I have an Olympic question...could use others thoughts, thanks!

[bunced]

Oh I agree that it doesn't make me noble or anything and it has very little effect. But it is one of the few ways I as an individual can express my opinion. And maybe it'll make no effect. But I still choose to do it

 

[Maren]

I don't necessarily have a problem with not boycotting the Olympics, I like that the ideal of the games is to transcend politics (even if it often doesn't rise to the ideal).

OTOH, I thought it was terrible that Pres. Bush is attending these Olympics, the first time a sitting president has attended a non-US Olympics. Though I suppose it is fitting for a president who has defended human rights violations by the US (if not ordered them) to support a country and its leaders that are guilty of even worse human rights violations.

 

[seeker777]

Don't forget Americans need the Chinese to make all of their toys, electronic components and other necessities of a consumer driven economy!

 

[cantata]

Don't forget Americans need the Chinese to make all of their toys, electronic components and other necessities of a consumer driven economy!

True facts!

 

[seeker777]

It sends the message that it is not acceptable.

I have to agree - a boycott is very little use in the long term - personally I think China should never have been awarded the Olympics - it makes a mockery of all Olympic ideals.

However

I have no wish to watch them and so passively condone such injustice, which is why I will not be viewing any of the Olympics.

Make certain that nothing in your home and nothing you buy in the future has anything in it that has come from China.

Good luck with that, as just about everything has a component of one kind or another that was made in Chine.

Why?

The Chinese do it well and cheaper than anyone else...America loves that!

 

[mpok1519]

George Bush watced the opening ceremony.

"Heh. Hey Laura, can you get me one of those over-sized foam hands proclaiming my number-oness? Heh, while you're at it, grab me one of those sweet an sour hotdogs I love so much. and nachos. And beer. They let you drink imported budweiser here, right? Heh. I don't wanna do anything to upset the Chinese. Theyre noble people. I don't wanna offend em then get run over by a tank. Heh. Hey, when do they start to play football?"

a saturday night live sketch im working on. =P

 

[seeker777]

I think it's great that everyone gets to openly pick on the Chinese during these Olympics.

The same people condemning China for their human rights abuses, are quite happy to pay lower prices for their toasters at Wal-Mart, thanks to the Chinese.

I smell nothin' but hypocrisy when I hear talk of boycotting the Olympics.

 

[mpok1519]

well, the Tieneman square incident wasn't a good thing. And they killed a bunch of monks the other week, for, well, what reasons we can only fathom.

 

[HannahBanana]

I think it's great that everyone gets to openly pick on the Chinese during these Olympics.

The same people condemning Chine for their human rights abuses, are quite happy to pay lower prices for their toasters at Wal-Mart, thanks to the Chinese.

I smell nothin' but hypocrisy when I hear talk of boycotting the Olympics.

I don't shop at Wal-Mart (and I don't ever plan to shop there), and I'm boycotting the Olympics. So how do you figure that all of the people who are boycotting the Olympics shop at Wal-Mart, then?

 

[seeker777]

I don't shop at Wal-Mart (and I don't ever plan to shop there), and I'm boycotting the Olympics. So how do you figure that all of the people who are boycotting the Olympics shop at Wal-Mart, then?

Bahahaha.

Yeah, you make sure everything you ever buy had nothing to do with China.

America loves China for her cheap consumer goods, but it's hip and cool to suggest we boycott the Olympics...yet no one is boycotting China's cheap consumer goods! Hmmmm...I wonder why?

IT IS BECAUSE CHINA ALLOWS AMERICANS TO PURCHASE EVERYTHING FOR MUCH CHEAPER THAN THEY WOULD OTHERWISE!

That spells hypocrisy. Unless your writing letters to your congressman begging them to stop trade with China and constantly assuring you never buy anything that was made in china, save me from any sanctimonious Olympic boycott speeches.

 

[HannahBanana]

Bahahaha.

Yeah, you make sure everything you ever buy had nothing to do with China.

America loves China for her cheap consumer goods, but it's hip and cool to suggest we boycott the Olympics...yet no one is boycotting China's cheap consumer goods! Hmmmm...I wonder why?

