The next person who suggests boycotting the Olympics gets to play catch at U.S. Track and Field shot put practice, ok?
Just because China is run by a bunch of avaricious, repressive shitheads does not mean that anyone should boycott the games, and here's why:
They are not China's games. The host country has about as much to do with what the Olympics are about as the convention center does to the Consumer Electronics Show.
The Olympic games belong to the athletes of the world, to people who devote themselves to something outside of politics and everyday affairs.
The Olympics have a magic. Don't ask me why, but somehow watching Michael Johnson win the 200m sprint at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics is as inspiring to me as anything Mother Teresa ever did. It's not logical. It just makes my heart well up to see someone do something so perfectly, so amazingly.
The United States boycotting the 1980 Moscow Games was one of the stupidest foreign policy decisions ever (though when Russia boycotted our summer games in Los Angeles in 1984, it WAS pretty cool to watch Team USA win damn near everything). The athletes who couldn't go to Moscow were robbed, and most of them still hurt over missing their chance that year.
If you want to free Tibet or end Chinese repression, wave a sign, march, write a letter, take some action. But leave the Olympics alone.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
I wholeheartedly agree. The 2 things have nothing to do with each other, and I've been yelling this at the tv for weeks.
A-MEN! The Olympics are not supposed to be about politics. It's supposed to be about everyone coming together and celebrating excellence. Meh.
I used to really love to watch the Olympics, but unfortunately, like almost everything good in the past, they have been corrupted. Back when they were totally amateur and for the sake of sport it was different. Now that BIG money is involved and professional athletes are playing, it has become a marketing tool and a pawn for politics. Sad, but true. If I want amateur sports just for the love of the game, I will go watch a little league game or High School football.
I'm with you, Suebob!
Oh thank you for saying this. I've been feeling all guilty for not getting up and arms over it.
I absolutely agree with you and I've been saying the same things around here... well done!
I agree. I protested the Beijing float in the Rose Parade, but that was more about the broken promises to improve human rights and the Tournament of Roses' money-grubbing ways. I think we should participate in the Olympics. (The air in Beijing is Real Bad though, so I won't begrudge those althletes who don't want to compete.)
1980 sucked ass and we shouldn't do that again.
It also sucks that we have such a horrid trade deficit with China. I avoid buying stuff made there when I can. Not that it'll make any difference...I just would love jobs to come back to this country.
Post a Comment