China: Where Every Day is 1936

It was several months ago now when many people, including myself, wanted the West to boycott the Olympics in Beijing similar to what was done with Moscow in 1980. The critics called us selfish for even insisting that "hard working" athletes be denied from going to the games. They felt that maybe opening China to the world would bring about some real change. It is not surprising that in 1936, many people felt the same way about the Olympics in Berlin, hosted by Hitler and the Nazis. During the games, all hate media disappeared from Nazi Germany only to return shortly there after. The Olympic stadium even became a staging ground for party rallies. If one and only one positive thing can be said about the Nazis, they were competent. They managed to fool the world by sweeping their mess under the rug. The savages that make up the Chinese Communist Party can't hold the same claim. The real question is what's worse: an incompetent and brutal dictatorship or the West that naively believed them when they said they'd make the country more open.

China has made major strides in liberalizing itself since the death of its insane communist leader Mao Zedong in the 1970s. Ironically, just as Russia still does with Lenin (despite the collapse of the Soviet Union), they keep his mouldy carcase on display for his loyal followers to view. This is the same country that gets upset at Japan for still having shrines to it's WW2 dead. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. How many died during the Cultural Revolution? (a recent report suggests between 750,000 to 1.5 million. Imagine all of Toronto being wiped out) Attempts to liberalize the country have so far been cosmetic and mostly economic. They still imprison people for merely speaking their minds. Delusional left wingers here in the West usually counter criticism of the PRC as being the results of cultural differences between us and them. If they want democracy, it's the west that has pushed them towards it, so they say. I guess Tienanmen really didn't happen using their logic. Unfortunately, the real issue is how impotent the West really is when it comes to influencing dictatorships like this one. There is a fear of rattling the tiger's cage. Is it that we're afraid they'll put economic sanctions on us? What, no more lead based toys and poisoned dog food? A real shame. As I noted before, despite Steven Harper repeatedly pressing China on human rights, nobody in either the Conservative, NDP, or the Liberal parties seriously brought up the idea of boycotting the Olympics. So here we are in August, the games are only days away, and already China is starting to reconsider some of the special allowances it was going to give even foreign visitors. There are mixed reports as to whether Internet censorship and the Great Firewall of China would be brought down. In all likelyhood, the Internet will remain locked down. Some are saying China is now going to limit what foreign visitors can post and view. There are also strict limitations on where foreigners can go. Even the types of cameras being allowed into the games are being tightly regulated. Spectators are forbidden from using SLR type cameras. Are we to be surprised by this? The way the Western media is putting it, apparently so. All this shows to me is that the Chinese government never had any intention to open up and allow new freedoms, either to its guests or its own citizens. China will continue as it always has to unjustly occupy Tibet and imprison & murder it's own citizens for speaking their minds or believing in something the government doesn't approve of. Unlike with the Soviet Union, the PRC has plenty of foreign dollars to feed the beast and keep its rulers afloat. We are, though indirectly, to blame for what goes on in that country. Democracy is not a Western construct only for Western peoples but it is something that is and must be universal. No country's regime can call itself legitimate if it doesn't allow its citizens to speaks their minds. China's people have demonstrated on numerous occasions that they want freedom, yet we just ignore it. It becomes the CNN headline of the hour and fades off into the blackness of our collective psyche by the next. If the West had some balls, we could have embarrassed communist China for its crimes. In the end though, 2008 is no different from 1936.

You can still act. Here's a list of some things you can do to boycott the Beijing Olympics on your own. Be thankful that you can choose whether you want to do these things or not without government interference. If I can even influence one person to join in on this, I've done my job.
1. Refuse to watch the Olympics on TV. You could also write the CBC and tell them why you won't be watching the games.
2. Hold a peaceful public protest against the Olympics
3. If you know an athlete or spectator going to the Beijing Olympics, politely voice your disapproval. Inform them of the consequences of their actions.
4. Do not congratulate medal winners. Once again, be polite about it. If you know them personally, let them know you are disappointed in them.
5. Write your MP and tell them how you disapprove of Canada not boycotting the games.
6. Refuse to shop at places or use services that sponsor the Olympics. Don't buy or accept any Olympic merchandise. The IOC gets royalties for the use of its logo. Doing this will hurt them financially.