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Boycott
Apr 7, 2008 19:23:51 GMT -5
Post by TimAckley on Apr 7, 2008 19:23:51 GMT -5
Whats all the talk about the Boycott of the Olypmics??
That would really stink, to let all the politics ruin what people have spent there lives training for.. if that is the case..
Should we boycott?
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Boycott
Apr 7, 2008 20:21:57 GMT -5
Post by Aussie Rob on Apr 7, 2008 20:21:57 GMT -5
Frankly, drawing attention and possibly changing some of the crap the Chinese do to their own citizens, as well as people in Tibet is more important than personal sporting glory for the athletes imo.
I have no idea why China was awarded the games in the first place. the IOC should be ashamed of themselves.
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Post by Charlie on Apr 8, 2008 0:50:33 GMT -5
'96,'84,'80,'72,'68,'36 Games were all subject to political issues. '96 and '72 of course were subject to terror. '80 and '84 were boycotts. '36 and '68 included stands against racism. The games are bigger then sport. What happened in Munich and Atlanta was horrible. What happened in Berlin was one of the greatest moments in all of sport. LA and Moscow was petty cold war crap. And Mexico city was just a reflection on America's civil rights movement. I found that action to be much less offensive then watching MJ and Magic using the flag to hide Rbk logos. I personally would have a great bit of respect for any athlete that chooses to boycott. If LBJ can effect the future of a free Tibet, would it not be a greater acomplishment then gold?
Tibet has waited patiently for this opportunity. If Human rights are so important that we can justify invading Iraq with that cause, then it is a simple choice. However, I would not hold it against any athlete that chooses to compete.
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Post by robreddy on Apr 8, 2008 8:03:39 GMT -5
Very nice comments Charlie
Have to agree with a lot of what you say
I however think the boucotts while yes petty cold war crap - well what did they really accomplish - not much - more than anythng they are forgotten
However Berlin and Mexico City - well those events have lived on for decades - The pic of the two black athletes with their fists raised and the footage fo Owens snubbing Hitler - some of the most powerful images of the 20th century.
IMO far better to go to the games AND make your voice heard rather than to stay home in silence
r
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Post by Nathan on Apr 8, 2008 8:56:54 GMT -5
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, widely known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre, in China referred to as the June Fourth Incident to avoid confusion with the two other Tiananmen Square protests and as an act of official censorship, were a series of demonstrations led by labor activists, students, and intellectuals in the People's Republic of China (PRC) between April 15 and June 4, 1989. While the protests lacked a unified cause or leadership, participants were generally against the authoritarianism and economic policies of the ruling Chinese Communist Party and voiced calls for democratic reform within the structure of the government. The demonstrations centered on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, but large-scale protests also occurred in cities throughout China, including Shanghai, which stayed peaceful throughout the protests. In Beijing, the resulting military crackdown on the protesters by the PRC government left many civilians dead or injured. The reported tolls ranged from 200–300 (PRC government figures), to 400–800 (The New York Times), and to 2,000–3,000 (Chinese student associations and Chinese Red Cross).
Following the violence, the government conducted widespread arrests to suppress protestors and their supporters, cracked down on other protests around China, banned the foreign press from the country and strictly controlled coverage of the events in the PRC press. Members of the Party who had publicly sympathized with the protesters were purged, with several high-ranking members placed under house arrest, such as General Secretary Zhao Ziyang. The violent suppression of the Tiananmen Square protest caused widespread international condemnation of the PRC government.
REVISION DISCLAIMER - the above paragraphs were taken from a web site - I can't remember which one - but it could very well have been Wikipedia (sp?) as mentioned by Ben below. I appologize for any confusion this may have caused. The language below is my own. As you all can see, it is far less eloquent than the language above.
As far as I can tell, nothing has changed in China since then.
I have a Boycott Beijing t-shirt with handcuffs replacing the olympic rings. I found it offensive that a mere 12 years after the Chinese government squashed any form of protest in 1989 at Tiananmen Square that the IOC awarded China the 2008 Olympics. I remember the loan activist standing in front of the row of Chinese tanks. I had just graduated high school in 1989.
I will not watch any of the games this year. Not even the Marathon. I will however, be wearing several anti-Beijing and Free Tibet t-shirts during this race season - at IM Brazil, at IM Wisconsin, and at the NYC Marathon.
