what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

will you still enjoy watching the olympics in beijing

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

I don't think the Olympics should be held in a City with such poor air quality that many of the athletes won't train there, regardless of Politics.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

It's like the American occupation of Iraq ... only a lot less disruptive, bitter and violent.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Maybe the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver should be cancelled because Canadians club cute little baby seals to death and are dragging their feet on the settlement of the claims of First Nations.:rolleyes:

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

do you think seals are the same as the tibeten people

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Ok, forget the seals, (unless you are a movie star looking for some cheap publicity) .... but Canada's record in dealing with First Nations people is not a good one. While Canada does not kill aboriginal people in a direct sense, one can argue that their continued inaction gives rise to the outrageous suicide rates, alocholism rates, and low life expectancy on reserves ...I could go on, but you get the picture ... The point I would like to make is that if one applied strict standards of government morality in all cases, not just to the COMMUNIST Chinese then no country would be judged fit to hold the Olympics. And I do believe that the land on which many of the events in the Vancouver Olympics will take place is territory which is claimed by aboriginal peoples. As the modified version of our National Anthem goes: "O, Canada, our home on Native land."

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

I can't vote in the poll because I'm not interested in the games. But doesn't linking what is happening in Tibet to a sporting event which has travelled too far into commercialism, trivialise the condition of the Tibetan people?

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

whilst i dont agree with what MANY countries do, do not think Politics n Sport should be linked in any way.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Whats going on in Tibet at the moment is absolutely terrible, but everything the chinks do politically unacceptable, they treat people like animals. In my view the games should never have been given to china in the first place with their record on Human Rites, but it appears that money speaks louder than words. AGAIN!!!!!!!

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

i can agree they should not be given to such places, but fact remains this has always been the case, so will it stop me watching em - NO.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

China have been abusing human rights protesters in Tibet for over fifty years.

I hope the West take some action.

I'll still watch the games, nothing has really changed, except the protests have become more visible, and more violently quashed, because of the forthcoming Olympics.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

There is such a huge population in China that individual human rights are disregarded and lives are expendable.
It is a society akin to that of an ant hill or beehive, which western societies have difficulty in understanding.

I wouldn't have been watching the Olympics wherever it is held because it has become too influenced by politics and drug abuse -so there wasn't a voting option for me.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

There wasn't a suitable voting option for me either.

I will be watching, but I do care.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Don't think there is any oil in Tibet so not really bothered :rolleyes:
In my opinion the Olympics have become way to big and are just an extension of each countries foriegn policy, time they (the summer games) were moved back to a permanant site in Greece .

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

agree, so as the choice was not there i voted dont care.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

canada does not respect the first nation people are there land claims,,they are second class people in there own land,,however if the goverament started murdering them i would hope people would not support any games we were haveing

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Sorry Tracy , but think it would be more effective if people stopped buying cheap Chinese imports every time they walk into a store , that would bring more pressure

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

I reckon the decision to hold the Olympics in China and the silence over their occupation of Tibet and indeed the fact that China itself is a brutal, repressive dictatorship aptly illustrates the rampant double-standards at work on both sides of the political spectrum.

I seem to remember that not so long ago Iraq was a similarly repressive dictatorship. The British and American governments were so concerned about this that they actually invaded the country to effect "regime change" with the resultant loss of many lives. Don't you think that they would be so concerned about a similar situation in China that they would at least try to stop the Olympics being held there? Wonder what the difference is? :rolleyes:

Now let's move to the other end of the political spectrum...can you imagine the situation if a move had been made to hold the Olympics in South Africa 30 years ago? Can you imagine the protests that would have ensued from every left-wing liberal the world over? Strange, isn't it that they all seem so quiet about China and Tibet? But, then again, I guess it's just more fashionable to protest about some types of police state than it is about others. Radical chic eh?...doncha just love it? :rolleyes:

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Liberal luvvies, like Richard Gere, and Sting, to name but two, have been vocal in condemning the Chinese atrocities in Tibet, for years.;)

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Yes, but has there been even a small portion of the protest over this that there was about South Africa? Don't misunderstand me, I was totally opposed to the apartheid regime in the 70's. I'm totally opposed to the Chinese regime now. But, as I say, if the Olympics had been held in SA in the 70's can you imagine the furore?

Mind you, I wouldn't be watching it, wherever it's being held, as I've no interest in it (apart from the beach volley ball ;) ).

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Well ya I agree with you cashy, its a decision that shouldn't have been made, but given the fact that I like watching our lads and lasses competing I suppose I'll be watching as well, it would make no difference not doing so, the only protest that would register would be if the athletes didn't go, but that won't happen

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Again no option for me, I'll watch but of course I care.

I think the Olympics should have been used to try and improve peoples human rights by not letting them have it until they improve.

They appear to have given away their bargaining chip by not doing this, however I think with the eyes of the world on China the Olympics being there could still have a positive effect on the issues there.

Remember we allowed Russia to join the G7 (creating the G8) in the same sort of way, to help westernise them by including them.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

It's complicated of course but is Tibet a democracy? Does it have religious freedom?

