Why not? What reasoning is there to say that you can't mix them both? If by mixing sports and politics, you can achieve something good, why not? Should we not mix them just because someone says they shouldn't be.

I don't support the boycott, but everything in this world is related somehow and I don't see why flimsy ideals of not mixing sports and politics should be observed without taking into account the context and the effects of the relation between sports and politics.

And last of all, Tibetans cannot make any choice at all, so regardless of your arguments for any one side, there is still the issue that Tibet has no right to self-determination.

By who? That's the important question.

cheers

Maybe not all. I would say maybe half-half.

the olympics has always been political. back in the old days of greece it was the one time the warring greek cities declared truces and competed in the games.

since it costs tonnes of money to lobby (ho ho ho) and to build the infrastructure for the modern olympics, a non-participation is damging. for one, revenues would fall from direct licensing and ticket sales, but that is also a blow for the legitimacy of the nation: they will find it hard to justify the expenditure, and people, as machiavelli noted, might not care for his wife or father, but they sure as hell care for their money.

the other thing a boycott does is to reaffirm the nation's political stance. here in england, the country is quite heaving with indignation over china's brutal treatment of tibet and its workers (from a socialist state, even). thus, to boycott the olympics is simply to follow the will of the people.

crap, is this kopitiam?

what a great discussion here...however there are still alot of one liners around...but what more can one ask for? its kopitiam afterall.....

well they dont do much anyway....no point of appeasing the people....for china, if u appease the top communist dogs....ur game on...whatever u ask for will be granted....the people can get pissed all they want.....what can they do? vote the govt out of office?? the greater truth is out there...and i think its just them being shallow not knowing it.....

i dunno why its like this...ppl are culturally inclined....to their own ethnicity of course.....but then again i bet no any culture in the world would condone the act of genocide, blatant oppression of the people (mentally as well...look what they feed them thru tv and the internet), heck they even evict their own ppl, Beijing locals without compensations just to make way for the game....who knows what else would they do in order to reach their goal???

i dont see the act of boycott will anger any overseas / expat chinese....even the PRC chinese whu are currently abroad, free of the govt red-propaganda.....they would soon open their eyes n realize the true nature of their wretched govt....killing of fellow chinese of Falun Gong?? killing of their future leaders, students of the Peking uni in Tiananmen? There is no bigger stage to show our disgust and our opinion than now...when the world is watching....

haha i see that one coming....but has Isreal got plans to organize Olympics?? China is recognized by every country in the world that they are a sovereign nation.....but has Isreal got that worldwide recognition?? If (big big if) Israel gonna host any major sporting events....i think alot of countries will boycott too..... anyway its orange to apple thingy....i think the israel thig we just leave it to a thread of its own....but we r talking bout China's Olympic games here.....

kopitiamers are men/women of few words. We squeeze all that we want to say in one line.

refer to page 2 guys.....its not a political issue here.....we are talking bout humanitarian crisis.....i dunno why genocide can be classified as a political issue where only politicians should be involved....

and to maximus85, the voices calling for boycott came mostly from Europe and non-US countries....US has released a statement suggesting their strong support for the games.... China might be growing on a double figure GDP but who cares....if they were to catch up with the US...even if US is on a standstill...frozen in time....China would still need 50 years to catch up....

dear Gr3yL3gion81, a boycott of the game is just like a super massive street protest, with unprecedented media coverage....thats all, economic sanctions is a totally different thing man....boycott the game causes them embarassment and just to show them that the world does take their issues in their 'backyard' seriously.....and hopefully that would spurr them to be more open and to actually listen to what others have to say....nothing more....no restriction of their peoples economy or whatsoever thats similar that... just wanna get the message thru....

---

Added on April 2, 2008, 4:45 pmoh yea if u guys wanna try the chinese govt's internet oppression crap....just try google (the chinese one....google.com.cn i think) type tiananmen massacre or jsut tiananmen.....look for that tank man picture....bloody famous dude whu made it into Times' 100 man that define the 21st century...see if u guys can spot that dude on the chinese site....then try the 'global' google site....see whats the difference.....or try youtube.....and compare...that would be even more interesting....

This post has been edited by bhypp: Apr 2 2008, 04:48 PM

The US should act on issues at their own backyard(read:Guantanamo Bay) before teaching others about human rights, thank you.

somehow i've got the feeling if the world boycotts china it will caue world world III to break out... and countries who suggested this will MAMPOS!! thts us.... omg...

btw... CHINA WILL GROW LARGER! (quoted C&C Generals)

Guantanamo Bay is meant to detain enemy combatants.

Anyway, at worst you can call them hypocrites. But still doesn't change a thing about China and its poor human rights record.

This post has been edited by joe_mamak: Apr 2 2008, 05:59 PM

abit brainless post dont u think....russia back in the height of the cold war kena a kao kao 1 .....oso din fight back.....coz they kenot juz start a war just like taht and of course they risk getting pwned by US if they do that.... u think the China now can pwn everyone when the soviet back then dun even dare??? think again....1980...cold war....lots of nuclear warheads..... can see the clearer picture now??

China is cleaning house before the Olympics.

Chinese civil rights activist sentenced for subversion
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/...d.ap/index.html

Boycotting the game will lead to nowhere.
It's like what the US did to Soviet's. Then revenge comes, the Soviet boycotted US's.

US, British, Russia or China.. choose 1..

I say Asia Power!

Dun say 1 thing and do 1 thing..

Tell me which country that have no discrimination against minority..

Malaysia?

Discrimination, corruption, and crime against human rights is everywhere..

Boycott Olympic will oni spoilt the meaning of it.. Olympic is the oni place where all nations are united without discrimination.. Everyone from different races and nationality will play against each other at the same court without any favouring.. Duduk sama rendah, berdiri sama tinggi.. Even superpower nation will have to start from the same line and end at the same line.. No extra advantage for them..And without bias

PEACE

It isn't about Asian, European or American. So no need to choose.

You say discrimination but you also appear to understand that it goes beyond just that to include human rights.

Just because it happens everywhere doesn't mean we should just don't be bothered.

Im not saying not to don't bother..

But boycott olympic is not the way.. Im replying to the topic..

Then what is the way? For over 50+ decades it has really been no way for the Tibetans.

BTW, the boycott could be just for the opening and/or the closing ceremony. Or country leaders, just giving the event a miss.

bruther, me replying to the topic which says boycott entire olympic.. not replying to u..

Anyway.. it is very naive thinking by saying boycott olympic opening/closing is enuf.. wont change a thing..

The best way is embargo china.. oni if US and europe country support it.. but which country wanna risk to lost their billion dollar investment in china..

I think a boycott of the opening and closing would be effective. It embarrasses the Chinese government and also sends a message to the Chinese citizens that some countries disapprove what their country is doing.

That is one small step but it is a realistic and a doable step, rather than a trade embargo which isn't going to happen anytime soon.

Ini semua kerja orang gila punya lah......

i dunno why ppl still got this 'ethnicity' inclination in their mentality...well for me.....if i were to choose the 4 powers uve said...i wud choose the one thats hav a better track record.....rather than choosing the asian one coz im asian...

anyway trade embargo is not the issue discussed here so u r the one off topic...we r just discussing if the action of a boycott (of any form / extend) is necessary....

for me im all for it...no better time than now to show that china cant do whatever they please, even if its in their own backyard....no better time to stop their ignorance.....