Why did most people choose not to boycott the olympics?

Question

I'm getting annoyed with the media saturation of the Olympics, and the way that any criticism of the Chinese government seems to be quickly ignored or labelled unpatriotic, and I keep being told to support the athletes.

The athletes are getting glory, fame, hero-worship and corporate sponsorship, and they chose that rather than standing up for Darfur, Burma, Tibet or Mongolia, etc. I don't respect them at all.

I also keep getting told that politics shouldn't be a part of the olympics - but what about Berlin in the 1930's, or Moscow? And wasn't China awarded the Olympics on the proviso that it would improve its human rights record? It seems to me the only ones pretending that there are no politics involved are the corporations with something to gain, spreading their propaganda.

I am so disappointed to be the only person in my whole office who has a problem with this - everyone else seems to be happy to suck up the propaganda and advertising.

Sheesh!!

Answer 1

Right, deprive the athletes from competing with their fellow humans just because some governments don't see eye to eye on certain issues. Should the world boycott U.S for illegally invading Iraq and causing thousands of civilian deaths? Let those who have not sin cast the first stone.

Answer 2

You suck

Answer 3

Well maybe the next time the olympics is in the U.S. everyone that thinks they should not have invaded Iraq should boycott?

The fact of the matter is you don't support your athletes great good for you you are sticking by your ideals but don't try and cram your ideals on others.

Yeah i feel bad for the people in Burma etc but i love sports and the olympics is the best athletes in the world competing so i watch.

I hope you don't buy anything that says made in China on it.

Answer 4

Hi Emma-Jayne,

As much as many people dislike some of the policies and practices of the Chinese government, it would be sad to punish the people of China and the athletes by depriving them of the joy and pleasure of a successful Olympics. A boycott would be directed to towards the government, but in reality it would strike at the people.

Olympic boycotts in the past should not be held as examples, but rather viewed soberly as events we wish not to repeat, as they have always highlighted the intolerance of the boycotting nation rather than the issues surrounding the boycott.

The Chinese government propaganda surround the games is pretty transparent. I think that most people see it for what it truly is, and don't "suck it up". On the other side of the coin, the so-called "human rights" movement is similarly pushing its own propaganda through the media, and are arrogant enough to suppose that their world-view is somehow superior and more deserving than that of other groups of people. If/when the Chinese people desire change badly enough, it will happen. But a few students and religious groups are not going to be able to do it just because they've got an opinion that is more progressive than the average citizen.

Answer 5

If the U.S. boycotted the Olympics. Michael Phelps would not have broken the world record. China would by far win the most gold.

Answer 6

Using that logic, there would be a reason for boycotting just about every olympic games ever held.

Answer 7

Hey Emnma, if you care so much about darfur and burma and all those places, do you think it's helping them for you to sit at your house fuming like a baby? If you wanna help, don't just "boycott" the olympics, go do something about it. I am tired of people who boycott things and picket things and talk negatively about things they are not willing to do anything further about. Those atheletes trained harder than you would ever know for this and they deserve our support, it's unfortunate about what's going on over there, but just turning your tv off isn't helping anyone but your electricity bill, so shut up and stop whining.

Answer 8

What does this have to do with the Olympics and sports. I think you are just sour grapes over nothing.

You know why people are not stupid like yourself for not boycotting it...to save your own @ss for getting cheap products and letting your petroleum lower and making the economy lower. Sheesh!! You only care for yourselves and your own cause but never though how disastrous it will be.

[[edit]] And while at it; how is England treating the asylum seekers in Oxfordshire who have gone on hunger strike? Or why the police arrested the protesters at the proposed new coal-fired station? Or why BAE corruption investigation was stopped?

Answer 9

"large-scale boycott would have been an effective way to embarrass the Chinese government into making positive changes. Wouldn't those positive changes ultimately benefit the Chinese people?"

Embarrass the Chinese government into making changes?

If we can't even embarrass president Bush into making policy changes, how do you think it'll work for non-democratic, Authoritarian China, when they have complete control of their political system? People boycotting the Olympics wouldn't cause them to change their policies.

When has the boycott & protest of the Iraq war even changed American policies? (and we're democratic)

"1956 China themselves boycotted the olympics because Taiwan was included."

In 1956, Taiwan was still recognized as the "official China" and represented both the mainland and Taiwan (they still held their UN security council seat before it was lost to the PRC in the 70s).

Mainland China's boycott didn't do anything...their policies towards each other are still basically the same.

Boycotts (especially sports) do not work in the world of politics, and has essentially never created political change. Change has to come from within - the Chinese government and their new generation of leaders are the only people who can bring civil rights to their people.

In that respect, the Olympics were the right thing to do. As their people get wealthier (and more connected to the rest of the world) and as their leaders adopt a more "globalist" perspective - they will eventually change their nation and allow more rights and freedoms.

Answer 10

No room for politics in the Olympics where its supposed be a fun way for the countries to unite and compete.

p**s OFF HIPPIE

Answer 11

You really shouldn’t mix politics with sports!  I know, unfortunately, they are mixed in all Olympics games, but that doesn’t mean you SHOULD do the same!