2008 Olympics: Should the Olympic torch be greeted by celebration or protest?

Protest

1 of 12

by Elisa Mcginley

Write now Print Invite a writer™ Add to Favorites RSS Feed Contact this writer

The Olympic Games have symbolized peace, tolerance and the unity of humanity since their initial creation in 1896 in Greece.
People of all races, religions, gender and nationalities come together in one designated area to celebrate the dedication and talent of the participants. Large multicultural crowds of people fill the streets for the games, all the people swirling together paying no attention to differences but instead standing side by side, hand in hand, in celebration of humanity as a whole.
The Olympic Games puts all people on equal terms, leveling the often lopsided playing grounds. The Olympic Games is a time for unity of people, peace between enemies, and softening of hard terms. The Olympics is a gift humanity gave to itself, a gift that should stand high on the world's pedestal of priorities. The Olympics-being of such high value-should be awarded to its host country with heavy consideration and pristine care. The games should go to a country with peace between its borders and freedom as a trait among its citizens. The games should not be held in a country where the people are not respected or where a corrupt government deals a deadly and dangerous hand. The Olympic Games should not be held in a country like China.

In some view points, the boycotting of the 2008 Beijing Olympics would cause more harm than good.
China consists of one fifth of the world's population, a mind-blowing 1.25 billion citizens. The Olympics being bestowed upon their home country is not just a task to handle, but it is viewed as an honor and sign of deep respect.
Boycotting the games would be a humiliating blow to the citizens of China. As journalist Jonathan Alter put it in his Newsweek article in the April before the games, "This isn't exactly the best time to make enemies of a billion more
people around the globe." Boycotting the event would touch the Chinese citizens at a personal level. They, as well as their government, have been preparing long and hard for the arrival of August 2008. Taking this chance away from the citizens of China would slice through all the work, time and sacrifice they have each devoted to the development of Beijing for the sole purpose of being host to the Olympics.

China, a country who has been living behind a veil of secrecy, is long overdue for the eyes and publicity of the world. The Olympics serves as China's coming out party. Countries like France, Britain or the United States doesn't need to make a splash but a country like China does (Rifkind 30). The games would bring to China the view of the rest of the world and open the doorway to new possibilities. China would finally be exposed to the world and the world would finally be exposed to China. The Olympics would point a spotlight on the government of China and essentially uncover the truth and reveal the buried secrets.

Rendering the 2008 Olympic Games to China is also looked upon as a chance for the world to get under the skin of the Communist government and possibly make a change.
Giving the torch to China may also light the way to a more peaceful, excepting and stable Chinese government and way of life. With the Olympics being held within Beijing, the world automatically has a grasp on China's choices as well as decisions and essentially holding a grasp on the Chinese government's heart. With China's agreeing to be host of the Olympic Games, already a step has been taken toward peace and cooperation. Dalai Lama, now living in India from exile, has said "The Olympics uphold the principles of freedom of speech, freedom of expression, equality and friendshipChina should prove herself a good host by providing these freedoms." The Beijing Olympics is a tool for the world; a hammer to force the nail of freedom and tolerance into the wall of the Chinese government. This tool, depending upon its use, could make the difference of how the world is operated in the future.

The People's Republic of China, or PRC, is not the suitable destination for the torch of the Olympic Games. The PRC deals out to its citizens the cards of injustice. Violations of basic human rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of press and freedom of religion have constantly been accepted and practiced by the PRC. Brutal forms of torture have occurred and continue to occur.
Unfair trials have left the accused hopeless. The numbers of executions reach overwhelming heights, soaring to roughly 10,000 deaths yearly and ranking the PRC high in total number of death penalties.
Dissidents who stand up and speak out against the crimes against humanity taking place are often left in prisons, forced to silence their opinion or even murdered by the bloodstained hands of the PRC. The gift of hosting the Olympics should not be given to a government whose own people live without worth. The Olympics should not be presented to a nation who does not value, honor, respect or maintain the freedoms of the human race.

The effects of the PRC's intolerable abuses are not just felt within the boundaries of the country itself, but instead touch every angle of the world. The genocide raging in Darfur, where already half a million people were murdered, can be directly linked to activities of the PRC. China continues to ship weapons to Sudan which eventually go to Darfur and are then used to kill the victims of the genocide.
On top of providing the tools for ruthless slaughter, the PRC is causing irreversible damage to the environment.
Large factories that constantly dump harmful pollutants into the atmosphere are in use and numbers of new facilities open weekly. The Chinese government isn't just mangling the rights of its own citizens, but it is also fueling the killing of people on the opposite side of the globe and putting the stability of the entire natural environment in harm's way.

The Olympic ceremonies should not be in the hands of an oppressive nation like the PRC, but should instead go to a peaceful country who abides by the rules of the free world. Using the Olympics as a tool to ease reform into the Chinese system is a gamble with the stability of the future being at stake. Choosing to let a country that slaughters and terrorizes its people be honored or recognized with a gift as significant as the Olympics is letting Communism, oppression and evil itself have its moment of glory. The exact stadiums that will hold the games have once been the place of many communist-style executions (National Review 53). The same streets that visitors will walk upon once ran with innocent blood.
The city which the games are to be held was once filled with merciless tanks with victims under wheel. The entire country of China in which the Olympics were given is a massive graveyard for freewill, opinions and freedom itself.

The People's Republic of China should not carry the Olympic torch. The Olympics, a time for unity and peace, should not be held in a place where unity and peace isn't experienced. The condition of the environment, the care of all nations throughout the world and the rights of humanity should be treated with respect and honored. Violating or damaging these delicate threads could weaken the weave of the blanket that covers the entire world. Until the PRC changes its oppressive and restricting ways the torch of the Olympics should not burn on Chinese soil. The games should go elsewhere, to a country that tries to keep the scales of living balanced and still bear in mind the rights and thoughts of the living people. Allowing the sufferings of innocent people to continue is allowing the foundation of society to begin to crack. Allowing the crumbling of society is allowing the future to blur into uncertainty.
Allowing the possibility of a peaceful and pleasant future to fade away is the setting up of total failure and eventually destruction. Allowing Red China to host the 2008 Beijing Olympics is allowing the tanks of injustice to roll on.

Learn more about this author, Elisa Mcginley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.