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Beijing Olympics and Politics

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  • 20-02-2008 3:19pm
    #1
    donaghs
    Registered Users Posts: 2,745 ✭✭✭


    Any thoughts on this people? See Steven Spielberg has pulled out of the preparations for human rights reasons.


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    #2
    ircoha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,290 ✭✭✭ircoha


    Great slogan
    http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/feb2008/gb20080219_953704.htm?link_position=link1

    Time for us to get boycott the games and save both embarrassment and money.


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    #3
    donaghs
    Registered Users Posts: 2,745 ✭✭✭donaghs


    The Chinese are saying people should separate politics from sport. I can the logic of this, but its never that easy. Since the athletes are so linked to their countries, and the event to its host country. Dictatorships have too frequently tried to distract their people with sporting achievements.

    The 1980 and 1984 games were subject of boycotts for political reasons. And while I'm not making a direct comparison, if the olympics are above politics, should this logic have also have been applied the the 1936 Berlin games?


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    #4
    Playboy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,923 ✭✭✭Playboy


    You know this kind of stuff really make me laugh. Talk about a hypocrite. Mr. Spielberg would be well advised to have a look at what The US are doing in other countries before he is so quick to point the finger at China. Add to this the fact that this guy is a zionist and regularly donates money to Israel so it can keep up its genoicide of the Palestinian people.

    I have to take my hat off to him .. an expert in propognada if there ever was one. China bad and evil .. USA and Israel moral and good :rolleyes:


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    #5
    donaghs
    Registered Users Posts: 2,745 ✭✭✭donaghs


    Ah the 'ol moral relativism, don't criticize one wrong because of some other wrong that has occurred. Net effect: don't do anything.


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    #6
    Playboy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,923 ✭✭✭Playboy


    huh? Are you serious?

    It's obvious there is another agenda at work here if someone can blantly disregard human rights violations under regimes he supports but is first to criticize other governments for less. It's called propoganda :eek:


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    #7
    DrumSteve
    Registered Users Posts: 10,798 ✭✭✭✭DrumSteve


    donaghs wrote: »
    Any thoughts on this people? See Steven Spielberg has pulled out of the preparations for human rights reasons.

    didnt realise he was competing at it lol

    really who gives a **** if he is not involved?

    its about athletes not filmmakers.


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    #8
    donaghs
    Registered Users Posts: 2,745 ✭✭✭donaghs


    The Berlin organisers were also very keen to have a expert film maker involved!


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    #9
    Pen1987
    Closed Accounts Posts: 870 ✭✭✭Pen1987


    Ive tried to take my personal beliefs, and my own feelings about politcal movements out of the equation...


    Speilberg was the co-ordinator of the spectacle of the opening/closing ceromony. I believe he was being paid by the chinese government, I know when he quit he sent his resignation to the chinese dept. of forgeign affairs.

    There is small diference between him donating to a zionist cause and him working for a government org. I think the diference is small enough to show hes not a hypocrite.

    In the back alleys of world politics China (and others) is in a struggle with the US/Israel to control countries developing in the third world. It would be hypocrital of Speilberg to take money off the chinese government for doing a job that would raise them in the eyes of the world, whilst personally donating money to Israel. He'd be 'working' for both parts, simultaneously damaging/improving each sides image.

    Its like a member SF working for the Home Office in the UK. He'd be supplying his services to the working of 'the enemy'.

    Whatever the causes involved, its a personal conflict of interest.


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    #10
    Jaanus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭Jaanus


    I think sport and politics should be kept apart completely. The Moscow and Los Angeles olympic boycotts in the 80´s achieved nothing.


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    #11
    Kate P
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭Kate P


    It's simply not possible, Jaanus, to separate sport and politics.

    The Treaty of Lisbon provides new legal bases which would allow the EU to take action in the area of sport - which might be an indicator of just how closely sport and politics are linked!


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    #12
    A Dub in Glasgo
    Registered Users Posts: 17,201 ✭✭✭✭A Dub in Glasgo


    Politics and sport do not mix... apparantly


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    #13
    johnnyskeleton
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 14,505 Mod ✭✭✭✭johnnyskeleton


    donaghs wrote: »
    Any thoughts on this people? See Steven Spielberg has pulled out of the preparations for human rights reasons.

    If the olympics were to be held in a country that has an unimpeachable political and human rights record, they would be held in Switzerland every year.


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    #14
    speedboatchase
    Registered Users Posts: 5,791 ✭✭✭speedboatchase


    Its a complete farce hosting it in China, their human rights record is apalling. Just as people look back in horror at the Nazis hosting the Olympics will people wonder how the world went along with this. I'm hardly surprised Israel was brought up AGAIN where it wasn't even relevant, most of the posters here would defend dictatorships all day long.


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