Boycott Beijing Olympics coverage

I’ve decided (in fact, Moac convinced me) that our household is going to be Olympics-free for the next 14 days. I didn’t watch the opening ceremony; I don’t care about the rowing, soccer, swimming, horse riding or any other shit.

I’m with the rebels of Xinjiang and the Falun Gong. China has a repressive regime, a crap record on human rights and it’s not right that the rest of the world is in thrall to these gangsters.

I’m going to join the blogring boycott too. I found out about it from this dedicated blog: Boycott 2008 Olympics

I’m not going to watch TV1 for the next two weeks, I won’t be catching any highlights shows on skysport and I won’t be reading about the medal count etc in the newspapers, I will be turning off Morning Report when they cross to Beijing for sport stories.

The fun and games in South Ossetia are much more interesting and important.

So, this is the utmost in hypocrisy from the Chinese government:

BEIJING, Aug 9 (Reuters) – Chinese state media urged a ceasefire between Russia and Georgia on Saturday, invoking the “sacred” opening of the Beijing Olympics to call for both sides to stop fighting over South Ossetia.

China’s grand opening for the Games on Friday was overshadowed by military confrontation between Russia and Georgia over the disputed breakaway region of South Ossetia.

Beijing’s official Xinhua news agency was quick to hold up the spirit of the Beijing Olympic Games in calling for the two European countries to stop fighting.

“The eighth of August 2008 was a sacred day,” said the commentary. “With the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games, the world has entered an Olympic period….During these special days, the outbreak of armed clashes in South Ossetia is something the world’s people do not wish to see.”

Reuters copy in the Guardian

At the same time of course the Chinese are cracking down on dissent in many forms. The Islamic separtists in the west, Falun Dafa practitioners demanding freedom of belief and thousands of residents of Beijing whose lives have been disrupted by the Olympic Games.

I’m glad to see I’m not the only one calling for a boycott. Skeptical Bastard at the Daily Kos agrees:

Boycott Olympics and its Sponsors Today!

by Skeptical Bastard

Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 08:34:05 AM PDT

This will be short and sweet.  At least one other diarist has called for a boycott of watching the Beijing Summer Olympics on TV.  To that I say Right On!

I also think we should boycott the games because the greedhead corporate sponsors are totally afraid of it.

“We believe the Olympic Games are not the place for demonstrations and we hope that all people attending the games recognize the importance of this.” Thus spake Samsung Electronics, one of 12 major corporate sponsors of the Olympics, when asked last week whether recent events in Tibet were causing them any concern. Coca-Cola, another Olympics sponsor, has stated that while it would be inappropriate “to comment on the political situation of individual nations,” the company firmly believes “that the Olympics are a force for good.” The chairman of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, was also quick to declare that “a boycott doesn’t solve anything”—just as quick as he was to dismiss the demonstrators who waved a black banner showing five interlocked handcuffs, in mockery of the Olympic symbol, at Monday’s lighting of the Olympic torch in Greece. “It is always sad to see such a ceremony disrupted,” he declared, rather pompously.

Anne Applebaum in Slate, March 2008

Human Rights Watch is also condemning China over ongoing abuses and broken promises.

The Chinese government and the International Olympic Committee have had seven years to deliver on their pledges that these games would further human rights. Instead, the Beijing Games have prompted a rollback in some of the most basic rights enshrined in China’s constitution and international law.

Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director for Human Rights Watch.

Then there’s Darfur – which is not in China, but it’s linked. See below:

There’s even a suggestion, which I quite like that Beijing is the “genocide Olympics” because of it’s position on Tibet:

Finally, remember that China is also one of the largest prisons in the world and according to Reporters Without Borders, incarcerates more than its fair share of reporters, editors and bloggers.

All good reasons to boycott Beijing and the coverage. There’s plenty of other stuff to do, such as watch DVDs, walk the dog, play with the cat, have sex, drink martinis, read a book, write a blog post. Don’t let sport and television run your life.

I’d be happy to catch up with anyone who needs to get out of the house to get away from the TV. I’ll join you on a walk, or we can sit in a quiet bar where there’s no television. I’m sure if we go to the Brooklyn they’ll change the channel if I ask them to.