Olympic Protests- Is It Really the Right Venue?
In the years and months leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics much of the non-Chinese world questioned whether or not this was an appropriate host city. China's human rights record was continually being called into question particularly its government's policies toward Tibet and its trade arrangement with Sudan. While these objections certainly may have their validity, I have to wonder in the aftermath of these Olympics if all the calls for nations, leaders, and athletes to boycott these games might not be the appropriate action. I say this after listening to reporter after reporter talk about how gracious and accommodating the Chinese people were during these games and what an incredible job the Chinese did hosting the games. In two weeks time it seemed as if the world, and in particular, some of us westerners were getting a better understanding of who these "strangers" are and what they are all about. The world was able to see, touch, and talk to these people who make up one-fifth of the world's population and not just read about its government and its policies. The world was able to connect with them in a way that had not happened before. Time and time again it seems that the Olympics have a way of uniting the world and instilling in its 6 plus billion people , a sense of hope, hope that maybe we can all rally around a common purpose and see the best in one another. It might only be temporary, I know, nevertheless this hope even if it is short-lived needs to be experienced.
I'm not sure that at a venue like the Olympics, focusing on what divides us is necessarily the best idea. Maybe, the time to talk about differences is after we have had some of our preconceived myths of another dispelled. Maybe the time to talk about differences is after we realize that some of our objections deal with things that we have just very recently changed in our own country or are in the process of changing. Maybe the time to talk about differences is after there has been an infusion of hope.
In the years and months leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics much of the non-Chinese world questioned whether or not this was an appropriate host city. China's human rights record was continually being called into question particularly its government's policies toward Tibet and its trade arrangement with Sudan. While these objections certainly may have their validity, I have to wonder in the aftermath of these Olympics if all the calls for nations, leaders, and athletes to boycott these games might not be the appropriate action. I say this after listening to reporter after reporter talk about how gracious and accommodating the Chinese people were during these games and what an incredible job the Chinese did hosting the games. In two weeks time it seemed as if the world, and in particular, some of us westerners were getting a better understanding of who these "strangers" are and what they are all about. The world was able to see, touch, and talk to these people who make up one-fifth of the world's population and not just read about its government and its policies. The world was able to connect with them in a way that had not happened before. Time and time again it seems that the Olympics have a way of uniting the world and instilling in its 6 plus billion people , a sense of hope, hope that maybe we can all rally around a common purpose and see the best in one another. It might only be temporary, I know, nevertheless this hope even if it is short-lived needs to be experienced.
I'm not sure that at a venue like the Olympics, focusing on what divides us is necessarily the best idea. Maybe, the time to talk about differences is after we have had some of our preconceived myths of another dispelled. Maybe the time to talk about differences is after we realize that some of our objections deal with things that we have just very recently changed in our own country or are in the process of changing. Maybe the time to talk about differences is after there has been an infusion of hope.
posted by Ryan @ 7:46 PM
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