The 2008 Olympic Games

[Monique]

I don't want to turn this thread in a political debate and I'm certainly no fan of dictatorships. Surely China is not (yet) as open as we would like it ...
Still my brother in law is living in Bejing for some years now and working there and his overall feedback is not that negative. Things don't change over days especially in a huge country like China facing a number of important challenges. Over history boycott, humiliation and rejection never have helped people progress... Human persons have the same aspirations and dreams all over the world, most of them a least: a decent life for themselves and their loved ones.
And the "biggest democracy" in the world has no lessons to give to anyone ... they never refrained to use their power when they tought their interests were at risk ... or to lie blatantly to justify their actions. As for others, it's easy to be vertuous when one does not have the means to act otherwise ...

[PaulTheSoave]

It did with South Africa!

Over history boycott,

[hegeland]

Well, I for one believe the olympics were a victory for the chinese government.

I would think that if you did a poll before and after the games, the general opinion about China would been more positive afterwards than before. And no wonder:

As expected all focus were on the games.
As expected the games were tremendously successfull.
And as expected all the controversy before the games are now virtually forgotten.

How well-organised it was, many new records, great stadiums, HD TV coverage, Bolt, Phelps etc. That is the image that will stick in peoples minds when they think back on Beijing and China.

As IOC vice president Gunilla Lindberg said: "the only negative thing during theses games have been the referee issue".

We close our eyes and cheer our athletes.

The message the rest of the world is sending to the Chinese people:
Who cares it's a dictatorship, we didn't notice?

[Monique]

It did with South Africa!

Yes Paul ... but what about other countries? Irak for instance? Who suffered most? The goverment or the average people, especially the women and children...

Well, I for one believe the olympics were a victory for the chinese government.

I would think that if you did a poll before and after the games, the general opinion about China would been more positive afterwards than before. And no wonder:

As expected all focus were on the games.
As expected the games were tremendously successfull.
And as expected all the controversy before the games are now virtually forgotten.

How well-organised it was, many new records, great stadiums, HD TV coverage, Bolt, Phelps etc. That is the image that will stick in peoples minds when they think back on Beijing and China.

As IOC vice president Gunilla Lindberg said: "the only negative thing during theses games have been the referee issue".

We close our eyes and cheer our athletes.

The message the rest of the world is sending to the Chinese people:
Who cares it's a dictatorship, we didn't notice?

Hege, I know and I DO care. It's just that I think that trying a softer approach than boycot and isolation has more chances to succeed and is less damaging for the average people of these countries, the majority, the persons like you and me who just want a decent life. When restrictions apply the most vulnerable are the first victims. Humiliation of Germany carried the seed for the second World War. US arrogance - sorry American members - keeps fuelling some of the less progressist integrist muslim regimes...