More calls to boycott Bejing Olympics
I’ve got to ask one question of those calling for a total boycott of the Bejing Olympics:
Where have you been the last ten years?
I’ve got to think this is just a case of jumping on the bandwagon at the last minute, not really giving a damn about what’s going on in China until it became a cause celeb.
Did you boycott Google when it basically sucked the dick of the Chinese government? Remember that? Google, in conjunction with the government, has a special Google for Chinese users, with censored results. How would you like it if Google worked with President Bush to censor any sites critical of the Iraq war? If you support a boycott of the Olympics, then you hopefully aren’t Googling.
Do you shop at Wal Mart? Oh heck, do you shop? Check the labels on your products. How many are made in China? Where is the boycott of Chinese products? A Wal Mart boycott? A bumper sticker saying Check the label - don’t buy “Made in China!”
This doesn’t even take into account all of the tainted products at market in the US alone. Let’s review:
- poison pet food (the Chinese did execute a token guy over that, probably someone who had nothing to do with it)
- poison toothpaste
- poison Heparin - and who knew pharmaceutical companies were letting the Chinese make some of our drugs? (So much for the argument against importing meds from Canada because of “safety issues.” Our own drugs aren’t safe!)
- those body exhibits, with real bodies dissected for your viewing pleasure - a number of the bodies were from China, under nasty conditions, oh…and NON voluntary.
- dangerous, lead-tainted toys for the kiddies
And more I’ve forgotten. There are just so many.
China is the new oil. Our market is saturated with cheap (and sometimes dangerous) Chinese products and nobody wants to think about the sweat shops that made those products. The Chinese have bought up a lot of our national debt. China is an emerging major economy, like it or not.
There’s no question that China is a human rights disaster. But focusing on an organized Olympics boycott is the wrong tactic. It had no effect on the Soviet Union when the US boycotted over their invasionn of Afghanistan other than to leave the Soviets with a surplus of Misha bears and Pepsi. Instead, it just devastated American athletes and was one of President Carter’s stupidest moves.
I would support President Bush not attending. I would support an economic boycott - people who would normally go as spectators…don’t go if it makes you feel better. I don’t think the US will pull a Carter and forbid our athletes from attending. They should go, and they shouldn’t be bothered with it. Let them focus on their sports, and let their families and friends attend in peace.
Little protests, such as the pro-Tibet folks that hijacked the torch today…good on ya. Protests and non-violent acts are worthy.
But for the rest of you screechers demanding a total boycott: get your asses out the door and start protesting at places that carry Chinese goods. Wal Mart is a good start, but it’s not the only one.
Get busy.
