Another Reason to Love America
Like you need one. I know you love America because it's your birth country and you've inherited a strong sense of pride in the knowledge that you are free, because it's an inalienable human right, that good men have died to protect for over 200 years.
But if you do need another one ... China has asked that athletes participating in the 2008 Olympics refrain from critizing the Communist Country:
The clause, in section 4 of the contract, simply states: “[Athletes] are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues.”
Now, the Olympic charter does have a section that relates to this, Sectioon 51 which states: "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas."
But the BOA (British Olympic Association) seems to have gone a step further and in their contracts with athletes, are adding verbage that forbids them from speaking out. The United States, Australia, Canada and Finland have all said they will not be, and have instructed their athletes to focus on the reasons they are there (competing in their events) and not politics. However, they will not forbid them to speak their mind.
I think, if I'm reading the news correctly, the BOA has backed down and will change their contracts. But China still heavily supports a gag order.
It's not that I have an issue with not using the Olympics as a stump from which to broadcast ones own agenda; or a nations own agenda. The event is about nations that often disagree coming together in peace and competition, not about the politics that drive us all apart.
But China has a horrible human rights record, and even having the Olympics in Beijing is kind of icky. And what's more, athletes that send emails, letters, write blogs about their experience will be limited to what they can say in said communications. If they say one bad thing about China, their Olympic dreams could be stripped away and it's the first plane home for them. It will be interesting to see who gets in trouble, and what news we do hear from China. Remember, this is the same Government who forced Google to limit what websites their citizens could reach.
(Coincidentally, Google China's CEO had this to say about democracy and China: "People are actually quite free to talk about the subject," he added, meaning democracy and human rights in China. "I don't think they care that much. I think people would say: 'Hey, U.S. democracy, that's a good form of government. Chinese government, good and stable, that's a good form of government. Whatever, as long as I get to go to my favorite Web site, see my friends, live happily.' " That makes me so, so, so sad. I can not imagine living in a country where I couldn't comment on the leadership and how I think their decisions were stupid, stupid, stupid. And am I honestly to believe that China's leaders don't make decisions that people disagree with? Come on!)
I wish more countries were boycotting this years games, but China controls a large portion of the world's economy and thus ... money rules the world. It will be a very political olympic games, not like any I've seen in my lifetime.
But if you do need another one ... China has asked that athletes participating in the 2008 Olympics refrain from critizing the Communist Country:
The clause, in section 4 of the contract, simply states: “[Athletes] are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues.”
Now, the Olympic charter does have a section that relates to this, Sectioon 51 which states: "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas."
But the BOA (British Olympic Association) seems to have gone a step further and in their contracts with athletes, are adding verbage that forbids them from speaking out. The United States, Australia, Canada and Finland have all said they will not be, and have instructed their athletes to focus on the reasons they are there (competing in their events) and not politics. However, they will not forbid them to speak their mind.
I think, if I'm reading the news correctly, the BOA has backed down and will change their contracts. But China still heavily supports a gag order.
It's not that I have an issue with not using the Olympics as a stump from which to broadcast ones own agenda; or a nations own agenda. The event is about nations that often disagree coming together in peace and competition, not about the politics that drive us all apart.
But China has a horrible human rights record, and even having the Olympics in Beijing is kind of icky. And what's more, athletes that send emails, letters, write blogs about their experience will be limited to what they can say in said communications. If they say one bad thing about China, their Olympic dreams could be stripped away and it's the first plane home for them. It will be interesting to see who gets in trouble, and what news we do hear from China. Remember, this is the same Government who forced Google to limit what websites their citizens could reach.
(Coincidentally, Google China's CEO had this to say about democracy and China: "People are actually quite free to talk about the subject," he added, meaning democracy and human rights in China. "I don't think they care that much. I think people would say: 'Hey, U.S. democracy, that's a good form of government. Chinese government, good and stable, that's a good form of government. Whatever, as long as I get to go to my favorite Web site, see my friends, live happily.' " That makes me so, so, so sad. I can not imagine living in a country where I couldn't comment on the leadership and how I think their decisions were stupid, stupid, stupid. And am I honestly to believe that China's leaders don't make decisions that people disagree with? Come on!)
I wish more countries were boycotting this years games, but China controls a large portion of the world's economy and thus ... money rules the world. It will be a very political olympic games, not like any I've seen in my lifetime.
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