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Hanne Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 12:20 PM |
So what do they do now? Is there a backup flame somewhere or do they have to light it again in Greece?
Anyhow, what are your thoughts about all this boycotting vs. not boycotting?
I really don't know what to think. Obviously, China is violating human rights and then there's the whole Tibet business. However, is it really fair to mix all this politics with sports? It also seems to me that most Chinese people are blissfully ignorant about all the demonstrations and whatnot, since the news over there don't mention it. |
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Gladly (the cross-eyed bear) Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 12:30 PM |
| I dont think they should have been given the games. Its a flagship event which allows a country to show itself off. I dont think China and its politics are deserving of it. |
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Scottish Dubliner Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 12:39 PM |
I'm with Gladders on this one, Their Human Rights record is disgusting as for their blatant refusal to do anything about the Kyoto Agreement (ok they will monitor emissions but don't actually have to do anything about it ??), I find in a modern world this is simply unacceptable.
Dubz
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Hanne Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 12:40 PM |
You're right that the decision itself probably wasn't the best to make. I'm guessing that Beijing was selected a) because China's economy is growing and is becoming increasingly important in the world and b) because the Olympic Comittee might have been hoping that China would open up more and stop the human rights violations.
Controversial nonetheless. |
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Scottish Dubliner Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 12:47 PM |
Hanne wrote: You're right that the decision itself probably wasn't the best to make. I'm guessing that Beijing was selected a) because China's economy is growing and is becoming increasingly important in the world and b) because the Olympic Comittee might have been hoping that China would open up more and stop the human rights violations.
Controversial nonetheless.
I also think what they are doing in Tibet is scandalous, they are resettling loads of Chinese families into Tibet so in effect within a few generations they are hoping to "outbreed" the indiginous population, by then they will be more open to becoming part of China, having been Chinese in the first place.
Dubz
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Ursina Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 12:54 PM |
well done Paris ! edit: I thought it was a French demonstrator who put it out... och well still the point was made
I'm totally for the demonstrations. let China(the state, not the people) get properly humilated by this ! Tibet has suffered long enough. |
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Hanne Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 12:55 PM |
Scottish Dubliner wrote:
I also think what they are doing in Tibet is scandalous, they are resettling loads of Chinese families into Tibet so in effect within a few generations they are hoping to "outbreed" the indiginous population, by then they will be more open to becoming part of China, having been Chinese in the first place.
Dubz
That's what they tried to do here in the late 19th century. It's not quite as controversial, but still. The part of Denmark that I'm from was German from 1864 to 1920, and in that time, Germany did its best to make people from the South settle in the North and vice versa, plus pupils weren't allowed to speak Danish in school. It was probably a light version compared to Tibet though. |
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Moray Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 12:58 PM |
Amusingly, the billions of people living in China will presumably be entirely unaware of the controversies surrounding the event, owing to Chinas near blackout of external media, and manipulation of their own press.
Dalai Lama says he doesn't want to see the games boycotted. I'd like to see the game boycotted, and for once see political activists make a difference in recent times.
Olympics and politics go hand in hand anyway - Berlin Olympics in 1936 springs to mind. |
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Hanne Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 12:59 PM |
Ursina wrote: well done Paris !
I'm totally for the demonstrations. let China(the state, not the people) get properly humilated by this ! Tibet has suffered long enough.
It seems that it was actually extinguished by olympic officials since they had to take the torch in a bus.
Which still leaves me wondering: do they have a back-up flame or will they need to do the whole ceremony again? I hope they have to light it all over again and send it directly to China :o) |
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Hanne Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 1:05 PM |
Moray wrote: Amusingly, the billions of people living in China will presumably be entirely unaware of the controversies surrounding the event, owing to Chinas near blackout of external media, and manipulation of their own press.
Dalai Lama says he doesn't want to see the games boycotted. I'd like to see the game boycotted, and for once see political activists make a difference in recent times.
Olympics and politics go hand in hand anyway - Berlin Olympics in 1936 springs to mind.
Well then, wouldn't it be great to see someone from Tibet win the 100m run like Jesse Jackson? :oD
I don't think a total boycot of the game would lead anywhere. I think it would be better if the contestants wore statements on their shirts or something. That would also be very embarassing for China.
But you're right, as I said in my original post, the people in China a blissfully unaware of what's going. I saw something on German TV the other week where they'd interviewed people on the street in Beijing. They were just going on about how great the whole thing was. The Chinese media had also blocked out the protests at the torch ceremony. |
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ricv64 Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 1:09 PM |
the flame has gone out before , they just relight it .
Tibet has been under Chinas' control for 50 years , they ain't giving it up . Pretty sure they also remember Europe flexing it's muscles in their territory 100 years ago too |
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Moray Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 1:11 PM |
Hanne wrote:
Well then, wouldn't it be great to see someone from Tibet win the 100m run like Jesse Jackson? :oD
Yasss, I'm not the only one to make that faux pas! Runner was Jesse Owens. Jesse Jackson was a civil rights activist.
However it doesn't beat my answer, when asked who won 100m olympic gold at the Berlin olympics, I wrote "Jesse James". It was at a pub quiz with guys from work, and I have not heard the end of it since. e.g. 'Was he the rooten'est tooten'est sprinter in the West'? |
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Ursina Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 1:11 PM |
Hanne wrote: Ursina wrote: well done Paris !
I'm totally for the demonstrations. let China(the state, not the people) get properly humilated by this ! Tibet has suffered long enough.
It seems that it was actually extinguished by olympic officials since they had to take the torch in a bus.
Which still leaves me wondering: do they have a back-up flame or will they need to do the whole ceremony again? I hope they have to light it all over again and send it directly to China :o)
nah I think they will just relight it... it's a bit of a con anyway.... it must get extinguished when it is flown from place to place |
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moominbadger Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 1:14 PM |
Ursina wrote: Hanne wrote: Ursina wrote: well done Paris !
I'm totally for the demonstrations. let China(the state, not the people) get properly humilated by this ! Tibet has suffered long enough.
It seems that it was actually extinguished by olympic officials since they had to take the torch in a bus.
Which still leaves me wondering: do they have a back-up flame or will they need to do the whole ceremony again? I hope they have to light it all over again and send it directly to China :o)
nah I think they will just relight it... it's a bit of a con anyway.... it must get extinguished when it is flown from place to place
aw, I liked the idea of a "back-up" flame! |
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Hanne Posted Mon 07 Apr, 2008 1:22 PM |
Moray wrote: Hanne wrote:
Well then, wouldn't it be great to see someone from Tibet win the 100m run like Jesse Jackson? :oD
Yasss, I'm not the only one to make that faux pas! Runner was Jesse Owens. Jesse Jackson was a civil rights activist.
However it doesn't beat my answer, when asked who won 100m olympic gold at the Berlin olympics, I wrote "Jesse James". It was at a pub quiz with guys from work, and I have not heard the end of it since. e.g. 'Was he the rooten'est tooten'est sprinter in the West'?
*turns beet red in face*
Damn! Thanks for correcting that error lol |
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