If a disreputable group like Taliban hosted a sporting event, there is no doubt that the United States would never dignify such travesty by sending her beloved athletes, let alone having the president attending its opening ceremony. But when a similar disgraceful event took place in Beijing, China, the United States opened her arms to join such ignominy. We all know that China, despite its economic development and military buildup, is still under a one-party dictatorial system which the Communist Party ruthlessly suppress all voice of dissent, and a government that has no respect of universal human rights does not deserve any legitimacy.
When we have the precious freedom to voice our opinion on the incompetence of the Bush administration, speaking against the government or its leaders is extremely dangerous in China, as those who do so face imprisonment, torture, or even death. Many books and movies we have the right to read and view are not accessible by the Chinese population because of the Communist Party have decided to ban them, and many websites are blocked by the Great Firewall in China. When we are here practicing our religion freely and peacefully, the Chinese people who do so, including the underground Christians and Falun Gong practitioners, are frequently harassed, brutalized, and killed. How can we endorse such a government to sponsor Olympics, a global sporting event that is supposed to epitomize peace and brotherhood? When our athletes are in China vying for gold medals, a Chinese citizen next door could be readily taken away and jailed without any due process. Would our conscience allow us to acquiesce to such brutality?
Many of us would argue that by participating in the Beijing Olympics, the United States can force China to open up to global scrutiny and pressure its government to improve the human rights standard in China. History has proven this to be an illusion, as the Berlin Olympics hosted by Nazi Germany essentially became a propaganda showcase for Adolf Hitler’s murderous regime that later slaughtered 6 million Jews. The Olympics did not change it all. It is time for us to wake up and stand firm until we see a truly just and free China, and to admit going to Olympics was a mistake.