No one is talking about the olympics(china...)

[alpinerabbit]

A local newspaper of respectable caliber noted Sunday that a boycott would probably not benefit minorities in China, least the Tibetans.

I don't know what to think. China needs to wake up.

I leave you with this.

[sundial]

I remember when former Pres. Carter had the US boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympics. I felt sorry for the athletes. For many, this was their last opportunity to compete at that level. Many dreams of winning gold were dashed in a moment.

I know politics shouldn't come into play at the Olympics, but I just can't support China in their efforts to host the Olympics. I really do fear for the safety of our athletes.

[Tri Girl]

I've wondered why the Olympic committee chose China in the first place. It's not like they were an upstanding, human rights supporting wonderland when they were chosen. Makes me wonder why they were chosen as a host of such a peace promoting event. I, too, think boycott would be terrible for the athletes.

[tc1]

Speaking as one American, what China is doing to Tibet isn't much different from how the US was settled by Europeans. Both group's acts were wrong and repressive, but I don't see how an American's criticism has much credibility here.

I have tried to avoid buying Chinese stuff for years. From over here, it looks like the Chinese government is as repressive to its own people as it is to the Tibetans.

[three]

I would like to see a massive boycott. U.S foreign policy is atrocious, but it is nothing compared to the human rights issues that China has within its own country.

The main reason why no one boycotting them is because they are the new superpower, soon to replace the U.S, and no one wants to ruffle feathers.

Grrr.

[mimitabby]

ironic that we want to boycott the chinese olympics, but most of the stuff we buy was made in china. you name it; it probably says "made in china"

and yes, pot shouldn't be calling kettle black (US vs China)

[KnottedYet]

If you took everything off me that was made in china, I'd be typing on this Chinese computer wearing nothing but my two Ibex shirts and one silver ring.

Edit: (after a trip to the bathroom) oh, no, wait! I'd have my underpants, too. They were made in Costa Rica. How many of us go shopping and *don't* buy the product made in our country because it costs more? Ultimate responsibility for power these days comes from money, and money comes from consumers. What do you consume?

[Trek420]

It's complex, it's the Olympic torch and games not the Chinese torch and games. I feel sad for athletes, if they skip these games to compete in a less controversial locale may not be competitive 4 years from now. To ask someone who's trained and suffered and dreamed of competing in these games to just skip this one or and athlete who knows this may be the last Olympics they'll be competitive to go to the next one ...

As for the human rights aspect who is it that said something like "let he who is without sin cast the first stone"? Our record in this country, not too good. But I think we've come far.

My hope is that China will take this opportunity while the whole world is watching to say something like "we're working on it". That's what I will be watching for a sign of.

I hope this discussion won't become a whole Box Store Bad vs Fair Trade Good thing that we've sometimes had And Chinese people need jobs too but if any of you think your job can not be outsourced .... think again.

It's surprisingly easy to buy stuff made in USA or just ABC (that's Anywhere But China) often it's just reading the label and picking the item next to it.

Read the labels if this matters to you.

[bmccasland]

What they said.

If we really want to make a point, we need to change our buying habits. Does anyone remember when Walmart used to advertise having goods "made in the USA"?

And I remember the older generation refusing to buy goods made in Japan because of Pearl Harbor, or my Jewish friend in high school that wanted a VW Bug, but his dad wouldn't let him have one because it was a German company and they'd lost realtives in the death camps.

If we really want to make an impact, we, the nation, needs to vote with our wallets.

Let the athletes compete. The Moscow Olympic boycot proved nothing.

[alpinerabbit]

I would like to see a massive boycott. U.S foreign policy is atrocious, but it is nothing compared to the human rights issues that China has within its own country.
The main reason why no one boycotting them is because they are the new superpower, soon to replace the U.S, and no one wants to ruffle feathers.

plus, or even more important than any political "super-powerness", the US (and all other major countries') foreign policy is doing their god-darnedest to cuddle China because it will be the biggest market. Or is already becoming it.

Which by the way, eliminates any and all efforts we could ever make at environmental protection. The Chinese government does not care a hair's breadth, all the focus is on economic growth.

[crazycanuck]

I agree with Alpinerabbit on this...I like the drawing & would love to see more of the artists work.

I don't think it took a genius to figure out that when the Chinese gov't won the rights to hold the 08 games that they would do anything to improve thier image etc. I will never ever travel to China based on thier human rights record. I don't care if they''ve opened thier doors to tourism, they closed the door on human rights back in '89. I remember watching the Tiananmen square protests when they first started & then the crackdown.

They've threatened to severely punish anyone that gets in the way of the Olympic torch relay when it arrives back in China.

I am angered at the Chinese citizens who say there's nothing wrong happening in Tibet & other areas. Excuse me? If the west wants to demonize China, go ahead.

I hope there's more disruption of the torch relay when it arrives in Canberra. The Chinese guards dressed in blue need to be challenged.

One less person interested in the 08 games-it's all commerical this year & companies with their heads up the chinese gov'ts behinds trying to pretend there's nothing happening.

Rant over...I'll stop now..

[Cindyloo]

As for the human rights aspect who is it that said something like "let he who is without sin cast the first stone"?

That would be Jesus who said that.

As for the olympics, I have no idea how China was chosen in the first place.

[Trek420]

That would be Jesus who said that.

Oh right, right, silly of me to forget. But seriously I remember in Jr. High doing a book report on a book about the internment of Japanese American Citizens during World War II and being told by my history teacher "where did you read this fiction? This never happened!!! " This would have been about '70 so only a few decades later.

As for the olympics, I have no idea how China was chosen in the first place.

Money? Could it have been money?

But let's keep this on a positive note. And since this is not a regional board there are folks on the board who don't have easy access to local business shopping options. We've got ourself into this mess where for some saying "buy local from local businesses" is not an easy option.

Politics aside I think it does not make sense to ride my bike to the store .... to buy stuff flown or shipped from overseas. But how do you find local and or greener stuff?

[tulip]

Politics aside I think it does not make sense to ride my bike to the store .... to buy stuff flown or shipped from overseas. But how do you find local and or greener stuff?

Baby steps. Start looking. Start looking at labels. Start looking around at local shops and markets. I recently needed a skillet. I found a cast iron skillet at a junk shop, cleaned it up, seasoned it, and it's ready for my french toast. That's just one example of a baby step.

Start by asking ourselves how much STUFF do we actually need? And then decide what we can do, and act on that. It's not all or nothing. It's small acts that do make a difference.

[Brandi]

All you can do is try to be a good shopper who reads labels. And if you can't afford the US made product then try and maybe find something else. I don't know? Even though I think we should ban the games, who are we to say anything. It makes me sad to say that. But our government hasn't been to nice to people either. I know families who are struggling so hard right now. Yet we can spend billions on how an apple is shipped from farm to store. it has never made much since to me.