I believe the olympics should not be held in China

Alright, so now comes my opinion on the matter. Honestly, I don't think the Olympics should be held in China at all. I see no reason why a celebration of human achievement and potential should be held in a totalitarian country with such a terrible human rights record. I honestly think that the games have no place outside the Free World. Off the top of my head, we have the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Iceland, Belgium, Switzerland, Greece, Sweden, Norway, Japan, South Korea, etc etc. Granted most of those don't have a perfect human rights record, but can you name a country that does? I'm not going to lie and say that the USA is perfect in that area by any means. Still, those are all free nations now, people have basic established rights and the government won't try to stop you from living how you see fit and gives the people the right to participate in government and make decisions. In contrast, I just don't believe that when a government restricts what people can see on the Internet, listens in on phone calls, and overall restricts so many basic rights for the simple reason of opposition to the regime. In contrast, Western countries have protests all the time and I never recall seeing an Abrams roll down the streets of Los Angeles because of immigration rights demonstrations or anti-war protests.

My point is that we shouldn't have the games in China until they clean up their act. Why should we celebrate what humans are capable of in a country that doesn't even allow the people to vote (One party sham elections don't count) or even demonstrate wishing for the right to vote? Why should humanity be celebrated somewhere where it's suppressed?

AlternatingCaps

ok ill address thins in order that i highlighted them.....

the government of the united states does NOT allow you to live how you see fit...this is not a democracy its a contsitutional republic.....there are set laws that inhibit ALOT. im not syaing its bad just pointing it out

listening in on phone calls? hello can you say the patriot act??

and as to restricting basic rights we've done ALOT of that as well in the name of "securtiy". these things are all named different things to disguise whats really going on.

and as for protests yes you're paritally right, atleast as far as i can recall, we've never sent abrahms rolling down the street after potesters...but we have tear gassed and quite brutally beaten people.

ever country has their skeletons and secrets....some require a little digging and some are right out in the open....but you have to remember that "good" and "evil" are perspective...what may seem horrible to you is acceptable to another

OK, I see that and I see your point now. It's really unfortunate that some of the free-est nations in the world (and also free ones) are doing this. Seems like we're just giving away deadly stuff to whoever for a quick buck, with no regard for what they're gonna do with it. Hopefully people will come to their senses.

Also, I wouldn't doubt the selling of M16s, not the newer ones, but maybe original M16s, A1s, etc surplus from the cold war. However, from the article, I can gather that we're not alone (not that that makes it right). Business is business I suppose. What I find interesting is how UK and Ireland companies are getting ahold of Russian aircraft and vehicles.

also, funding star wars, the sham missile defense system? The one pubicly disclosed to be a load of BS intended to keep the USSR in check? Or was that back in the CW era? Or are you refering to missile defenses of today, such as the one planned in Poland that Russia was upset about (because it would upset mutually assured destruction).

Also interesting to note, the fact sheet doesn't actually name the US. Actually, I CTRL+F'd that quote on both pages (made sure not to copy the quotes...) and didn't find it. BBC does name us though, so point taken. It really sucks that a lot of the bigger nations in Europe are involved too, so no one's gonna stand up against this.

AlternatingCaps

the whole point is that companies are gettig money for this...as long as that continues and its still profitable nothing will resolve...its human nature and those who would stop it never really get into power because they arent cut throat like those that do....every day that passes really makes me sick...ive lost so much hope for our race from the few that are running the show =/

[QUOTE="Memberino"]

I live in China and I have to say that me as well as many other friends who have lived here do feel it was too early to give China the Olympics. Its human rights record really is atrocious. We all know that Britain and the USA have waged a few wars but those two countries allow the public to know what they are doing, to know they are waging wars. The fact that China has a government that locks people up for complaining when the government knocks down their house or who attempts cultural genoicde (in the case of Tibet) really needs to be improved before it is given such a prestigious gift as the Olympics.

On a city note, I live in Beijing and the pollution really is horrible. It also isn't globalized enough to support so much Olympic activity. Foreign language skills are very poor and traffic rules are disobeyed (not stopping at red lights). The city's public transport is also bursting at the seams.

So although I don't think we should boycott the Olympics, I do feel that it was too early to give China the Olympic games.

I also believe that the Olympic Games should only be given to countries in the free world.

Total-KO

I don't believe you're from China. I doubt you'd have the guts to say that if you really were in Beijing.

[QUOTE="Memberino"]

I live in China and I have to say that me as well as many other friends who have lived here do feel it was too early to give China the Olympics. Its human rights record really is atrocious. We all know that Britain and the USA have waged a few wars but those two countries allow the public to know what they are doing, to know they are waging wars. The fact that China has a government that locks people up for complaining when the government knocks down their house or who attempts cultural genoicde (in the case of Tibet) really needs to be improved before it is given such a prestigious gift as the Olympics.

On a city note, I live in Beijing and the pollution really is horrible. It also isn't globalized enough to support so much Olympic activity. Foreign language skills are very poor and traffic rules are disobeyed (not stopping at red lights). The city's public transport is also bursting at the seams.

So although I don't think we should boycott the Olympics, I do feel that it was too early to give China the Olympic games.

I also believe that the Olympic Games should only be given to countries in the free world.

Total-KO

I don't believe you're from China. I doubt you'd have the guts to say that if you really were in Beijing.

I didn't say I was a Chinese citizen, I said I lived here. I am a British Citizen studying in China, that isn't hard to believe.

Also, Chinese people complaining about China on gamesites in English wouldn't be likely to attract the government's attention so if they did want to use that avenue to complain to the world, I don't think they would be particularly scared.

Second of all, censorship is really bad. A quick try on Chinese google is enough to show that, where even typing in "free china" brings up a block. Internet censorship is really bad any articles directly blaming the government is a big no no.

I am currently researching environmental awareness here and a number of people have been made pariahs in the last 20 years simply by opposing the three gorges dam project. Speaking with Chinese people about current issues often also recieves a blank stare.

我知道为什么你没有相信我可是好多外国人其实在中国学中语， 是将来的语言！

yeah chinas foreign policy is horrible, and their coverups even worse

IT WAS DALAI LAMAS FAULT!!!