I decided to combine my usual Thoughtful Thursday with a Thursday Thirteen, which a lot of dogs do around the 'Verse. It's all about the Olympics, which just ended this past week. Some of you may know-- I boycotted watching the Beijing Olympics (go Paw-lympics!), and my family is trying to boycott things made in China (yeah, that's pretty hard to do nowadays). Why do we do that, you ask? Well, here are 13 reasons:
1. Atrocious human rights record. This could be Thirteen Things in and of itself, and would include forced abortions, torture, legal abuses, censorship, etc.Some of them are reasons why going in; some of them are vindications after the fact. Now of course this is unusual for me, speaking out against my country of origin and everything. But shouldn't someone speak out? As usual with my Thoughtful Thursdays, I hope it makes everyone think!
2. Religious suppression and persecution
3. Occupation and marginalization of Tibet
4. Poor working conditions in factories
5. Pollution due to industrialization
6. Poor mental health services
7. Support (at least implicitly) for genocide in Darfur
8. Rehearsal conditions for opening ceremonies
9. Diverted resources from poor districts for Olympics
10. Faked fireworks
11. Lip-synch girl
12. Possibly forged birth certificates of athletes
13. "Silver = shame" coaching
PAW-S: Just to avoid any upset humans or dogs, it's important to note that these are just the reasons why my family and I boycott, not reasons that everyone else should accept and reasons why those who don't are "bad doggies." