Never Again, Again
August 5, 2008 12:59 PM Subscribe
The Olympics are nearly upon us, and China continues to ignore the people of Darfur. Perhaps they can offer assistance if and when the genocide ends. The Olympics are nearly upon us, and China continues to ignore the people of Darfur. Perhaps they can offer assistance if and when the genocide ends.
Despite protests and calls by activist groups such as Mia Farrow's "Dream for Darfur" to boycott the opening ceremonies of this week's Olympics, China will continue to supply bombers, attack helicopters, and arms and ammunitions to the Sudanese government, as well as place obstacles in the path of an effective U.N. deployment of forces. While China hasn't been much help to Darfur now, they could be of great assistance if and when the genocide ends by helping to build and design a memorial for the victims.
This post was deleted for the following reason: this is not a good post for metafilter. this is too axe grindy and uses over the top editorializing language which obscures what might be an otehrwise decent point. Please do not do this here. -- jessamyn
I'm trying to think of an instance when China ever thought of anyone other than itself, but I'm coming up with nothing.
posted by Daddy-O at 1:11 PM on August 5, 2008
posted by Daddy-O at 1:11 PM on August 5, 2008
"I'm trying to think of an instance when [insert empire here] ever thought of anyone other than itself, but I'm coming up with nothing."
ftfy
posted by mullingitover at 1:17 PM on August 5, 2008
ftfy
posted by mullingitover at 1:17 PM on August 5, 2008
mullingitover, it's even better, because the Chinese arms blueprints were stolen or purchased or otherwise acquired from the U.S. arms blueprints. Kettle™ meet kettle.
posted by acro at 1:19 PM on August 5, 2008
posted by acro at 1:19 PM on August 5, 2008
"I'm trying to think of an instance when [insert Olympic Host Country] ever thought of anyone other than itself, but I'm coming up with nothing."
These games, they go on forever.
posted by Elmore at 1:21 PM on August 5, 2008
These games, they go on forever.
posted by Elmore at 1:21 PM on August 5, 2008
...if and when the genocide ends.
You can say that again...
posted by mmrtnt at 1:24 PM on August 5, 2008
You can say that again...
posted by mmrtnt at 1:24 PM on August 5, 2008
so the gold medal in the hunger event goes to the darfur team?
posted by kitchenrat at 1:24 PM on August 5, 2008
posted by kitchenrat at 1:24 PM on August 5, 2008
China probably thinks it's cute that people in the US are so worked up about Darfur, when the body count in Iraq is even higher. Plus China isn't even directly killing innocent people like the US is. Pot, Kettle, get acquainted.
So I (BTW I'm an individual human, not a symbolic manifestation of a country, just so we are clear) can't be against both the Iraq war and the way China is acting in Sudan? One bad in the world associated with my country precludes me, as an individual, from speaking out on other bad things happening in the world? If this is what you mean, that is a cramped and juvenile view of the world and the people who act in it. It reminds me of the people who argue over what was worse, the Holocaust or the Stalinist purges and famines, as if the very existence of Horrendous Thing I blots out the ability to speak of Horrendous Thing II without first genuflecting at Horrendous Thing I.
posted by Falconetti at 1:32 PM on August 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
So I (BTW I'm an individual human, not a symbolic manifestation of a country, just so we are clear) can't be against both the Iraq war and the way China is acting in Sudan? One bad in the world associated with my country precludes me, as an individual, from speaking out on other bad things happening in the world? If this is what you mean, that is a cramped and juvenile view of the world and the people who act in it. It reminds me of the people who argue over what was worse, the Holocaust or the Stalinist purges and famines, as if the very existence of Horrendous Thing I blots out the ability to speak of Horrendous Thing II without first genuflecting at Horrendous Thing I.
posted by Falconetti at 1:32 PM on August 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
Falconetti writes "One bad in the world associated with my country precludes me, as an individual, from speaking out on other bad things happening in the world?"
No, you're free to speak out on whatever you want. However, it's along the same lines as a Japanese activist in WWII protesting the holocaust while Japan is raping Nanking.
fixedgear writes "ftfy = sorry, don't know what this means, I am old."
ftfy = for teh funnay, yo
posted by mullingitover at 1:42 PM on August 5, 2008
No, you're free to speak out on whatever you want. However, it's along the same lines as a Japanese activist in WWII protesting the holocaust while Japan is raping Nanking.
fixedgear writes "ftfy = sorry, don't know what this means, I am old."
ftfy = for teh funnay, yo
posted by mullingitover at 1:42 PM on August 5, 2008
I didn't realize that the International Criminal Court filed war crimes charges against Sudan's president Omar al-Bashir back in July. That could be good news at least.
posted by quin at 1:46 PM on August 5, 2008
posted by quin at 1:46 PM on August 5, 2008
mulingitover: Here's just one instance of the US selflessly spending millions to make things better. What about the Marshall Plan? The US is the best friend Japan and Germany ever had. Compare it to the way Japan, Germany, or the Soviet Union treated those they conquered. I am in no way a supporter of the US invasion of Iraq or the way the occupation has been mishandled. Quite the opposite, I think many in the Bush administration are war criminals and Constitution rapers. But to compare China with the US is ridiculous. While you are able to criticize the actions taken by your government, the people of China are not. Censorship, political persecution, heavily regulated personal freedoms, and forced abortions are probably things you don't spend much time worrying about. It could be convincingly argued that the US invaded Iraq to overthrow an oppressive dictator and bring democracy and freedom to an oppressed people. But as badly as we have screwed things up, it can't be compared to the systematic genocide that is the policy of the Sudanese government. The Chinese supply the weapons that are paid for by the oil the Sudanese sell them. Why do the hypocritical Chinese say nothing against the genocide? Because of the oil. But 70 years later, the Chinese still wail about the Rape of Nanking while they ignore the genocide in Darfur. Try going to Beijing and waving a Tibetan flag the way you are able to criticize your government here and then rethink the pot kettle comparison.
posted by Daddy-O at 1:56 PM on August 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Daddy-O at 1:56 PM on August 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
That could be good news at least.
Nah, doesn't really change anything. All of the usual suspects have rallied 'round al-Bashir, so he's got a lot of international cover. Nobody is going to arrest him. As long as he stays out of Europe he'll be fine.
posted by aramaic at 1:59 PM on August 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
Nah, doesn't really change anything. All of the usual suspects have rallied 'round al-Bashir, so he's got a lot of international cover. Nobody is going to arrest him. As long as he stays out of Europe he'll be fine.
posted by aramaic at 1:59 PM on August 5, 2008 [1 favorite]
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posted by mullingitover at 1:07 PM on August 5, 2008 [1 favorite]