Posted on 07/06/2008 6:17:46 AM PDT by DemonDeac
"President Bush on Sunday defended his decision to attend next month's Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, saying that to boycott "would be an affront to the Chinese people.""
"Speaking to reporters ahead of this week's summit of the Group of Eight industrialized nations in Japan, Bush said he did not need to skip the ceremony to show his position on religious freedom and human rights in China. "
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Why cant politics be kept out of the Olympics and the athletes be allowed to do what they do best? It’s like telling Hollywood to shut up and act. Id like to tell the politicians to shut up and let them compete.
Bush refuses to insult the Democrats. No difference here.
Yet he has no problem insulting the people who worked so hard to put and then keep him in office, a clear sign of some sort of personality disorder.
so whatski
As an American with many relatives in China, I’m with you. In addition, what a lot of people here don’t seem to realize, either through lack of travel or interaction, dealing publicly and then privately with Chinese officials can, in fact, accomplish quite a lot.
One Wisconsin-based company used that strategy for over 10 years. Their pleasant public statements masked some bare-knuckled negotiations. However, by allowing the Chinese to save “face”, they were able to build “guangxi” or influence among the Chinese company’s junior managers and employees. The Americans were able to get a foothold in the Asian market from South Korea to Australia and have done fairly well.
As you stated, the Chinese (the vast majority of whom aren’t Party members) are slowly treading the road to greater freedom. The recent rioting over the death of a teenager in southern China and the firing of the county offcials, as well as frank discussions in the local papers about the cause of his death, exemplify that. Chinese bloggers, whose xenophobia can be a bit much at times, were key in generating interest in the case.
Remember Poland; a little more candor and freedom eventually meant the doom of the Communist military dictatorship there. So, in fits and starts, China will hopefully head in the direction of South Korea and Taiwan.
Did he say affront or insult? Makes a difference.
The president can do what he wants to now, he’s leaving in January.
He shouldn’t grace China with his presence for their propaganda Olympics.
I know Franklin Roosevelt wouldn’t have treked to Berlin in 1936.
Communist (capitalist) China has done so much starting with forced abortions, jailing followers of various religions, Tibet, etc.
They will end up being a military adversary 20 years or less down the road.
The Chinese will probably give W some money after he leaves office.
i’ve been around a lot of chinese immigrants all of my life.
they’re hard-working... i agree with the president.
I agree with your assessment of the Chinese people. But the issue is not the people per se, its the evil Godless system of Communism. Communism is the antithesis to a Christian America. I do not agree with Bush on this.
No matter what we did, the Chicoms would just suck it up (for now) and go right on peddling us their shoddy trinkets and poisoned food. After all, they're going to able to buy one first-class blue water Navy with the profits they're making from Wal-Mart.
I'm wondering how many new illnesses will be brought back to the U.S. after the Olympics are over.
As opposed to dirt, rocks, and trees? In the final analysis, one must offend people if one expects to offend the nation, grasshopper.
Hate to break this to you genius, but that is exactly the motivation behind "boycott", as defined.
Open borders... deficit spending... welfare state...
Figures. Our contemporary image of Republican leadership.
I am not suggesting that I support a boycott;
I am suggesting that the statement is stupid; no other word for it.
Fortunately, these medal "losers" sunk to their natural level in society and were never heard from again. No big surprise.
Incidentally, the feeling of pride and euphoria as an American, has returned for me, watching the Olympic trials the last couple of weeks. Not a loser or whiner among the athletes, that I can sense.
That said he has no good reason to go to the games and several not to. He could always go to Saudi Arabia and do some more huggie kissie with them. Get another free barrel of oil or a scorpion encased in acrylic or something.
Scratch that. That happened in Japan.
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