Cody started high school yesterday. His first morning went a lot better than the first day of school last year. Still, because I had to be at work at 6:00 AM, I didn't get to take our first day of school picture. I told him later that I would dress him up in his school uniform and pretend, to which he replied, "Forget that!"
It's late, because I watched the opening ceremony of the Olympics. I know some people who have said they will not watch the Olympics because they don't agree with China's politics. I think this is silly. Who are you hurting? Is China going to change its policies just because some little nobody in some little nowhere town in Mississippi isn't watching the Olympics on TV? Not likely. Politics should be left out of Olympics. The only ones a boycott will hurt is the athletes.
Remember the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics? You know, the one the U.S. boycotted in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Who did it hurt? Kurt Thomas, Greg Louganis, and a host of other athletes who had trained their whole lives for these games. Some of them never got another chance. And what did that boycott accomplish? Absolutely nothing.
Russia continued to occupy Afghanistan for another decade, while a generation of American athletes had their dreams crushed.
Let's leave the politics to the politicians. Support your Olympic Athletes.
13 comments:
I So So Agree!!! Well said! :D
Very well stated and I agree. The olympics is about the athletes and no politics.... lets keep it that way. Enjoy the raw athleticism that the game brings, raw emotion and raw celebration or defeat... You are right... leave the politics in Washington. :)
I really feel sorry for those small-minded people who "boycotted" the Olympics by not watching it on teevee. Last night's Opening Ceremony was the BEST performance I've ever seen, by ANY measurement... ever.
OTOH... they (boycotters) probably wouldn't have appreciated it. Just sayin'.
gilraen, thank you, and thank you for stopping by the blog.
Katie O, exactly!
Buck, dang, but wasn't that a show?
Small minded is right. What do they think they are going to accomplish by depriving themselves of not only a good show, but a sense of national pride? Watching the women sweep the fencing medals has been the highlight of my day so far.
Human rights are more important than spectator sports. I am boycotting the Olympics and am avoiding buying products by companies sponsoring the Olympics.
But who are you hurting? Do you think China cares whether you watch the Olympics or not? Do you seriously think China is going to change their policy on human rights just because you choose not to support your country's athletes? If the answer to any of these question is yes, I've got some prime swamp land I'd like to sell you.
I dont' watch the Olympics anyway, but if I did, I would not boycott China either. I'm with you on this one! Leave the politics out of it - politics are injected into too much of our lives as it is.
MAM, the way I see it, if I refused to support our American athletes, I wouldn't be boycotting China anyway. I'd be boycotting the United States Olympic Program, and what have they done wrong?
I mean, would I walk up to--say--Michael Phelps and slap him in the face and say, "That's for China's human rights policies"? No, that would be silly. He has nothing to do with China's government and their policies, so why punish him? Not supporting him in his competitions is just as silly.
libhom, I poked around your profile a bit and just love the irony. You would boycott the Olympics because of China's human rights policies, yet you also support a political party and ideology that would severely curtail the human rights of American citizens. Do you not find this to be inconsistent? How do you manage to convince yourself that this is somehow OK?
I like your perspective and I'm totally behind you.
I think I may have phrased my comment incorrectly - what I was trying to say was that I agree with you, Becky. (I reread my wording after I read your response and it almost makes it sound like I'm defending China and that was not my intent at all. I mean to say "I would not boycott the Olympics just because I dont' agree with China's way of governing their people. Just wanted to clarify because I didn't want people thinking I agree with their politics.
MAM, I understand! I don't agree with China's policies, either, and I don't think punishing ourselves is going to inspire them to change.
I agree with you Becky on the big scale. The 1980 boycott did nothing, but hurt our athletes and probably thrilled the rest of the world. But I do think small boycotting on a "personal level" is important. Although I don't agree with Libhmom's politics, I do believe that is the way to protest rather than causing others pain and problems. "Personal boycotting" does not really hurt anyone, it makes you feel better if follow your beliefs, and if you are right and enough people boycott, you could possibly make a statement. The only way it would really hurt anyone is if lots of people felt the same way and also boycotted, but chances are, it won't do much. Personal boycotting is good for the soul. Does that make sense?
Lou, I agree that even small personal boycotting has its merits. However, the issue I have with any boycott, from the individual to the nationwide organized boycott, is that for it to be effective on any level--even just making you feel better--, it must target those with whom you have taken offense. For example, say I get mad at Burger King, so I vow to never eat at McDonald's again. That logic doesn't make sense to me. How am I hurting Burger King--even on a personal level--by boycotting McDonald's? If I want to make a statement, I need to boycott BURGER KING.
Boycotting our fellow Americans because we don't like what China does follows the same logic. If we disagree with China's human rights policy, then we need to boycott CHINA, not other Americans.
By the same token, refusing to buy Coca-Cola products because they support our American Olympic athletes doesn't punish China either. The Coca Cola company is an American owned company which employs American workers. By boycotting their products (assuming you by them in the first place), you are only hurting your American neighbors and co-workers. They are the ones you are taking money away from. Not the government of China.
If you want to boycott China, then boycott China, not other Americans. Don't go to China on vacation. Don't buy products made there.
I'm all for boycotts. Just make sure you are boycotting the right person.
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