Boycotting the Olympics

There have been numerous calls, recently from Senator Hillary Clinton, for the United States and/or its elected officials to boycott the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. Bad move! Although I decry the Tibetan human rights abuses perpetrated by the Chinese, to boycott the Olympic games as a form of national protest will not accomplish anything. In fact, I believe it will only serve to marginalize our influence. After all, did our boycotting the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow have any influence or impact on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan? Nope. Nada. Not at all. It was the U.S. and its allies supporting, training and supplying the Mojahedin, that ultimately (after 10 years of fighting) led to the Soviet withdrawal. Boycotting the Olympic games only served to deprive American athletes of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete and test their mettle.

The Olympic games are supposed to be apolitical and rightfully so! However, a nation-state can allow its athletes to compete while simultaneously denouncing the actions of the host government. For example, President Bush can and should attend the opening ceremonies, but he should not pay his respects to the Games’ oppressive hosts. In 1980, several countries joining the U.S. in the boycott, allowed their athletes to compete, but they marched under the Olympic flag instead of the flag of their home country. Never! Our athletes will compete proudly and fiercely under the U.S. colors! Winning athletes can achieve political victories. Remember Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics?

The reality: Considering China has financed the majority of U.S. debt, how likely is the U.S. government to make a political statement at these Olympic games?

(not very)

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Mike Tippitt at Wake up America provides an interesting perspective and questions the inconsistency of a politician’s outrage. After all, was Saddam Hussein’s treatment of the Kurds really any different than China’s treatment of the Tibetans?