To: Charmaine Crooks, International Olympic Committee
Subject: Support China 2008 Olympics
Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2001 14:48:19 -0700
From: [edit: opendna]
Dear Mrs. Charmaine Crooks;
I am writing to urge your support for China's bid for the 2008 Olympics. Many forces have aligned to oppose China's bid citing flagrant violations of human rights by the regime. While I recognize that China illegally occupies Tibet, suppresses religious practice, jails intellectuals, uses forced and child labour, and otherwise violates even the most basic humanitarian principles, I want to encourage you to support Beijing's bid.
The Olympics has a long history of legitimating authoritarian regimes and precipitating revolution and oppression. Once granted the 2008 Games, the Chinese state will begin a renewed campaign of terror against its population. Like the 1968 Mexico City Games, a mass counter-mobilization will occur against the Olympics, and like Tiananmen Square, they will be crushed.
Perhaps when the people of the Western World see pro-democracy demonstrators gunned down under Coca-Cola sponsorship banners they will finally understand (1)that global capitalism is incompatible with democracy and (2) that the Chinese leadership is totally uninterested in western humanist tradition (despite all promises to the contrary).
The Olympics are not about human rights or honor, gamesmanship or any of the rest of those liberal fantasies: they are about power, prestige, development and money. It is your duty to ensure that Vancouver hosts the following Olympics and receives the injection of investment that entails. If you can help discredit one of the world's most oppressive regimes in the process, so much the better.
Regards,
[opendna]
