Lyssa Beyer

The 2008 Summer Olympics will go down in history because of the sparks, or should I say lack of sparks, generated because of the Chinese abuse of Tibetans and the Olympic international torch relay. In a world where children act as roadside bomb assassins and guns are found in middle and high schools, is it really surprising sports and Tibetan protests have found a connection? I’m surprised – or at least I was.

When I first heard about the protests, I became curious as to why, especially now during an Olympic year, they were occurring. From the research I have gathered from recent New York Times articles, the stage for the uprisings and protests had already been set since 1951.

Back then, the Chinese forcefully overtook Tibet and the area post-invasion hasn’t been the same since. March 10, 1959 marks the date of the failed Tibetan uprising against the Chinese, which resulted in the fleeing of the religious leader, the Dalai Lama. But why are all of these protests being directed toward the 2008 Summer Olympic Games? The answer – location.

The 2008 Games are scheduled to be held in Beijing, China. The Chinese government had pledged to the International Olympic committee to respect human rights, which includes the freedom of expression and the freedom of assembly. Yet, after the pledge, the Chinese government is still arresting protesters and helping Sudan in its genocide in Darfur. Why the heck does China deserve to hold the Olympics come August?

As of right now, they don’t. China seems to be one of the most unreasonable locations for the Olympics. Not only have they failed to follow through on their pledge, but the potential for obvious violence also is a concern. Issues such as these that have caused a worldwide stir aren’t going to smooth over as time progresses. For the sake of the athletes and innocent spectators at the events, it seems only sensible to at least consider a new location for that reason. However, there’s always something that questions sensibility.

Recently, the United States removed China as one of their top 10 human rights violators. Keep in mind China was taken off a list which included the countries of North Korea, Myanmar, Iran and Sudan. China is helping Sudan, which is reported to have a poor human rights performance, according to the State Department’s annual human rights report.

I don’t understand what evidence validated the idea that China has made progress. China, by no means, was supposed to develop into a democratic nation; however, it was supposed to ease up on its rule over the Tibetans and allow religious tolerance. I hope the United States didn’t pull China from the list because it’s a major economic power, though I wouldn’t doubt it. Despite this, China managed to botch the clean image it was going for by arresting human rights advocate Hu Jia and other demonstrators. A country that’s going to host the Olympics must portray that it’s worthy of the honor.

I mentioned I was surprised at first that politics and sports found a relationship with each other. The Olympic Games have been known to be outlets for voicing political concerns, according to an article in The New York Times by Katie Thomas, “Issue for Athletes: Protest on Darfur at Olympics,” which listed a variety of instances in which athletes protested injustices.

Also, interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time the Olympics have seen an uprising. During the 1980 Summer Olympics, the United States and a number of other Western countries decided to boycott the Olympics in Moscow because of the USSR invasion of Afghanistan. The United States did not allow their athletes to compete. What about the athletes? For those who just want to compete and show the world what they can do, the protests, in my opinion, seem a little selfish.

The disruptions of the Olympic torch relay since its beginning in London have currently reached San Francisco, the only American stop. World leaders have mentioned boycotting the opening ceremony this year. If the European Parliament and its 27 members boycott the opening ceremony, they would demand China to make conversation with the Dalai Lama. If the opening ceremonies are canceled, what else will be?

The nature of the Olympics, though relatable to politics in past historical references, should be about the sports and the athletes. I don’t think athletes should have to be concerned about how to handle their opinions toward China with respect to upholding the Olympic charter. By acting out as anti- or pro-Chinese supporters, athletes are at risk with their spots in the Olympics. Imagine putting in four years of hard work and seeing it all wash down the drain.

It’s not fair that the 2008 Olympics are beginning on such a depressing note. I do not believe the fault lies in the Tibetan protesters, the Dalai Lama or the United States. The fault can only be given fully to China. China knew it needed to clean up its act before the start of the Olympics. To be worthy of hosting the Olympics takes more than a few public relations ploys to make protesters vanish.

China got itself into this mess, and China has to get itself out. It’s that simple.

Saeger is a junior print journalism major and copy editor of The Spectator.