I will boycott the Olympics

[classicman]

So Radar - you think the US is as bad as China?

[Shawnee123]

WHAT?

Seriously, I wonder. Seems nothing is sacred and above being bought or politically influenced. My cynicism isn't completely unfounded, I'm sure.

[Radar]

Originally Posted by classicman

So Radar - you think the US is as bad as China?

Good and bad are relative terms. I say the United States is every bit as guilty of human rights violations and bullying other nations as China and the U.S. has no moral superiority over China. America was once the most free nation on earth. China has never been known for freedoms, yet in some ways they are more free than America, and in some ways America is more free than China.

The IOC's decision to host the games in China was fair, reasonable, equitable, and was most certainly not the result of bribery or coercion.

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by Radar

~snip~
The IOC's decision to host the games in China was fair, reasonable, equitable, and was most certainly not the result of bribery or coercion.

How are you so certain? Did you ask?

[Rhianne]

So is anyone really boycotting these games?

There have been plenty in the past of course but I wonder how the 1936 Berlin Games would be remembered if they had, justifiably, been boycotted. Surely everyone has seen those newsreels featuring Jesse Owens - I wouldn't want to be without those.

[aliasyzy]

Originally Posted by miketrees

I know my tiny little amount of spending power is not going to worry anybody, its the thought that counts.

I think the Olympic industry did some dirty dealing with China to get the games.

I think China should remove all restrictions on the Internet, I mean imagine how your rights would be impaired if you could not get access to , porn sites, The Cellar and just stuff like that.

No kidding I will turn it off from radio TV and I wont read about it in the paper.

I'm a chinese, I could get access to The Cellar, porn sites and just stuff like that So your reason to boycott Olympic is not adequate.

Every country has its own restrictions -- laws are restrictions. China does have some unreasonable restrictions, but China is developing and no one is perfect, right?

Rights of Chinese people are seriously impaired? You gotta be joking.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I agree with you, aliasyzy. But I also think Shanghai is hardly representative of China in general.
Of course that's the biggest problem about making generalizations about China, and the Chinese people. The country is HUGE. Just the change in climate, from north to south is staggering. There are crowded cities, uninhabited deserts, and everything in between.

Now the common thing is the National government, but I've read the regional governments have a lot of power, causing different rules (laws) in different regions. Of course we foreigners only hear what the Party is doing on a national level, national policy I guess you could call it, and yes, the western press zeros in of the negatives. But then again, your press is not exactly forthcoming.

So forgive us our ignorance, for we have been coached in our view of China. Better yet, please enlighten us with the truth about life in China.

[aliasyzy]

Good and Evil, typical mode of civilization.

We US are good, They Chinese are evil: It's right and noble to exert our power on them and destroy them.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I don't think pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into China's economy, will destroy your country.

[aliasyzy]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I agree with you, aliasyzy. But I also think Shanghai is hardly representative of China in general.
Of course that's the biggest problem about making generalizations about China, and the Chinese people. The country is HUGE. Just the change in climate, from north to south is staggering. There are crowded cities, uninhabited deserts, and everything in between.

Now the common thing is the National government, but I've read the regional governments have a lot of power, causing different rules (laws) in different regions. Of course we foreigners only hear what the Party is doing on a national level, national policy I guess you could call it, and yes, the western press zeros in of the negatives. But then again, your press is not exactly forthcoming.

So forgive us our ignorance, for we have been coached in our view of China. Better yet, please enlighten us with the truth about life in China.

There are problems in almost every aspects of China. It's a big country and it's still a poor country. Like you said, making generalization should be careful.

I just want to say that people all over the world are the same: selfish, cowerdly and greedy. You can choose to understand others and work out a way to co-exist, or you can picture them as evil and fight them.

-------------
I'd like to answer questions about China. I may not be correctly informed, but I could provide another angle to view China.

[aliasyzy]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I don't think pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into China's economy, will destroy your country.

Pumping money surely won't destroy a country. (who knows, If it's a finance conspiracy, maybe it will.)

what i mean is: Good and evil game will cause a bigger game called war.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by aliasyzy

I just want to say that people all over the world are the same: selfish, cowerdly and greedy.

I don't agree with that generalization about people anywhere. Sure, there are some that fit that mold in any society, and unfortunately that's the type of people that are driven to power and wealth.
Although I have no scientific empirical data to prove it, I believe that most people, everywhere, just want to get along with their neighbors and take care of their families.

The people you described, the people I think seek power, do their best to capitalize of people's natural fear of the unknown, fear of people and cultures they don't know.

Now I'm far from a cockeyed optimist but my experience is, of the many people I've met, while I don't like all of them, once I know them, I don't fear them.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by aliasyzy

....what i mean is: Good and evil game will cause a bigger game called war.

A US-China war won't happen. We both have too much to lose, and the money men won't allow it.

[aliasyzy]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I don't agree with that generalization about people anywhere. Sure, there are some that fit that mold in any society, and unfortunately that's the type of people that are driven to power and wealth.
Although I have no scientific empirical data to prove it, I believe that most people, everywhere, just want to get along with their neighbors and take care of their families.

The people you described, the people I think seek power, do their best to capitalize of people's natural fear of the unknown, fear of people and cultures they don't know.

Now I'm far from a cockeyed optimist but my experience is, of the many people I've met, while I don't like all of them, once I know them, I don't fear them.

Being selfish, cowardly, and greedy is not absolutely bad. it's just what we are. One can always use better words to tell the same story.

Everybody seeks power. Get along and take care of families surely need power. Without power, can we sit comfortably in front of an LCD and chat like this while some people on the earth have to worry about their next meal? If you lose the power to sustain your current life style, will you try to get it back?

Moreover, how much is enough? Even if US citizens reduce their living standard by half, their life will still be like a heaven to at least 60% population of the world. Will people do so to spare some resources in building a better world? I'm not critical of US, because blind consumptionism is now all over the world.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

I should take a moment to welcome aliasyzy to the Cellar, and to offer congratulations on your excellent English, sir. I hope the Great Firewall of China doesn't ever give you trouble with contacting big-nosed Americans.