A lot of people are saying, "don't politicize the Olympics", and that it should be about sports and nothing more. Well, don't tell that to China. They were the first ones to make the Olympic games political. How?
- Who transports a torch on a private jet? That's right, the oh-so-precious Olympic torch was flown to Beijing in a private jet.
- Then it was "greeted" by Zhou Yongkang (周永康), the head of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. He is the overall 9th ranked government official in the entire Chinese Communist Party. In other words, a real big shot. The last time China sent a high ranking official to greet at the airport was in 1998, when then President Bill Clinton visited China. Clinton's visit was significant, because it was the first time an American President visited China since the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
- After being transported to the Tiananmen Square, the torch was greeted by a lavish ceremony, with general secretary Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), ceremoniously lighting and passing on the torch to hurdler, Liu Xiang (劉翔), as vice-president Xi Jinping (習近平) made a speech. It was done in the same manner as when the Kings of China prayed to the gods in ancient times, the most grand of events.
The whole point was to show the world how China is an economic leader and powerhouse. The torch is a symbol of China's recent success and achievement of the status of top world power. You'd have a hard time convincing me that this torch ceremony was not political.
4 comments:
History lesson time!!
China was not the first one to use Olympic game for its political purpose. The Third Riech was the first one, yes, it was the Nazis. The whole passing torch around the world idea, started by Hitler in 1936. And it was the first time the game was broadcast via radio wave throughout the world to show the nations the rise of Third Riech, well, we all know how that ended.
I guess my point is that Olympic game has been politicized long before 2008. Tibet is a complex issue, it is not fair to portrait China as the evil tyrant who oppresses the minority because she can and she likes it. If anyone wants to have a say about the situation, let me ask you this question. Can you point out Tibet on map? Do you know what are the countries Tibet connected to? If you can answer them without googling, I think you might not have such a strong position.
All I'm saying is that don't buy into the news fanzy and sound bits from media which always marginalizing complexity and proposing simplicity. We are like a "great" leader once said: "naive, sometimes too simple".
The only comment I have about Olympic 08 is that I think China should fire its current PR firm and learn something called "damage control"
Japan use Olympic as a Show off to the Rest of the world in the 60's.
Korea use the Game as another kind of show off in the 80's. And US.. and Almost every other country who held it before. Do the countries benefits from the Game? I think so, Both Econ. "FACE" wise.
BUt is the spirite of the game Forgotten? Well, if we still put some much on the New even on How many torch grabers were on the Relays... I believe we will.
Both of you missed my point. It is quite obvious that China isn't the first country to use the Olympics as a political tool. My post was in response to those who keep saying not to politicize the Olympics and torch relay.
It seems that many people think the protesters made the Olympics political. The should know that the games were destined to be politicized from day one.
Re: joseph
You assume that I'm pro-Tibet just because I'm speaking out against China.
I am not pro-Tibet. Like you, I am trying to get people to look closer at Tibet, as well as look closer at China. Right now, I see Tibetans seemingly trying to go all out at getting noticed. They are using the Olympic games to grab attention seemingly out of desperation.
What is the truth? It is difficult to say. Why is the truth so murky? Because China is too closed about the issue for anyone to make sense of it. It's simple.
1)Two guys have an argument.
2)One guy is tight lipped about it.
3)The other guy seems open and honest about the argument.
Who are you more likely to support? They guy who looks like he's being honest, or the guy who looks like he has something to hide? Which ever you choose, the West tends to embrace openness. That is what the Tibet/China issue looks like to the Western world.
Not only does China need a new PR guy, but they need to adopt some patience and be more open to the rest of the world. I've said this before: if they can be more open and patient, they can quell half of their opposition.
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