ABC: Interesting debate on NPR between a human rights activist and an official of the International Olympic Committee about whether U.S. government officials, and perhaps even athletes, should boycott the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic games this August.
Listen to it HERE.
Human rights attorney David Kilgour, a former Canadian member of parliament, originally had supported a complete boycott because of China's abysmal record on human rights. But now he feels that the games are bringing greater scrutiny to that record -- in Tibet, Darfur, with the Falun Gong and more generally -- so he's instead calling for a boycott of the opening ceremony by government officials.
Now is the time to exert some pressure, he says.
Former U.S. rower and IOC member Anita DeFrantz — who missed the 1980 Moscow games after then-President Jimmy Carter pulled out the U.S. to protest the USSR invasion of Afghanistan — says such a boycott wouldn't work.
It got heated. The IOC "doesn't have a single scruple when it comes to totalitarian governments," Kilgour said.
What do you think?
2 comments:
Greater Scrutiny is a good thing, that is true, but in light of what is, and has been happening in Tibet, it would appear that the time for scrutiny is over, and the time for action is now.
Athletes world wide should boycott the 2008 Olympics. I would also hope that t.v. networks would globally boycott it as well. Advertisers, and every one down the line should boycott.
China chose this, and China has chosen their barbaric way of preparing for it. Let them have a silent Olympics, let only their athletes be present, then they can bask in the glow of that hollow victory.
Wouldn't that be something if your wishes came true? It makes so much sense.
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