In today's world, we do not really have defining movements, such as the civil rights movement. Today, left-wing activists, including many college students, attempt to recreate the anti war movement, and global warming is this century's McCarthyism. However, with the Beijing Olympics looming this summer, many protesters have latched onto the human right violations in China as well as the country's refusal to recognize Tibet. While I would say that China did not deserve the Olympics to begin with, I think that we should respect the tradition of the Olympics even if China is holding them.
If there is anything that we as college students should do, it is make sure China knows that we do not approve of their human rights violations and their actions toward Tibet. However, shouldn't we be looking at the bigger picture here-- the fact that China is one of the only remaining communist countries in the world? Why are these left-wing activists not protesting this fact? Why do they protest the results of communism but not the source? It seems to me that we are protesting the wrong instance. We should not be protesting the Olympic torch.
MSNBC has claimed in relation to the protests in San Francisco, "The Olympic torch played hide and seek with thousands of demonstrators and spectators." In this case, these activists were protesting the wrong issue; the torch does not represent the host country but the journey of athletes from around the world who end up where the games are played. In my opinion, the flame represents all athletes' determination around the world. So, in a sense, extinguishing the flame is equivalent to extinguishing athletes' determination. Don't disrupt the torch's journey; rather, disrupt the place it is going. I do understand that it is meant for symbolic purposes, but we must remember that it is China and not the Olympic Games that we are protesting.
It seems that China is even using these protests to their advantage and getting positive publicity from it, especially within their own country since the Chinese government controls their media. In the San Francisco Chronicle, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Jiang Yu, called these protests "despicable activities," adding that the protesters "tarnish the lofty Olympic spirit." This is my point exactly. We as college students should be the ones to refocus our priorities and protest China, not the games.
As college students, we are appalled at human rights violations and tyranny, which are what Tibet is going through, but China is violating human rights because its citizens are not free and have no protection against those violations. While I am not suggesting that we force China to adopt a democratic form of government, seeing as how we tried that in Iraq and we are still paying the price, I think that, if we as students are going to protest anything, it should be the fact that China is a totalitarian communist country.
As for the impending protests of the Olympic torch, it is deplorable that we are punishing the athletes and threatening to boycott the opening ceremony, which is not going to do anything to China. They do not like us, and by not going to the ceremony, we are one fewer country to oppose their tyranny. Yet, according to a CNN.Com, legislators of both parties, including Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Republican Senator John Kyl, are encouraging President Bush not to attend the ceremony. Kyl stated, "I am not going to give [President Bush] advice on that, but I tell you this: I would personally entertain the notion of not going."
Do these legislators not understand what a protest is? What would be more embarrassing to us: having people not show up to your party or having people show up who refuse to take part in the fun? Personally, I believe that while both would be embarrassing, having the entire building show up to your party and refuse to participate would be much worse because it would be a slap in the face rather than just a cold shoulder.
A complete U.S. boycott of the games, which has been suggested, would only hurt the athletes who have dedicated their lives to these sports. A boycott of the opening ceremony by the entire U.S. delegation will again only show China's strength because there will be no opposition. As for President Bush boycotting the opening ceremony, it really would be useless since people around the world dislike our president even more than we do and so his absence would be taken as a positive thing.
Now, I am not suggesting that the U.S. turn a blind eye to the Chinese government's absurd actions. Instead, I want to know why we as college students are pressing the issue. We can voice our opposition to the Chinese and come up with a better demonstration. We could be present at the opening ceremony but not participate; instead, we could simply walk in and turn our backs to the presentation, their anthem, and their other symbolic gestures.
I mean not only point out that the cast of communism is the reason belying all of China's problems but also to address the actions that we as college students should demand our government to take in Beijing. Since we are the ones who will have to deal with the repercussions of the U.S.'s actions at the Olympic Games, why shouldn't we be the ones to decide what happen?
