Today's post is a rare political rant. I sometimes just can't, no matter how hard I try, ignore such gross negligence and act of stupidity that is the 2008 Summer Olympics. Let's count the blunders so far:
What item on China's application for Host City could have possibly convinced the IOC that this was a good idea? Was it their blatent neglect of the environment? ("Hey, that yellow smog brings a certain Je ne said quoi, non?) Or the human rights atrocities they've commited both against their own people and their enslaved peoples of Tibet? ("They're all a bunch of whiney babies") Or perhaps the fact that they haven't generated their own original ideas in hundreds of years, choosing instead to rip off well known designs and produce cheap knock-offs that are sold on street carts and at Wal Mart? (No snarky comment needed).
It has been reported that several runners are not participating in the games for fear that the air quality will cause health problems and affect their performance. I'm sure they won't be the last group of athletes that decide not to go, but I'm sure more will be boycotting for political reasons. Although running several miles through asthma inducing smog does sound pleasant, doesn't it?
The Chinese government is trying to spit-shine everything and everyone within a 50 mile radius of the Olympic stadiums. Daily practice for citizens include: how to stand in a line in an orderly fashion; having "no spitting" hours; teaching "western-style" manners for airline travel. Isn't going to a foriegn place mainly for the purpose of learning about a new culture? For God's sake, it is what it is. Just leave the poor (literally) people be themselves and the world might be charmed.
Now the Olympic torch won't even be able to complete it's world tour because of protests. In Paris, the torch carriers were attacked and had to complete the route on a bus. In San Francisco, imaginative and intrepid protestors actually scaled the suspension cables on the Golden Gate Bridge to hang "Free Tibet" signs that could be viewed for miles. I say, way to go! Not so much on the Paris attacks, but the spirit of the protest in general.
Why celebrate a nation with that kind of human rights track record? And environmental impact? Are the 2014 Winter Games being held in North Korea? Or the Summer 2012 Games in Somalia? Way to go, IOC. You've outdone yourselves on this one...
-K
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I'm never one for violent protest, because I feel like such actions lower the protesters themselves to the base level of those they rail against. HOWEVER: in this case I'm glad to see folks around the world getting their undies in such a bunch; it's as if everyone OUTSIDE China is protesting on behalf of those INSIDE who cannot.
Protesters with fire extinguishers. What cleverness!
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