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

I will still be watching because i love watching our atheletes competing in the greatest sporting event there is.
However i do not believe it should have been given to China in the first place and the poll, like for many others doesn't have an option for yes but i do care.
Like so many other things money talks.
I like the idea stated earlier that the games could benefit more if they were moved to Athens permenantly therefore ensuring situations like this don't occur again.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Ask the Dalai Lama.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

And what do you call the shooting of Dudley George by the OPP tactical squad at Iperwash Park in 1993 ... and the dumping of drunken Indians by Saskatoon police on the outskirts of the city to freeze to death ... etc.

But the point is that China has been a bad guy for quite a while ... I think the term "Yellow Peril" was coined in your country in times less Politically Correct. In fact, this whole question of Political Correctness seems to color this issue. At a time when China is mellowing out, is it a good thing to shut down dialogue with a boycott? Is this the way to communicate ... by taking your ball and going home because you don't like the run of play? In less enlightened times, no one boycotted the Berlin Olympics of 1936. I do believe the British athletes actually gave Hitler the Nazi salute. And if the games had been boycotted, Jesse Owens would not have had the opportunity to humiliate the Master Race. And think of the boycott of the Moscow olympics over the Russian invaision of Afghanistan ... now there is a tinge of irony there ... in the same week Canada extends its mission to Afghanistan the 81st Canadian soldier is killed in action in Kandahar.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

True but our Government's could ban Chinese imports as well.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

not being flippant but , what does he actually do ? all I ever see is him do is turn up for dinners/banquets in his honour , guess he can speak English but don't think I have ever heard him give a speech about anything , has he written any books that a lot of people have read ? only thing I remember reading about Zen and Bhuddism was about motorcycles about 40 years ago ..........
just curious ....:confused:

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

quote Steeljack -what does he actually do ?

The Dalai Lama's biography
He does a fair bit more than the pope (for less money :rolleyes:)

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Or as much the same as the Archbishop of Canterbury, only with decidedly more tact.:D

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

hitler had more tact than him.:D

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

i think the opp murdered Mr George and others,,i think the opp are a scary bunch im afraid of them from personal experience,,,if i were to break down on the highway at night,, i,d rather have a stranger stop to help than a cop

as for Mr Owens i think he was the best thing that could of happened that that day,,but i don't think we have a chance of having a Tibetan win gold in Beijing

if Canadians would of had the vote i would of voted no (if i was a Canadian) Marten told bush to ****** off now that harpers in Canada is in the war ,,i cant vote but i participate in anti war protests

i really don't like the opp killing first nation people my daughter is a metis

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Has anyone given any thought to the athletes ... those thousands of young men and women of many nations for whom this is the defining point of their lives, who have trained long and hard for this chance to participate in the World's second greatest sporting event?

It also occured to me that to participate is not to appease. In the 30s it was obvious that Hitler was determined to move towards war; in such a case appeasement was the wrong approach, and was proved to be so. China, however, is moving slowly away from authoritarianism, and perhaps militarism. This being the case, is there not a strong argument to participate in the games, even tho' China is acting ... or overreacting ... in a rather brutal, repressive fashion in Tibet?

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

and the Stanley cup being the greatest ?..........:D :D

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Actually I was thinking of the World Cup ... The Stanley Cup is a mystical experience, combined with lots of boarding and high sticking, with the odd donnybrook thrown in for light relief.:D

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

China doesn't seem to be moving away from militarism,,,they are getting worse Protests and violence in Tibet, March 2008

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Nobody said anything or did anything when the Chinese walked into Tibet in the early 50's. Just another distraction made for the Politicians so they can fiddle away at their expenses. Dalli who?

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

The Olympic games should not be used as cheap politics. If we as a country are going to do something about the situation there, it should be done properly at a governmental level and not through boycotts of the games etc.
The athletes are just making their living, they shouldn't be used as political pawns and no one anywhere should feel guilty for watching the games.
The guilt should be the property of politicians who are doing absolutely nothing because they are too afraid of China's input on our economy.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

i sympathize with the athletes and there dreams of gold,,,, but the Tibetan people are dreaming of something more precious freedom

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Is that something you can slap between two slices of bread , the Zimbabweans got their 'freedom' and now they are starving . South Africa got their freedom and now its going down the tubes faster than you can say Uhuru . :rolleyes:

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

you cant put it on a butte but it tastes sweet:p

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Idealism is fine ... I have a streak of it myself ... but here you are suggesting that olympic athletes, without their consent, are to be used as pawns in a cause they may or may not agree with, or even understand. If you wish to express your solidarity with Tibetans you are free to do so, but to coerce others into supporting your beliefs is wrong ... you can't promote the freedom of one group, by denying the freedoms of another group.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Perhaps you could enlighten me on something that has always puzzled me, Eric. Why is it that many (although not all) liberal-minded "idealists" are very choosy about the repressive police states that they condemn? Apartheid-era South Africa, Allende's Chile and Israel have all been on the list. However, left-wing and black-on-black repression seem to elicit a decidedly lukewarm response from our comrades. Communist China, North Korea and a depressing list of African countries such as Amin's Uganda. Then, of course, there was the Soviet-era USSR which, despite its massive abuses of human rights, drew positive praise from some quarters of the left. I'm consistent in as much as I condemn all dicatorships and police states - others seem less so.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

im not trying to coerce anybody to think the way i do...i was just wondering what others had to say about this topic,,,:)

