Month: April 2008

There’s a lot of hot air spouted, usually among politicians, about not mixing sport and politics. Much is said of the sportsmen and women losing out to political dog-fighting, particularly over such events as the Olympics.

Frankly, the hypocrisy is hard to stomach.

Can it truly not be argued that the IOC made a political decision when it decided to award the 2008 games to China? Whether or not that decision was made under political pressure will probably never been known for sure, but it’s a fair bet that it was. It’s also odds-on the pressure came from the United States, a country that owes China big, and the one likely to wield most influence over the International Olympic Committee.

Today, China sentenced a young man, Hu Jia, to three and a half years in jail. His charge was “inciting subversion of state power and the socialist system”. Hu Jia was, in fact, guilty of peacefully campaigning “for the environment, religious freedom and for the rights of people with HIV and Aids”.^[1] Two weeks ago, Yang Chunlin, another campaigner, was jailed on similar charges.

Most of us will be aware of the recent inhumane treatment meted out to Tibetans desperately trying to wrest their country from Chinese occupation over the last fifty years. It seems the Chinese dictatorial government has little respect for humanity, either in the East or the West, as it ruthlessly dispenses its malevolent punishments.

It is no longer a question of the separation of sport and politics. Some are suggesting world leaders should boycott the opening ceremony. How weak and spineless can one be? There is only one right course of action to be taken, by competitors and politicians alike. The games should be the subject of a concerted Western boycott.

Like the judgment to wage war in Iraq, the initial flawed decision by the IOC to choose Beijing cannot now be undone. As in Iraq, the only course of action is a withdrawal. It is time for competitors and politicians from around the globe, whose consciences one hopes are troubling them, to say enough is enough.

Leaving China with a massive failure would show that country how their human rights record is really viewed by the world. Individuals should consider carefully the effects of their attendance.

To suggest, as China and many western politicians have done, that politics and sport should not mix, is phony. Today, it would seem the Olympics is all about politics. The sport is only a sideline.

^{[1] ” Jail for Chinese rights activist”, BBC, April 3rd, 2008.}

Filed under: Olympic embarrassment

American news anchors have been virtually purring over the results of a BBC World Service poll that suggests love for the US has increased throughout the rest of the planet.^[1] The poll shows those with a positive view of America have risen by a full 4% – from 31% to 35%.

Looked at another way, 65% of the planet continues to disapprove of this militant ‘superpower’.

It’s that old chestnut again – statistics. You can show ’em in a positive light, or a negative one. It just depends what you want to convey. Of course, American news programs want to broadcast the ‘good’ news angle. And, let’s not forget that latest edition to the US media circus, BBC World America. Thanks mainly to the best efforts of its lead anchor, Matt Frei, BBCWA has managed to rapidly metamorphose into just another NBC or ABC news slot, only with English accents.

Kurt Volker, a “principal deputy assistant secretary of state” at the US state department, said of the poll:

“……people look at the US and the electoral process here and are reminded that this is a major transparent democracy, a vibrant and diverse country, and that reflects really well on the image of the US.

He may not be very big in the state department, but Kurt Volker obviously enjoys a joke.

The true reason for this very slight rise, Mister Volker, is absurdly obvious to anyone not steeped in the process of persuading themselves and their fellow Americans that this nation is a wonderful, benevolent land unfairly misunderstood by outsiders.

The true cause of the four percent increase is due to George W Bush, and his cold-blooded, torturing band of distasteful hangers-on, vacating the stage in a few months, thus engendering the aspiration of replacement by some warm-blooded, mammalian, personages who are not intent on plunging the world into further violent chaos.

One can only hope the four percent are not being overly-optimistic.

^{[1] ” US welcomes just a little more love”, BBC, April 2nd, 2008.}

Filed under: False love

From my old blogging pal, TOB, in Liverpool, England, comes two fine examples of the suffering imposed by socialist governments on the people of that country.

Reading the two links below will assure those of us living in nations with private healthcare systems, and stolid right-wing governments, (not mentioning any in particular) that we are getting the best service in the world.

After all, who between the age of 40 to 74 needs free health checks for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease?^[1] Isn’t that just a waste of taxpayer’s money?

And how ludicrous to force on everyone over the age of 60, a pass to travel by bus anywhere in the country, absolutely free of charge?^[2]

Ha, next they’ll be handing out free medical prescriptions to senior citizens!

What? Oh, they do that already?

My God, if certain nations made those kinds of foolish commitments to their populace, they’d not be able to afford the truly important things – like tax cuts for the stinking rich, bail-outs to overly-greedy finance houses, and preemptive wars.

God Bless Right-Wing Capitalism!

^{[1] “Health screening for the over-40s”, BBC, April 1st, 2008.}

^{[2] “Around England on a free bus pass”, BBC, April 1st, 2008.}

Filed under: Filthy leftists