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Post by robreddy on Apr 8, 2008 9:02:20 GMT -5
respect what you have to say nathan - but had the lone protester silently stayed at home in defiance and boycott of the chinese government who would have stood before the tanks???
if you can get your hands on some of the anti-chinese and free tibet t-shirts (prefferably a Tech T) buy me a couple - check will be in the mail to reimburse you
later
r
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Post by Nathan on Apr 8, 2008 9:21:23 GMT -5
My boycott of the games - all it means is that I will not be part of the Nielsson (sp?) ratings of the Olympics as I will not be turning my tv on to watch. Not much of a protest really. But I won't be a party to the propaganda marketing machine that drives the Olympics on television.
Now I will be expressing my own disdain for Beijing at every race I compete in (I mean participate in) by wearing my opinion on my chest. This is my own (allbeit) small form of protest. No one is likely going to remember me at the end of 2008, but I guarantee you I am not the only one that remembers that picture of the tanks - if I knew how to import pics into this forum I would add it here.
I'll see what I can do on the tech tees for ya.
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Boycott
Apr 8, 2008 10:25:54 GMT -5
Post by traciezamiska on Apr 8, 2008 10:25:54 GMT -5
i agree with much of what has been said already, so i will try to be brief. i was disappointed and disgusted when i learned that china would be the host! when i was in grad school, i was a GA in the department office. we were in the middle of processing our international applications and suddenly we couldn't access the applicants any longer. the chinese government had internally blocked our email and web domain. no one in china could access our website and they could not receive emails from us. the only way we could communicate was through current students. this is just a small example of how the chinese government seeks to control its citizens and their future, etc. just this week:hu jia was jailed for his writings because "his critical essays and comments about Communist Party rule amounted to inciting subversion" here is the link: www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/world/asia/04china.html?hpyesterday: here is the link to the article of protesters scaling the golden gate bridge: www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/07/bridge.protest/?iref=hpmostpopi don't want to go on a rant. so i will leave it at that....
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Boycott
Apr 8, 2008 12:11:09 GMT -5
Post by MattCollister on Apr 8, 2008 12:11:09 GMT -5
I'm kind of with Rob Reddy. The Chinese have lived behind walls - literal and figurative - for thousands of years. In the last 15 years, they've very rapidly become part of the global economy. Good or bad. Right or wrong. Like it or not. But that chicken's flown the coop. Our futures are intertwined. I agree that the Chinese have to change. They can't be a long term partner if they censor Google and opress their people. But I just don't think the Chinese are going to change if we put them back behind a wall. I don't think it would be good for any of us. I'd rather see Western athletes go there, compete, choke on the smog, shake their fists at the Chinese government, and have Bob Costas report on all of it.
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Boycott
Apr 8, 2008 15:48:17 GMT -5
Post by Brooks Modie on Apr 8, 2008 15:48:17 GMT -5
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Boycott
Apr 8, 2008 15:49:35 GMT -5
Post by Brooks Modie on Apr 8, 2008 15:49:35 GMT -5
I doubt many people will watch the Olympics this year due to the fact that curling is only offered in the Winter Olympics.
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Boycott
Apr 8, 2008 19:35:17 GMT -5
Post by Aussie Rob on Apr 8, 2008 19:35:17 GMT -5
I'll watch. I never miss the swimming.
Aus vs USA round 368....DING!
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Boycott
Apr 9, 2008 13:45:47 GMT -5
Post by benmiralia on Apr 9, 2008 13:45:47 GMT -5
Okay.....Maybe it's the English major in me and the fact that this was drilled into me for four years, but it is always a good idea to attribute quotes to their source. Wikipedia is a fine resource, but if an article is republished verbatim it should be noted as such.
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Boycott
Apr 19, 2008 22:41:29 GMT -5
Post by Charlie on Apr 19, 2008 22:41:29 GMT -5
Only 437 AG in China for todays IM.
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Boycott
Apr 24, 2008 20:34:49 GMT -5
Post by MarkD on Apr 24, 2008 20:34:49 GMT -5
I learned more about the Tiananmen Square incident from this post than I learned from any other source. Thanks - that was informative...
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