Olympics in Bejing

Today is the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Beijing China. As an American I am disappointed that our team is there. I am disappointed that President Bush (whom I have always supported) did not take this opportunity to boycott the games.

I am disappointed that Our USA team did not on their own state their intentions NOT to participate. With all of the environmental and human Rights violations China is known for why are we there? To play games, to participate in athletics when there are hundreds of thousands of people in China being persecuted. Certainly we have a long track record of pushing our values on the rest of the world, and we should not do so in China now, however, to participate in these games gives the Chinese government credence. It allows them to show off the few good qualities of their land while effectively hiding their ploys and abuse of their own citizens and the global environment.

I am not a tree hugging environmentalist, but I do care about the environment and the horrendous abuse of the Chinese government to our planet. We are there to win medals, we are there to show the world what the world already knows, we play games better than any other country. We swim faster, run faster, jump higher, shoot balls better and so on, we know that, they know that, everyone knows that. What is the point? What is the point of being there? In my opinion we could have made a stronger point and a more valued point if we would have said as a nation, we will not participate unless you provide strong evidence that your policies have improved. We will not support your economy, your government, your country unless things change. But alas we are there and we will win medals, and we will demonstrate what the world already knows, we play games better than anyone else.

What we should be saying loudly and clearly is that we stand by our principles more devoutly than anyone else, we believe in what we say more deeply, we stand by our core beliefs more earnestly than any others. Sure it would disappoint some athletes, but a greater travesty is the disappointment of the world that we are there.

Will I watch? Probably, I am interested in some of the events that we seldom dominate but have a strong team. I am interested in the archery competition, this is a true sport, that has been around for generations that takes tremendous skill and concentration. I am interested in the shooting sports that has carried through time again that takes tremendous skill and concentration. Am I interested in the basketball, not at all. Where professionals compete against the world, we should win this, if we do not it is another case of ego trumping national pride. Will I watch the gymnastics or track and field? probably not, these are not sports, these are games, watching people run for 26 miles is akin to watching paint dry. It is boring and trivial to say the least. If we are having these games, why not have Scrabble in the games? Why not a medal for Monopoly, surely China would win that one. Why not give a medal for Super Mario and Madden 08? That is the new wave of athlete where young people are spending much more time using their controllers in make believe events rather than running and jumping and swimming and shooting.

The presence of American participants in these games slaps our values in the face and I am ashamed we are there. Shame on us, shame on NBC for covering the games. Shame on our USA team for participating. I know we will win the most medals, but at the end of the day what does that mean? At the end of the day we have participated in an event that devalues our world and our values as Americans. Our jobs are over there, our economy is being controlled by the Chinese.

The summer Olympics in Beijing who ever would have thought that would happen, and our participation in these games. I applaud President Carter who stood on principal in 1980 in his boycott of the Moscow games. He is a man of honor and principal and he knew our participation in those games at that time in history would cheapen American values and principles. The 2008 games are no less. We should not be there, and that is the stance from here.