Hi guys. What's your opinion on these general protests we've been seeing linked to China and the Olympics. I've always believed that keeping the two separate, ie, keeping politics out of sport was the best thing for all. Much like keeping religion out of government. So I don't see much wisdom in people trying to use sporting events as a platform for their political agenda. Infact, i'm starting to get a bit offended. The world is one big fucking tragedy, so just let me watch my sport in peace.


Discuss.

The Olympics are held in China strictly for political reasons. China wants to show the world how modern and great they are, so they shouldn't be surprised there are a lot of people who disagree and use the same platform to show that. If the International Olympic Committee didn't want politics involved, they should've picked a different host. I'm against boycotting the Olympics, since that would punish the sportsmen who've been training for it for years as much as the host, but the least the IOC can do is try to use it's influence. National governments all over the world should also get their asses kicked for not giving a damn, but apparently they're too afraid to upset a big trading partner.

There are plenty of examples of people using the Olympics for political reasons.

In 1980 the US boycotting the Olympics in Moscow because of their invasion of Afghanistan

Of course there was the Munich olympics when Palestinians killed a bunch of Israeli athletes.

Then there are people that say we should have boycotted the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany.

Anyway, there are a lot of oppressive governments out there. China is pretty bad (and a nuclear power) but at least their populace isn't totally blind. I think we'll see China's government crumble like Russia's did, eventually. Still, a boycott wouldn't be a bad thing.

If the Olympics were being held in Tehran or something I'd totally be for a boycott. That guy's psychotic.

What a coincidence that you brought up the Munich insident. Im watching the film on tv.

They're showing it on tv where you are? Either it's heavily edited or they allow all kinds of crazy sex/violence in Serbia or Kazakhstan or wherever you are.

Bwah, it's not that explicit. Here in Holland, a public broadcasting organisation showed the porn-classic Deep Throat a month ago just to annoy the country's current Christian-dominated government.
You Americans just aren't used to any real television.

hah.... seriously. Actually it's less about the sex (there's only a little full frontal nudity) and more about the crazy violence. Crazy like scarily realistic, not over the top gory. Them popping the chick in Amsterdam is just freakish. Whereas America seems to be a bit over-sensitive to nudity, Europe seems a bit over-sensitive to violence.