2008 Woodie Awards
All eyes are fixed on China
Jeff Mason
Issue date: 7/30/08 Section: Opinion
Forget about the PR disaster between the Packers and Brett Favre. China takes the cake in the bad press department
In just ten days, the 29th Summer Olympics will rev up in Beijing, China. While ESPN and Sports Illustrated ask questions like "how many medals will Michael Phelps win?," the rest of the world is wondering if everyone will show up for the games.
Ever since the torch was lit way back in March , the games have met with open protest. According to ABC News, two men from the free press advocate group Reporters Without Borders rushed onto the feild with black flags in protest of China's treatment of the media, right where the lighting ceremony was taking place.
The problems for China started earlierr though, with director Steven Spielberg exiting as the game's adviser for opening ceremonies. According to Business Week, the move came as a form of protest of Beijing's support of Sudan, where government funded forces have killed hundreds of thousands of Africans.
But these issues aren't the only things dragging China down. According to NPR, they have also received flack for reportedly forcing mothers in the poverty-filled Guangxi province to have abortions and for their hostile treatment towards rioting Tibetan monks. Needless to say, China's been looked at with all the ferver of a presidential candidate over the last few months.
China is getting a swift punch in the gut and it needs it. The Olympics is one of the best ways to hurt the rising nation in what was supposed to be a sweet sixteen of sorts, so raining on this parade really stings.
There's not going to be much that will stop China's eventual market domination, but for now we need to make the most of the power we have over one of the most populous nations on the planet.
Things seem to be getting a little better though, as negotiations between China and Tibet started back in May after the whole debacle began. And at this point, an Olympic boycott is extremely unlikely. All we can do at the Olympics is to make sure China knows the world is watching it carefully.
If we could only be like President Bush and go to China as mere sports fans
In just ten days, the 29th Summer Olympics will rev up in Beijing, China. While ESPN and Sports Illustrated ask questions like "how many medals will Michael Phelps win?," the rest of the world is wondering if everyone will show up for the games.
Ever since the torch was lit way back in March , the games have met with open protest. According to ABC News, two men from the free press advocate group Reporters Without Borders rushed onto the feild with black flags in protest of China's treatment of the media, right where the lighting ceremony was taking place.
The problems for China started earlierr though, with director Steven Spielberg exiting as the game's adviser for opening ceremonies. According to Business Week, the move came as a form of protest of Beijing's support of Sudan, where government funded forces have killed hundreds of thousands of Africans.
But these issues aren't the only things dragging China down. According to NPR, they have also received flack for reportedly forcing mothers in the poverty-filled Guangxi province to have abortions and for their hostile treatment towards rioting Tibetan monks. Needless to say, China's been looked at with all the ferver of a presidential candidate over the last few months.
China is getting a swift punch in the gut and it needs it. The Olympics is one of the best ways to hurt the rising nation in what was supposed to be a sweet sixteen of sorts, so raining on this parade really stings.
There's not going to be much that will stop China's eventual market domination, but for now we need to make the most of the power we have over one of the most populous nations on the planet.
Things seem to be getting a little better though, as negotiations between China and Tibet started back in May after the whole debacle began. And at this point, an Olympic boycott is extremely unlikely. All we can do at the Olympics is to make sure China knows the world is watching it carefully.
If we could only be like President Bush and go to China as mere sports fans
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