Rick Raw: Boycott The Olympics –China’s Abysmal Human Rights Record Nullifies Its Privilege of Hosting This Prestigious Event

By Rick Grant rickgrant01@comcast.net www.rickatnight.com

Allowing China to host the Olympics was a bad idea from the onset. In fact, China doesn’t deserve the Olympics or free trade status with the United States. For Western nations to condemn China for its abysmal human rights record in regard to Tibet and its oppression of its own people’s freedoms, while granting them favored nation status is blatantly hypocritical. The truth is: China is governed by a hardline Marxist styled communist party that in 1951 invaded Tibet and committed genocide on the Tibetan people, forcing the Dalai Lama into permanent exile in India.

More seriously, the People Republic of China (PRC) used Tibet’s mountains to install their ICBMs, aimed at the United States. Why do we pretend that China has suddenly become a freedom loving democracy, when in fact, the PRC tortures and jails opposition leaders and commits unspeakable atrocities to keep their burgeoning population under control? Yet, we buy shoddy merchandise from China and send their containers back empty, creating an unconscionable trade deficit.

Intelligent people wonder why we even recognized China and gave it UN representation. Granting China the privilege of hosting the Olympics has rubbed salt in the old wounds of the Tibetan people who have protested the progress of the Olympic torch all over the world. From the beginning of Tibet’s occupation by the Chinese communists, their intent has been to annex Tibet and erase any semblance of Tibetan culture.

Since the invasion, Tibetan language has been strictly repressed. Tibetan school children were taught only Chinese dialects. Today, many younger Tibetans do not speak their native language. Tibetan culture, which was a unique commingling of religion and politics, was banned. However, the Dalai Lama has led and inspired his country’s religious and political culture among exiled Tibetans living in other countries.

In China’s Litang, in Sichua province, a city of over 50,000 people, 90% of the population is ethically Tibetan. Today, Litang is a city under siege because the Chinese government has shut down commerce and warned the people not to listen or cooperate with what they call "the Dalai Lama clique." Anti-Chinese riots erupted in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa on March 14, leaving many dead and injured citizens. Consequently, the Chinese government has declared Marshall Law in Litang to avoid an escalation of Tibetan protests in that city. Yes, the specter of Tiananmen Square still haunts freedom loving Chinese and Tibetan people living on the mainland or in Tibet.

In recent times, despite China’s propaganda that it has granted its citizens more freedoms, the leadership in Beijing has only opened the country up to commerce, which hides their real agenda of maintaining iron control of the largest population on earth. There is still no freedom of press, religion, or assembly. Thousands of political prisoners are rotting in Chinese jails for simple acts of protest. In this appalling atmosphere of fear and treachery, China is putting on a false front of hospitality by inviting the world to its blood soaked streets for the Olympics. And what about its large cache of nuclear weapons? That question can only be answered by the CIA. If they even have a clue.

The atmosphere of communist oppression is reason enough to boycott the Olympics in Beijing. Moreover, the health of the athletes and fans is in jeopardy because of China’s lung choking pollution, which is the highest in the world. I say, stop giving China the privileges of democratic nations. Demand that the Chinese government grant freedom and democracy to its people and give independence back to the Tibetan people. Otherwise, treat them as a hostile nation and shun them in every aspect of diplomatic interaction. And, stop outsourcing jobs and manufacturing to China. Finally, stop allowing their inferior merchandise into our country. They are not our friends.