journalists from China, Tibet and all around the world to converge on China when the whole world is watching. Have massive demonstrations.

[jenkinsdakota]

I fully support other kinds of actions such as not buying things that have Made In China on themThat may do a lot of harm to a young mother in China trying to earn enough to live and it may do little to hurt the millionaire politicians who run the Chinese Communist Party.

I don't like to see the CCP treating Tibetens harshly, but I do believe that there will be major problems if every group of people in the world demanded their own sovereign country.


But my turmoil comes from also supporting the countries economy because our products are made there. It's conflicting in that sense.Remember their economy helps ours. China is the only reason why Australia has had positive economic growth recently while other rich countries have been going through recession.


Something I have sadly discovered about the world is that money IS more important than people I grew up in household that valued humanity over anything else, so I sometimes have trouble feeling fully contented in this world. It will be a cold day in hell before my boys put money before people, and that is all I can do right now, help shape the next generation for the better.The Bible did warn of this. It says, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil and has ensnared men in traps."

[forbetoel]

And lets not forget that the IOC is about as corrupt as you can get! :devil:

[MummaBear03]

Well I'll be unintentionally boycotting the olympics unless I go to my mum's for that time or something since we don't get free to air tv and I've just found out it won't be shown on Pay except a few highlights maybe on FSN :(

[naiwen]

I thought I would bumpity bump this thread now because the Olympic flame is now in Australia and there are predicted to be protests tomorrow *sighs* how I wish I was in Canberra!
Will any hubbers be protesting?
Thoughts?

[Allegra]

DP told me some history of the Olympic Torch relay yesterday and I thought it was interesting.

"The Olympic Flame from the ancient games was reintroduced during the 1928 Olympic Games. An employee of the Electric Utility of Amsterdam, lit the first Olympic flame in the Marathon Tower of the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam. The modern convention of moving the Olympic Flame via a relay system from Olympia to the Olympic venue began with the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany.
The relay, captured in Leni Riefenstahl's film Olympia, was part of the Nazi propaganda machine’s attempt to add myth and mystique to Adolf Hitler’s regime. Hitler saw the link with the ancient Games as the perfect way to illustrate his belief that classical Greece was an Aryan forerunner of the modern German Reich."


I find it interesting the the Olympic torch relay was first used as a form of propaganda.

[naiwen]

Yes I agree that is interesting, I have drawn a few other comparisons to those games in this thread, apparently the cost of hosting this leg of the relay has now increased to 2 million. All covered by the tax payer of course.

[Freya]

I think boycotting sends a message to China that their actions do have consequenses and they cannot promote one image of being a friendly country when really they are beheading political prisoners as a rountine practice.
If the IOC cared so much about athletes they should have given it to a humane country that would uphold the spirit of the games.
China were proposing to hold beach volley ball in Tianumen Square until it was suggested to them this was a bad idea, nuf said for me.
And yes I have sympathy for the athletes but I have more sympathy for the buddist monks being shot and political prisoners being held without trial.

:iagree::iagree:

[SassyMummy]

I support any boycott. Good on France for being so pro-active!

I don't think we can really do the "but is it fair on the athletes" thing...I think life, without the Olympics, is certainly fairer to the athletes than it is for those living in Tibet.

Can anyone honestly say they think it's more important that athletes can compete than Tibet being freed?

It might not be fair on the athletes, but I don't really think their right to perform should be compared to a Tibetians right to freedom and life.

[bubs_and_us]

I support a boycott - yes it's not fair to the athletes but in the same way a nurses strike is not fair to the patients, perhaps a boycott is the way to wake the IOC up and bring them into the 21st century. By giving China the games, they have effectively condoned the disgusting human rights violations which are systemic in that regime.




:iagree::iagree: