Olympic Sour Grapes - Warning Rant Ahead!

I know I’m supposed to be blogging Talk Thursday, I will get there because the topic is great. But what is really griping my soul at the moment is the Olympics. Sadly, I think I stand alone in my grief, the world’s acceptance of China as this season host country is a global blanket of approval on China’s human rights policy. I bristle when the United States does something egregious – like water boarding and Guantanamo Bay, but I know at least half of my fellow American’s are pissed and hopefully a bit ashamed of tactics and are awaiting the slight possibility of a war crimes tribunal against one certain shrub and his slimy VP.

China not only has a terrible history of human rights violations, but it’s not just history. Countless (but the numbers are reported in the tens of thousands) Chinese have been arrested and removed to create “balance and harmony” during the Olympics. Hmmm, activist? It doesn’t pay to be Falun Gong in China unless you’re looking to be tortured to death. The site of the opening ceremonies that people have oohed and ahhed over was not so long ago… just over a year ago, were people’s home. People who were forcibly removed so the Chinese government could awe the world with a great ceremony that featured the communist concept of mass. Oh, wait I’m wrong, they weren’t just removed so the Olympic stadium could be build, but several other Olympic venues as well. Did they give them another place to live, reportedly no, they were just up rooted, but of course you would want to remove the poor population, I mean why show the world your condition?

The woman and mother inside of me is friggin’ pissed that people aren’t even rolling their eyes over the fact that the “adorable” girl who sang during the opening ceremonies was lip-syncing. Milli Vannili, Ashley Simpson, and Britney Spears have all be socially tarred and feathered for their lip-syncing fiascos. So the “adorable” girl is lip-syncing on International TV to (potentially) billions of homes because the girl with the lovely voice wasn’t pretty enough to be on TV. Excuse me? WTF?

Chinese officials revoked the visa of American Speed Skating Gold Medalist Joey Cheeks, who was planning to take in the Olympics. Why? Because Cheeks’s is the founder of Team Darfur, an outspoken group of 70 athletes who raise Darfur awareness. Cheek’s opposes the Chinese government’s military, economic, and diplomatic ties to Sudan – so they revoked his visa.

I love the Olympics, I have always enjoyed watching my team and the athletes I can only imitate in my mind, but I can’t this year. In the past when boycotts of the Olympics have left us, the US, out of the competition I agreed. When the US didn’t go to the 1980 Moscow Olympics because we were protesting Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan – I agreed. Now we condone in silent acceptance. Sad, ever so sad.

Should I be surprised? No. Bush really put the cap on my week with this comment about Russia’s invasion of Georgia. (In concept I believe this should be our stance, but in today's reality it is-- do as I say, not as I do.)

"Bullying and intimidation are not acceptable ways to conduct foreign policy in the 21st century." Bush also said, “Russia had damaged its credibility with the West by invading neighbor Georgia.”

Now, not only are we condoning China’s human right’s actions, but the Shrub is rewriting his, ergo America’s, history-- when that history isn’t even cold enough to be considered history. Arrogant Asshole. But thank heavens I’m American (and I say that with all respect) because If I was Chinese I’d be in prison right now, if I was Afghan I’d be in Guantanamo.

Please get your anger on,
Cele