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

I don't think that I'm all that good at enlightenment, and I don't agree with the "liberal left" all that much. I believe that most, maybe all, protests of the kind going on right now are tinged with more than a little hypocrisy. Maybe this applies to all protests of human rights abuses. And it always seems to me that a lot of sinners are casting a hell of a lot of stones. I think I tried to make this point earlier when I talked about Canada's poor record ... little short of abysmal ... in dealing with First Nations issues. Maybe Kissinger summed it up when he said that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. No protest is completely idealistic, all are tinged with national politics and ideology. Perhaps we should question our own ideologies before we condemn those of others - or better still, at the same time. In the developed, "western" world we remain in the grip of ideology, conforming to social reality as "natural" rather than critically questioning how it -and ourselves - came to be constructed, and so can possibly be transformed. I believe that it is good to take and hold the moral high ground ... but we have to be sure that our morality is the right one, or is at least as moral as it can be in this screwed up world. If everything were as clear cut as the struggle against Hitler and that against Apartheid acting in the right way would be easy ... but things are not that simple.

I don't think this has been enlightening ... but I don't have time to write the book:D

Maybe the answer lies in Anarchy.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Right, thank you for that, Eric. I reckon I'll have to go away, lie down and have a long think about it! :D

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Yeh, I know that what I wrote was confused and confusing, but it is difficult for me to express complex issues in a small medium. I think that the point at the root of what I was trying to say is that at the same time we criticize those who act according to an ideology different from ours, we refuse to admit, in a sense, that we actually have an ideolgy. We don't question the way in which we organize our social structure ... we assume that it is the right and natural way. We use "ideology" as a pejoriative ... something that totalitarians have, but we really don't; a sort of "we are always right and they are usually wrong", unless they agree with us. One could argue that "democracy" and "totalitarianism" are functional rather than ontological terms: they tell us about what we do, not about the fixed being of things. I think I should stop before I confuse myself:D Damn, that's good weed :s_pfff:

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

Err, right, Eric, whatever you say...but I STILL don't understand why bleeding heart liberals condemn some totalitarian regimes, but not others. Why are there no street protests or pop stars making records about Zimbabwe?

Maybe it's one of those things like quantum physics that are destined to remain forever a mystery to me. ;)

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

There's a neat little book called "Atom: A Journey Through the Sub-Atomic Cosmos." It's by Asimove, the sci-fi guy. Should clear up your problems with quantum theory.:D

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

quantum physics now thats a fun subject heres a couple of interesting books to try ,,Imagining the TENTH Dimension,,by Rob Bryanton or The Yoga Time Travel,,by Fred Alan Wolf PH.D,,,,also by Wolf Taking the Quantum Leap,,,its very interesting stuff:)

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

As my old physics teacher, Jackie Foulds, once told me that I was one of the worst pupils he'd ever taught, I think it might be time to quietly take my leave from this thread. :o

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

You had him too eh! I remember the year that "Lancashire Life" did a feature on the old pile called "The School that Produces Professors." They posed a picture in the old physics lab with JF explaining something or other about something or other to a group of eager lads. I was in the picture ... my only claim to fame other than riding Dan Aykroyd's Harley.:D

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

The last time I sat in a Chinese restaurant or had a takeaway was in 1980; I have not indulged in any of their food since, in protest at the occupation of Tibet. Now, I do realise that not everyone has the same liberal, idealistic outlook on life as myself but it would be nice to see the whole of Accy Web boycotting the Peking Olympics. You will feel alot better for it.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

I would hazzard a guess that no one on AccyWeb supports the Chinese in Tibet, but I don't think everyone would feel better about boycotting the Olympics. The Games are an international event and in a sense they are more important ... esp. to the athletes ... than where the games are held. One could also make the point that the Chinese already know that many in the world are pi**ed off at what they are doing in Tibet, an international boycott would not bring it home any harder to them. Boycotting Chinese imports would perhaps be better (altho' one has to be quick before they are recalled for containing too much lead:D) And I will still eat chinese food ... the Chinese restaurants in my community are owned by second and third generation Canadians ... hell they are rmore Canadian than I am ... Just an aside: when PM Jean Chretien refused to join GW's dirty little war in Iraq, many Americans boycotted Canadian Club rye, and Canada Dry Ginger Ale ... ironically both products are manufactured by British owned companies, and the Brits were the only real allies the yanks had. Could never understand why Britain joined in:confused: ... the Americans, ok, people who could be persuaded by Clinton to believe that a blow job is not sex, could easily swallow (oops) the lie about weapons of mass destruction ... enough wandering, I'm outa here.

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

you rock Tealeaf:)

Re: what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet
 

knew we had a thread somewhere...

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Chinese firm is caught making the Tibet free flags....