Olympic Games Beijing 2008?

Question

All this pomp and ceremony is all good and well, and all in the spirit of celebrating the Olympic Games.However, I have to ask myself, what does it all have to do with sport? And in the light of China's leaving more than a lot to be desired as far as human rights are concerned, didn't it seem like an attempt to detract from the real issues at hand? Sure, beautiful perfomances, great pictures to download afterwards, but is anythng gonna happen after all the hoo haa of the Games, to pull China to task about its attitude towards the reast of the world, and more important, its own people??

Answer 1

It does seem to be forgotten by the media, but not by me.  

Answer 2

I think most of the world saw this as an opportunity for China's government to see that it doesn't have to keep its people in a choke-hold, but China missed the point and decided to spend millions on their Olympic ceremonies. Not only that, they push their Olympians to breaking points as was evident with their runner, Liu Xiang. They choose children at such young ages, to start grooming them to be champions, instead of parents deciding that is what is best for their own child, or the child saying "I want to do that!" China is trying to pull the sheets over the eyes of the world, but the eyes of the world will be uncovered, I give it a week.

Answer 3

No one really wants to get invovled in whats going on in China, or pretty much anywhere around there.

I can't see much changing.

Answer 4

We should all hope that something good comes of these games and heres hoping they have been the push that China needed and that they will now get their act together.

Answer 5

China's Human Rights record is nothing short of appalling and I believe they should never have been granted the right to have the Olympics. All that money spent when people have been thrown out of their homes and other people are starving. The world should have boycotted the games and I for one didn't watch all their hype.

Answer 6

Perhaps this is the stepping stone they need to start to be part of the world, open the doors to let the west in and see, we won't know for some time to come. But i say that if they want to be a world economy and have a say in it, then they will have to unbend and become a more open society, but suggest that this won't be done overnight.

Answer 7

why dont people leave China alone, is it because it is a communist country. they put on a brilliant olympics and I do hope London can do the same, we shall see !!

Answer 8

I totally agree. Lives have been wrecked in order to present such images to the world. To me, the billions spent, the ludicrous measures to achieve perfection, and the armies of conscripted attendants with smiles rehearsed for years, just serve to illustrate what a horific, Orwellian society it is.

I sincerely hope London presents a more sensible, sports-oriententated theme, and does not waste tax-millions trying to emulate this farce.

Answer 9

One should ask what do you know about 'its own people'? Such piffle-talk is typical of so many armchair commentators who know next to nothing about what the Chinese people themselves want. Have you ever thought about it? Is what you want for them what they want for themselves? How arrogant can one get? Do you think that being able to get to a polling station or accessing the BBC website is one of their top priorities?

Now that the Olympics sideshow is over, one hopes that China can get on with its own priorities such as securing the prosperous future of its 1.3bn citizens, its national security, ensuring the integrity of its national character, maintaining law and order so that its people can get on with their lives in safety, etc. One could add to that kicking out some of the reporters and 'tourists' out to make mischief.

Please stop thinking that Britain is 'the rest of the world'. We are just a tiny island race compared to the rest of Asia and Africa, and millions there have no problem with China's attitude. We have to learn not to assume that the rest of the world wants the same things as we do, and to stop ramming down our religion of human-rightism and western democracy down their throats without trying to find out what they want. There is no a priori reason why democracy is better for a country and its people. It's just an article of faith or mantra in our dogmatic religion. We have done that to Iraq and Afghanistan and look at the mess. The Catholic church used to go round the world meting out what it thought was best - western religion and 'civilising' the natives - often at the point of a gun or marching just behind an army. We haven't changed one bit! We still think we know best. It's 24carat hypocrisy and arrogance.

Answer 10

Why do people bring up about human rights in China, what about the African nations and the middle east,yes the games were good for all who took part in them.If an thing the PM should not have gone. also that blonde haired tramp the mayor of London