Open letter to U.S. Olympics Committee
[I emailed this today. I will post the response if I receive one].
To whom it may concern:
I am an avid Olympics fan, but today I write to express my deep concern for the 2008 Olympics to be held in Beijing. China's human rights abuses, reported in depth on websites such as CNN and Reporters Without Borders, are impossible to ignore.
I would like to learn about what actions, if any, the U.S. Olympics Committee is taking to address China's human rights abuses. I searched the Olympic Committee website but found nothing.
Without a demonstrated sea change in China's policies of torture and suppression of free speech, I do not understand how the U.S. can participate in the 2008 Olympics without great moral and political fallout. I am sure that I am not alone as one of the multitude of fans losing faith in the sense of hope, optimism and diplomacy that the Olympics have always brought.
Thank you,
[HapaLove]
concerned citizen and lifelong Olympics fan
Comments
Hapa,
I had similar concerns when I saw a perky Good Morning America Resporter saying cheerfully, "I' live from Tienamen Square" In fact, I was blogging about it, when my old laptop completely froze never to return to life again,. I don't know what to do myself. It'sunfair to the US altheletes to not give the an opportunity to participate, as they may be in peak form this year, and have been training for the events even before they knew where the venue would be held. Plus the atheletes certainly didn't get to choose but I am having a hard time stomaching some of the situation...
I'm not exactly sure what is the best way to get involved. It seems that no one really cares.
Good letter, Hapa. I agree with katiebell -- I don't want to punish athletes that have worked their whole lives to reach this level of competition -- what happened to the Moscow and LA games of 80 and 84 were sad to me for that reason.
I have been amazed at quiet neglect of human rights leading up to these Games. Though it could be that everyone's still enamored of the US Prez race and not really paying attention to them yet.
I share the confusion... I don't want to punish the athletes by any means, but at this level of human rights abuses, robbing the athletes of this beautiful opportunity seems worth the sacrifiice if indeed it would bring about substantial change. I only say this because we're talking about torture, forced sterilization, forcibly removing people from their homes (ancestral homes, even), suppression of free speech, imprisoning journalists...etc.
Maybe an embargo of Chinese imports would help.
Politics and human rights abuses are the least of their worries.