I agree with Binoy. In fact this article just got better and better.

The Olympics in my opinion is a celebration of various imperialisms(including Chinese imperialism.) Well said Binoy.

One example from history Binoy didn't mention was 1968 when the IRP Government in Mexico cut down hundreds of demonstrators. The Olympic spirit indeed!

Looking at history and the (mis)use the Nazis made of the Olympics in 1936, I think it is appropriate to say "Stop the fascist flame."

Not much has changed since then in terms of the Olympics.

An excellent article.

I am coming rapidly to the conclusion that Beijing should just fold the tent and tell everyone to go home.

They can afford it - unlike most of the nations in recent history.

The 'West' is under the delusion that China has to deal with it. The reality is that the 'West' has to deal with China.

There will be a minor bleat and then the wombats will snuffle off to another cause they barely understand.

DB

Stop being an apologist for the Beijing dictatorship. I especially dislike your comment that those of us who might have an interest in human rights will move on. Rubbish. Our view extends to all dictatorships. China, Zimbabwe, various regimes in the Middle east (supported by the US), Latin America, South East Asia are examples.

Our goal is freedom for all, including Tibet. Why does freedom threaten dictatorships and their supporters?

If sport is a way for we humans to entertain our natural aggression, it is better to do it through sport than with real warfare. Let the Olympics go on, let's not be killjoys. And when I see a Romanian gymnast doing wonders on the bar, there is art and wonder in amongst all the competition, and a chance to show off the world's cultural variety. The Olympics is not all bad by any means.

It is tempting to allow our genuine passion for issues, like Tibet, to flow over into cynicism and mean spirited gestures.

But I will now go into reverse gear, because the atrocities committed against the Tibetan people are far greater in scale than those committed by Saddam Husein. In the latter case we invaded them. In the case of China the very least we can do is use this small window to display international disquiet and abhorance.

George Bush, the man who invaded Iraq with reckless abandon, said yesterday that the way to deal with China and Tibet is through 'quiet diplomacy'. Well, gosh, nobody supports declaring war on China, but really! The very least that George and Rudd and Sarkozy and the others boys can do is snub the Chinese at the opening ceremony. Call it polite warfare if you like, but at least we make a meaningful statement.

Even the Dalai Lama says the Olympics should go on.

Passy:
- I have seen no signs of Dialectic Blue being an apologist for anyone. All he and a few others on this site have tried to do is inject a little objectivity in the China/Tibet situation.

There is a current thread running in General Discussion in which a few gullible and uninformed people have been taken in by a rather ancient and completely erroneous e.mail. In vain people have pointed these souls towards the facts and evidence which prove the questionable e.mail to be racist propaganda. In the face of irrefutable proof those who believe the e.mail refuse to accept they may have fallen victim to misinformation.

Dialectic Blue and others, including myself, seem to be encountering the same kind of stubborn resistance. None of us are taking sides, or trying to prove we are right and others wrong. But there has been a lot of misinformation and as this snowballs, gathering more and more propaganda along the way, people seem less and less willing to admit that their information may be questionable.

Gecko:
"the atrocities committed against the Tibetan people are far greater in scale than those committed by Saddam Husein." I would very much like to hear how you back up at this astonishing claim. And, naturally, would like to be able to access the sources from which you arrived at this conclusion.

p.s. Would love to see a bunch of people milling around and showing their "abhhorances" in public. Sounds positively wicked.

http://greens.org.au/media/releases/release.php?release_id=939

Half supports this article.