For the third time in the past 72 years, the Olympic Games are about to take place in a dictatorially ruled country. It happened in 1936 in Berlin under the openly anti-Jewish Nazi regime, in 1980 in Moscow during the Soviet regime’s invasion of Afghanistan, and this year in Beijing under a Chinese regime in open violation of human rights.
Jacques Rogge, the Belgian President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had been assured of unfettered Internet access for an estimated 20,000 journalists. Now however, Human Rights Watch asserts that the Chinese authorities keeping their promises only selectively. Foreign-owned hotels, moreover, have been ordered to permit electronic surveillance of guests. More recently, a member of the IOC was quoted as saying: "Had the IOC....known seven years ago that there would be severe restrictions...then I seriously doubt whether Beijing would have been awarded the Olympics".
Amnesty International accuses official China of oppressing the native Tibetans and religious minorities while limiting foreigners from visiting communities of ethnically non-Chinese people. It also denounced Beijing for supporting the government of Sudan inspite of its continuing genocide in Darfur.
Interpol warned China in April that there is a "real possibility" that the Olympics may be disrupted by terrorist groups and pro-Tibet protesters. Yet, IOC President Rogge still asserts that the IOC has "absolutely no regrets" in choosing Beijing to host the 2008 Games that were awarded to Beijing after an exhaustive ballot of the IOC on July 31, 2001. The Games’ slogan was to be most affirmative: “One World, One Dream.”
As was to be expected, the Beijing regime wants to use the Olympiade to highlight China's emergence as an undisputed global power and an exemplary host for foreign visitors.. By the opening day, August 8, 10,500 athletes from all over the world were expected to compete in 302 events in 28 sports.
For most athletes, the Olympiade offers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete against the world’s leading competitors. For governments to deny them that chance would be grossly unfair. That is why democratic governments in 1933 allowed their athletes and observers to participate in the Berlin Games that Hitler personally attended. Had the U.S. government kept U.S. athletes from attending, Jesse Owens could not have won his gold medals and shown the world his superior performance as a sprinter and broadjumper. Several thousand American visitors to Nazi Germany, moreover, got the opportunity to experience the regime’s totalitarianism.
In 1980, 65 governments, including the Carter Administration, made the mistake of preventing their athletes from competing in the Moscow Olympiade and thus provided the Soviet Union and its satellites with an excuse to retaliate by boycotting the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. Those who demand of athletes to shun an Olympiade for political reasons forget that their Greek originators in 1896 wanted sports to build bridges rather than walls between individuals and nations.
Since Beijing was awarded the Olympics in 2001, China’s rulers have continued to crack down on domestic dissent and protesters in Tibet. When the Olympic flame was carried around the globe, millions of demonstrators passionately spoke out against China’s continuing violations of human rights.
Regrettably, President Bush did not hear the massive chorus of protest. He had an opportunity to demonstrate for those who are silenced in China by not attending the Beijing Olympics. He is not an athlete who deserves the opportunity to compete.
Yet, against the advice of many Americans and foreign leaders, he is demonstratively going to attend the opening ceremonies--on taxpayers’ money. He claims to be seeking a chance to discuss human rights with China’s leaders. Realistically, however, they have more important priorities than listening to Bush criticizing them. Can you imagine President Franklin Roosevelt or President Carter using the Olympics for cozying up to Hitler or Breshnev, respectively?