Blog Post #5 What human rights abuses exist in Tibet?

Tibet is exploited by China in a way that resembles a pacifist version of what Russia has done in the past to its own surrounding nations. In that sense China could have done a lot worse but that's not really a notable accomplishment. Cultural opression like this is devastating, but it is especially disheartening to see such a humanistic idealism being persecuted for comparatively trivial economic and political reasons. I may be impractical but I just cannot see the value in opressing other nations for their disinterest in an ideology. I believe that a realist path to Communism cannot be made with any force other than reason, otherwise it faces all the past injustices and consequences of Socialism. Also I'm tremendously retarded.

Should China be able to host the 2008 Olympics given their human rights records in areas such as Tibet?

Whether we should or not - I can't really say - not really my place. However, based on my personal "feelings" on the subject, hell no. I constantly here people bitching about this. It seems kind of hypocritical as a nation to for the U.S. to go along with it. For what? politics/trade? Fuck that-life will go on. Perhaps my friends and family in MI will be able to go back to work, if raltions are lost with China. Is trade really that vidal to us that we have to tip toe around with things like this, or are our "leaders" just somehow capitalizing on such things. Yeah, we all see the financial benifits of being in such a position of power.

It really bites that oppressive socialist governments, such as China get so much attention, causing people relate socialism to tyranny.

Britt's Response for blog #5

Okay, good thing I checked back because I had written this and it didn't post, I hope it works this time.

I do not know if anyone can take away the right to hold the Olympics in China because it is so close to already happening and they have all of the preparations.  It would be a slap directly in China's face if the world told China that they couldn't have the olympics.  I don't think anyone wants to slap China in the face directly because they are a pretty powerful country.

I think that if more countries with the United States, would boycott the Olympics, then it would be like a kick in the shin to China.  At least after that, China could not get as mad.  It is important not to participate and urge others to not participate as well to show that we do not accept what they are doing.  If we did participate in the Olympics then the whole world could turn on us and point out our selfish ways of trying to take oil from the Middle East but not really caring about the people there, but we would allow China to keep doing what they are doing.  If we didn't participate with enough other countries then the China could turn on us and say that we don't want to let anyone else do what we are doing to the Iraqi's.  

It is really sad for the Olympians because they have trained for many many years.  I hope that they can be rewarded in some way.

blog 5 response

well,
it's always a disappointment to realize how much the universal community 'let slide' before they made laws and took action. Now, all this crap is boiling over and there are too many alliances, ties, organizations, laws, and things going on to do much of anything really. How many countries have had questionable things going on while they hosted the Olympics? Alot. but they still hosted, so it might not be fair to stop China from hosting the show, but justice must start somewhere, and if thats on China then let it be. the athletes can keep training, this is a humanity issue... way bigger than the Olympics themselves. theres no point in making all these improvements in writing, when nothing really is done about them. i can't believe the dalai lama's successor hasnt been seen since 1995! thats so sad, that as a boy he's suffered prosecution for his beliefs. which is a violation of the UDHR, article 18. Theyr being bombarded in their homes and country side, which violates article 1, 2, 3, 20, and 22.. so they violate many articles. The world just has to go through a detox, China isnt the only one that needs a wake up call.

The Olympics In Bejing

From its official international inception in 1896, the Olympics have symbolized a coming together of the world's nations and their athletes for competition.  However, also since its official inception, the competitions begun and the medals won have meant much more than how well how well an indivual has done.  Because of their medal totals, there are winners among countries as well, and how well their athletes do is a source of pride for their countries.  It can also serve as a type of battleground, albeit usually blood-free, between nations vying for superiority.  And because of this, the Olympics have been, and likely always will be, more than just athletics.

While the Nazi party was gaining momentum, there was talk in the US about boycotting the 1936 summer games in protest of both the Nazi's anti-semitic stance as well as its belief in Aryan superiority.  Though this boycott did not go through, the message was clear that the olympics could be used to make a political statement by simply non-attendance.  

This strategy was carried out in the 1980 Olympics when President Carter's demands of Soviet withdrawl from Afghanistan.  Because of the Soviet's refusal to do as commanded, the US boycotted the summer games held that year in Moscow.  As a special "middle finger" to the USSR, the US even held "Boycott Games" in Philidelphia that year for its athletes and the few other countries that followed the US lead that year.

And the Soviet Union gave a big red middle finger four years later by boycotting the games held in L.A., USA.

So should the US boycott the Chinese games in 2008?  The Olympics are clearly not just athletic games but a way to make both political statements and ultimatums.  Though the US has already decided that they will not be boycotting the games, it is unlikely that a grass-roots movement will gain enough momentum to affect, or change the US's decision.  Why?  Because the US doesn't have any demands to make, as we had previously, to decide a boycott.  Should the US?  It doesn't seem like it achieves much other than to piss the host country off, which isn't the best idea with a country as big as China.  And with our objectives being dubious, dealing with internal humanitarian issues rather than external invasions, it seems like it would be a fruitless, though symbolic, choice.

Blog #5

So many parties are to blame here:

China, of course. Despite their claims of sovereignty, Tibeten people did not used to be a part of China and, more importantly, are of a different ethnic and cultural background. To oppress/suppress a people for whatever stated reasons is inappropriate and seldom excusable.

The U.N. and all nations that are complicit in their inaction. It's more than absurd to publically and internationally condemn a nation for its actions and then a) refuse to take action to provide an incentive for the "offending" nation to stop and perhaps related b) continue to do major business deals with the offending nation. That's hypocritical, contradictory, and ultimately undermining to any authority structure that is attempting to exercise moral law over the "offending" nation. This includes the IOC and its refusal to withdraw the Chinese right to hold the Olympics. It would be ludicrous to deny China its ability to hold the Olympics now--Chinese human rights abuses against Tibetan and Tainwanese people have been publically and internationally acknowledged for decades. Nothing has changed.

The only party that's not too blame is the Tibetan people. They're trying to live their lives without violent or cultural interference from any source. That's not too much to ask.

Blog 5

In light of the recent events in Tibet, I feel like China doesn't deserve to host the 2008 Olympics, but that is just a personal opinion. In reality, taking the games away from China would punish the athletes and fans more than it would punish China. I only hope that having the spotlight on this country will raise awareness of the situation and all of the human rights violations there, and through that education something can be done to end the occupation or at least the conflicts. China considers this year's Olympics to be their chance for acceptance and recognition by other nations of the world. Chinese leaders are using this opportunity to shape the world's view of their country, make it more familiar and positive. The slogan for the games "One World, One Dream" even calls for everyone to unite because of these games.
The Olympics are being represented as something entirely different by human rights and pro-Tibetan independence groups. Some are calling it "the Genocide Olympics," making connections between China and Sudan and the deaths in Darfur. Whichever way it's spun, all eyes are on China, and hopefully this awareness will bring about some change for the better.