IT IS BECAUSE CHINA ALLOWS AMERICANS TO PURCHASE EVERYTHING FOR MUCH CHEAPER THAN THEY WOULD OTHERWISE!

That spells hypocrisy. Unless your writing letters to your congressman begging them to stop trade with China and constantly assuring you never buy anything that was made in china, save me from any sanctimonious Olympic boycott speeches.

Yeesh. Why the nasty attitude? Everyone's hypocritical to a point, even you. So I don't see why you would try to use that as an argument against me.

And just because I'm not trying to actively do anything to stop slave labor doesn't mean that I can't be against it. Stop trying to be the thought police.

 

[seeker777]

It's a public forum. By challenging people, I accomplish two things...

1) I may get them to actually think about an issue longer than the customary knee jerk reaction, which is quite common on internet forums.

2) Maybe people will see the bigger picture and realize that their lovely black and white views ( which are favoured on Christian forums ) rarely work in the big, bad, ugly and at times beautiful real world that we live in.

 

[HannahBanana]

It's a public forum. By challenging people, I accomplish two things...

1) I may get them to actually think about an issue longer than the customary knee jerk reaction, which is quite common on internet forums.

2) Maybe people will see the bigger picture and realize that their lovely black and white views ( which are favoured on Christian forums ) rarely work in the big, bad, ugly and at times beautiful real world that we live in.

But you can challenge people without being nasty about it. That's what Jesus did, you know.

 

[seeker777]

But you can challenge people without being nasty about it. That's what Jesus did, you know.

Unfortunately or fortunately ( depending on the situation) it's what I do.

 

[HannahBanana]

Unfortunately or fortunately ( depending on the situation) it's what I do.

I guess I can't argue with that, lol.

 

[cantata]

Bahahaha.

Yeah, you make sure everything you ever buy had nothing to do with China.

America loves China for her cheap consumer goods, but it's hip and cool to suggest we boycott the Olympics...yet no one is boycotting China's cheap consumer goods! Hmmmm...I wonder why?

<snip>

Exactly - the fact is that we're all guilty of "human rights abuses" when we buy... well, pretty much anyone. Anyone here own an iPod?

http://www.coxwashington.com/news/content/reporters/stories/2007/02/04/BC_CHINA_LABOR04_COX.html

An enormous proportion of our electrical goods, clothing, and other consumer goods are made by people in miserable conditions in China. Of course, the Chinese government, with its obsession with economic growth, is partly to blame for that kind of exploitation being possible, but we're still buying the goods. I really don't think there's anyone in the West whose hands are clean.

 

[HannahBanana]

Exactly - the fact is that we're all guilty of "human rights abuses" when we buy... well, pretty much anyone. Anyone here own an iPod?

http://www.coxwashington.com/news/content/reporters/stories/2007/02/04/BC_CHINA_LABOR04_COX.html

An enormous proportion of our electrical goods, clothing, and other consumer goods are made by people in miserable conditions in China. Of course, the Chinese government, with its obsession with economic growth, is partly to blame for that kind of exploitation being possible, but we're still buying the goods. I really don't think there's anyone in the West whose hands are clean.

Well then what can we do to stop the egregious human rights violations going on every day in China? I don't want to just sit around and let human beings continue to be treated like robots.

 

[bunced]

Make certain that nothing in your home and nothing you buy in the future has anything in it that has come from China.

Good luck with that, as just about everything has a component of one kind or another that was made in Chine.

Why?

The Chinese do it well and cheaper than anyone else...America loves that!

Of course I cannot make sure everything in my house was produced fairly. But I try when I can - I try to make sure I pay a fair price for my clothes by buying them from ethical shops; I make sure I pay a fair price for my food and that that fair price gets passed on to the growers. Sure I can't be perfect, but I would rather try and fall short than take the attitude of "it's not possible, so why even bother."

 

[cantata]

Well then what can we do to stop the egregious human rights violations going on every day in China? I don't want to just sit around and let human beings continue to be treated like robots.

That's a good question. One sensible idea would be to support charities like Amnesty International who focus on human rights issues.

 

[HannahBanana]

That's a good question. One sensible idea would be to support charities like Amnesty International who focus on human rights issues.

Thanks, I'll give them a look-see.