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- Hammerhead Garage
I don't usually step into the forum, but when I do, it's usually for a good reason. Like this one:
Now, while I'm not happy with the notion that people have violated what is essentially sacred ground to make a political message, that's not what I started this thread for. I'm pretty sure this question hasn't been raised elsewhere, so I'm going to be the one to ask it (stop me if it's been done before): is action against China's alleged human right violations justified? Should we boycott the Beijing Olympics?
I firmly believe that we should not. Here's why:
- History has shown us that boycotting the Olympic Games does nothing; Moscow 1980 being the case in point. The American-led boycott of those games was a response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan the less than a year beforehand, and it did nothing. China has occupied Tibet for the past fifty or so years, so a boycott is unlikel to have any effect.
- A mass boycott of the Games would be hypocritical. China is not the only place where human rights are abused; to have another contry that is known to or suspected of abusing human rights boycott the Games would reek of hypocracy.
- The proposed boycott is centred around China's relationship with Tibet, and makes no mention of China and Taiwan. If you must have a boycott, don't pick and choose what you're boycotting because it suits you.
- The international sporting arena should never be used as a platform for political agendas of any kind.
- To boycott the Games would contradict the spirit of the Olympics. I know it sounds romaticised, but the Olympic Games were designed to promote international unity; a place where athletes could represent their home countries free of politics or ideologies. A boycott of the Games would create disharmony, which would be counter-productive to the Tibetian cause.
- It is unlikely China would take note of any boycott other than seeing it as an opportunity for more medals.
- A boycott of Chinese-made products would be more effective, but harder to enforce.
- Most importantly, we would not be making the boycott on behalf of Tibet. We would be making it to clear our own consciences and to say we acted morally and ethically after the fact, which effectively exploits Tibet and makes us guilty of the crime of abusing the rights of the Tibetian people. While attending the Beijing Games might be pereived as "evil" or unethical, there is less evil in attending them as there is in boycottng them. If we boycott, we are effectively exploiting Tibet tice: once by using them to clear our conscienes, and again by promoting the dishamony an Olympic boycott would bring about. It is the international unity promted by the Olympic Games that will bring about an end to the Chinese occupation of Tibet, not a handful of nations refusing to attend on the basis of a political agenda.
Linky
Now, while I'm not happy with the notion that people have violated what is essentially sacred ground to make a political message, that's not what I started this thread for. I'm pretty sure this question hasn't been raised elsewhere, so I'm going to be the one to ask it (stop me if it's been done before): is action against China's alleged human right violations justified? Should we boycott the Beijing Olympics?
I firmly believe that we should not. Here's why:
- History has shown us that boycotting the Olympic Games does nothing; Moscow 1980 being the case in point. The American-led boycott of those games was a response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan the less than a year beforehand, and it did nothing. China has occupied Tibet for the past fifty or so years, so a boycott is unlikel to have any effect.
- A mass boycott of the Games would be hypocritical. China is not the only place where human rights are abused; to have another contry that is known to or suspected of abusing human rights boycott the Games would reek of hypocracy.
- The proposed boycott is centred around China's relationship with Tibet, and makes no mention of China and Taiwan. If you must have a boycott, don't pick and choose what you're boycotting because it suits you.
- The international sporting arena should never be used as a platform for political agendas of any kind.
- To boycott the Games would contradict the spirit of the Olympics. I know it sounds romaticised, but the Olympic Games were designed to promote international unity; a place where athletes could represent their home countries free of politics or ideologies. A boycott of the Games would create disharmony, which would be counter-productive to the Tibetian cause.
- It is unlikely China would take note of any boycott other than seeing it as an opportunity for more medals.
- A boycott of Chinese-made products would be more effective, but harder to enforce.
- Most importantly, we would not be making the boycott on behalf of Tibet. We would be making it to clear our own consciences and to say we acted morally and ethically after the fact, which effectively exploits Tibet and makes us guilty of the crime of abusing the rights of the Tibetian people. While attending the Beijing Games might be pereived as "evil" or unethical, there is less evil in attending them as there is in boycottng them. If we boycott, we are effectively exploiting Tibet tice: once by using them to clear our conscienes, and again by promoting the dishamony an Olympic boycott would bring about. It is the international unity promted by the Olympic Games that will bring about an end to the Chinese occupation of Tibet, not a handful of nations refusing to attend on the basis of a political agenda.
