Comments on: China's Olympian Human Rights Challenges

China's Olympian Human Rights Challenges

homunculus — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:45:19 -0800

Beijing 2008: China's Olympian Human Rights Challenges. This website was set up by Human Rights Watch to monitor human rights issues in China during the run-up to the Olympics. "This is a historic opportunity for China to show it has the confidence to make tangible and sustainable progress in ensuring basic human rights for its 1.3 billion citizens."

More resources from other human rights groups: Amnesty International: China: Olympic Legacy The Committe to Protect Journalists has updated their report from last year: Falling Short: Olympic Promises Unfulfilled as China Falters on Press Freedom Reporters without Borders: Beijing 2008 Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy

By: homunculus

homunculus — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:47:06 -0800

Meanwhile, in today's news: Olympic torch arrives in Tibetan areas amid tight security Beijing: A Harder Line on Tibet? I have a bad feeling about this.

By: Fizz

Fizz — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:45:05 -0800

Every country in the world has had at some point issues with Human Rights Violations. I'm not saying this justifies the atrocities that are enacted against the various peoples, but everyone seems to think that China should be this perfect nation, as if countries like the United States of America, or Great Britain have never had issues with human rights violations themselves. Cheers.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:53:28 -0800

Tents, tanks and a torch in China

By: Mick

Mick — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:10:06 -0800

There's also this post at the National Underground Freedom Center that is critical of the US's Trafficking in Humans Report and the Media's lack of coverage. Disclaimer: I work on the Freedom Center's website.

By: Burhanistan

Burhanistan — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:50:19 -0800

I think one of the problems non-Chinese people have with China is the fear of their ideals that the nation is bigger than the individual. One way this fear gets expressed is to put their practices under a microscope. I'm no Sinologist, but that sort of attitude has prevailed in China long before Mao, and probably will continue to drive them to ultimate global domination.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:51:03 -0800

China seeks to quell quake parents' outrage Quake parents apologize to loved ones under rubble

By: homunculus

homunculus — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:57:47 -0800

everyone seems to think that China should be this perfect nation Really? I've yet to meet a single person who thinks that. Most just want them to make an effort, as per their promises when they were given the Olympics. I've also yet to meet anyone critical of China who isn't also extremely critical of the US.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:17:40 -0800

The window closes

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:37:33 -0800

We The People have of course done more than our fair share of human atrocities. I don't think there's a major political power in the course of human history that hasn't. However, China really rises to the challenge of human atrocity and on a semi-regular basis outdoes pretty much every other culprit. What happened to Tibet in recent years is just the tip of the iceberg. I mean their methods of population control alone (both official and unofficial) are enough to make this look like a fraternity prank. Yes, hazing is wrong, but I've yet to hear any evidence that we killed the prisoners. We humiliated them. That was wrong, but we didn't kill them. The United States damn sure needs to take the planks out of its own eyes before trying to remove splinters from China, but I'm not aware of an American policy regarding how many children a family can have, or killing baby girls so you can try again and hope for a boy. That's pretty major fucked up right there. So I'm not planning on spending a lot of time watching the Summer Olympics this year. I'm not saying I'm boycotting it, cuz I don't believe boycotting does jack shit. I just think I got better things to do with my time than watch any activity happening in a country that believes in killing its own women for being born the wrong gender. ...and the Tibet thing. ...and Tiananmen Square. ...and reverse racism due to extremist approaches to affirmative action. ...and Hukou. ...I like haiku tho...

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:38:27 -0800

...oh, and the lack of free press in China...

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:39:05 -0800

...oh. And how they treat migrant and rural workers...

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:41:20 -0800

...oh. And the crackdown on Falun Gong...

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:44:00 -0800

...oh. And organ harvesting...

By: aught

aught — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:49:24 -0800

What happened to Tibet in ~~recent~~ the last fifty years is just the tip of the iceberg.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:26:30 -0800

Congressmen say Chinese hacked their PCs Dissident locations, other sensitive data intercepted

By: homunculus

homunculus — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:30:52 -0800

China's Olympic torch arrives in Tibet Dalai Lama calls for calm as Olympic torch heads to Tibet

By: TomMelee

TomMelee — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:25:22 -0800

Chinese soldiers execute Tibetan pilgrims at the Nepalese border. I fully believe that we should begin our views of rest of the world by critically looking at our own. However, I also believe that conflict is inevitable and as much as I long for peace someone else will always long for conflict. Such is the ebb and flow of life. I dislike that we (western hemisphere) can be so criticized for our distrust of China with the excuse that we're no better. I disbelieve that. We don't view our citizens as resources to be used and discarded, and really I think that's because we have the luxuries of space and money. While I don't think that we as a people are better than the Chinese, or that our system of government is not without its flaws--I think that China, and her citizens, have a long long way to go. Pot calling the kettle black? Perhaps, but I think that's taking the shallow view. I am boycotting the 08 Olympics. I encourage everyone to do the same. I know nobody bothers to watch them now (What happened to the 80's when it was like our civic duty to watch Every Waking Moment?), but I sort of feel a little joy at the *concept* of the olympics---everyone coming together in the spirit of competition and good will. I realize that there are enough drugs that "Fair" doesn't exist, and I realize that the Olympics aren't the "final best" in most sports---but still, I like to think they have a social significance. I think the Beijing 08 olympics have none of that, and that China hasn't kept her promises, and that too much will be done behind closed doors. No watching Phelps kick ass this year, sorry buddy!