One World, One Dream
In just about two weeks and two hundred days the opening ceremonies of the XXIX Olympic Games will take place in Beijing, China. It is a great opportunity for the Chinese government to show itself on the world stage as a nation, a people, and a leading world power.
There is a simmering undercurrent of activism however, among many groups and organisations, that is calling for a boycott of these games as a protest to the human rights atrocities, by the Chinese leadership, in their own country and around the globe. This sentiment is being highlighted in the blogs of Jana and Makina, two expatriates living in Australia and Canada respectively.
Senator David Norris spoke in Dublin back in October, with Senator Joe O’Toole, about the persecution of the Falun Gong and of the organ harvesting going on in the prisons. This was brought up in the Dail in November. We all have heard about the tragedy of Darfur but do we realise what China’s involvement is? What of their Tibetan policies? Why does Justin Kilcullen from TROCAIRE ask for a boycott of Ireland’s participation in these games because of Burma? Inside China itself they harass, imprison, or evict bloggers who report on the pre-Olympic mischief going on there, before the worlds’ cameras show up. John O’Shea from GOAL, an independent aid-agency from Ireland, is in agreement with a boycott and with the use of the term "Genocide Olympics" as opposed to the ironic official slogan "One World, One Dream".
Ireland is hoping to do big business with the People’s Republic in the near future and Coca-Cola, Visa, McDonald’s, General Electric and Microsoft are among the sponsors of the event. What are the odds of Ireland boycotting these games? 20-1 is my guess. We complain about Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Iraq and Afghanistan; but, we don’t dare buck the buck$, never have, never will.
The lads from Reporters Without Borders, based in Paris, have found that there are borders (for them) surrounding China. They were denied entry and in protest displayed their version of the Olympic flag, with five handcuffs instead of rings, in Hong Kong for the world to see. These reporters should be allowed into China don’t you think?
from Makina’s site.
Would you support such an effort if the Olympics were being held in the US? I imagine one could come up with a pretty good list of atrocities if they wanted to. Not saying I won’t support the effort, just wondering.
Comment by Andy in San Diego — January 7, 2008 @ 9:36 pm
Thanks for the comment Andy! With the Elections in full swing in the US it is evident that the people there have a choice, unlike the Chinese people, to rid themselves of tyrants. Do the right thing and vote!
Comment by Administrator — January 7, 2008 @ 9:56 pm
You’ve got another, here.
I think my post might not have been clear enough?
Who knows.
Comment by Cao — January 11, 2008 @ 3:31 pm
Thanks Cao, as long as the logo gets spread around and some links get added!
Comment by Administrator — January 11, 2008 @ 4:42 pm
Thanks for the efforts, everyone. We have about thirty blogs participating, and very good results in Google under relevant search terms. Great work!
Comment by Dan Lacey — January 12, 2008 @ 4:58 am