Let The Games Begin
Anyone else out there suspect that this is going to be an Olympics for the history books? Forgetting for the moment that world records will be shattered and underdogs will prevail -- this is the first Games in a Communist nation in over twenty years, and the furor being whipped up over this is phenomenal.
That furor is, in more respects than I care to admit, warranted. China’s politics are unpopular, but the apparent guest treatment is what’s really getting people Try any search for the rules in place for visitors and Chinese citizens alike and you're inundated. The rules are extensive, yes, but the outcry due to them is even more prevalent.
It's not as though rules of conduct at the Olympics are a new thing; this is an international bonanza, a point where athletes and visitors can make or break the rest of the world's outlook on their country and its citizens. By all means, you are expected by your own country to be on your best behavior.
But.
But when the rules are given by the hosting country -- the normal ones and a few more -- you have to wonder what exactly we're all getting ourselves into. The Olympics we see from afar will be carefully controlled to reflect well on China.
Reaction is limited. Rejecting a city as the host due to its politics would go against what the Olympics stand for -- after all, they started as a temporary peace in which to showcase each region's top athletes. [Although it could be argued that the contests themselves were far from civil, this was a point in history when it was enough to halt a war, even if it only lasted for a little while.] Sure, times have changed since those first Olympics; while the athletes are the focus, politics and policy are bubbling at the surface. However, the IOC telling Beijing "no" because not every country agrees with China's politics would spit in the face of Olympics ideals.
China has not performed well on a global basis in recent history. (Tibet, anyone? How about Darfur?) But how to react? Action in Beijing is a no-go. Protests within Beijing will be squashed to the best of the Chinese government's ability; any would-be American or European protesters shouldn't expect any degree of the leniency they would see on their home turf. Any act of violence against the city or its government would not help the situation any and would likely incite more violence.
In view of this, I find it interesting that I have not heard about more boycotts. While it would be unwise for most governments to support a full team boycott (including the American government, as we are inextricably intertwined with China whether we like it or not), it would not be the first time that the athletes themselves started something. It’s hard to expect such a thing -- they’ve worked their whole lives toward the moments they’ll get in Beijing -- but it isn’t unheard of.
And how about those of us watching from the comfort of our living rooms?
Here is where I am at a loss. It does no good for us to “boycott” and refuse to turn on our TVs. China doesn’t care if ratings at NBC tank because people refuse to watch. We can speak out against whatever rules we choose, but from this distance they do not have to pay attention to us. The best we can do, as far as I can tell, is back up our own athletes while making our own voices heard.
A city cannot be rejected because of its country’s politics -- but it can because of its treatment of the athletes and spectators. You can bet that any ugliness in Beijing will play into the selection of future host cities, but this goes for both the participants and the spectators. Their actions and our reactions alike can make all the difference.
At this point, I'm going to sit back and watch, hoping for the best. Who knows? Maybe we'll all be pleasantly surprised. If all of these actions leading up to the Games are any indicator, it's going to be an interesting ride.
An article from Reuters
An article from the UK
That furor is, in more respects than I care to admit, warranted. China’s politics are unpopular, but the apparent guest treatment is what’s really getting people Try any search for the rules in place for visitors and Chinese citizens alike and you're inundated. The rules are extensive, yes, but the outcry due to them is even more prevalent.
It's not as though rules of conduct at the Olympics are a new thing; this is an international bonanza, a point where athletes and visitors can make or break the rest of the world's outlook on their country and its citizens. By all means, you are expected by your own country to be on your best behavior.
But.
But when the rules are given by the hosting country -- the normal ones and a few more -- you have to wonder what exactly we're all getting ourselves into. The Olympics we see from afar will be carefully controlled to reflect well on China.
Reaction is limited. Rejecting a city as the host due to its politics would go against what the Olympics stand for -- after all, they started as a temporary peace in which to showcase each region's top athletes. [Although it could be argued that the contests themselves were far from civil, this was a point in history when it was enough to halt a war, even if it only lasted for a little while.] Sure, times have changed since those first Olympics; while the athletes are the focus, politics and policy are bubbling at the surface. However, the IOC telling Beijing "no" because not every country agrees with China's politics would spit in the face of Olympics ideals.
China has not performed well on a global basis in recent history. (Tibet, anyone? How about Darfur?) But how to react? Action in Beijing is a no-go. Protests within Beijing will be squashed to the best of the Chinese government's ability; any would-be American or European protesters shouldn't expect any degree of the leniency they would see on their home turf. Any act of violence against the city or its government would not help the situation any and would likely incite more violence.
In view of this, I find it interesting that I have not heard about more boycotts. While it would be unwise for most governments to support a full team boycott (including the American government, as we are inextricably intertwined with China whether we like it or not), it would not be the first time that the athletes themselves started something. It’s hard to expect such a thing -- they’ve worked their whole lives toward the moments they’ll get in Beijing -- but it isn’t unheard of.
And how about those of us watching from the comfort of our living rooms?
Here is where I am at a loss. It does no good for us to “boycott” and refuse to turn on our TVs. China doesn’t care if ratings at NBC tank because people refuse to watch. We can speak out against whatever rules we choose, but from this distance they do not have to pay attention to us. The best we can do, as far as I can tell, is back up our own athletes while making our own voices heard.
A city cannot be rejected because of its country’s politics -- but it can because of its treatment of the athletes and spectators. You can bet that any ugliness in Beijing will play into the selection of future host cities, but this goes for both the participants and the spectators. Their actions and our reactions alike can make all the difference.
At this point, I'm going to sit back and watch, hoping for the best. Who knows? Maybe we'll all be pleasantly surprised. If all of these actions leading up to the Games are any indicator, it's going to be an interesting ride.
An article from Reuters
An article from the UK
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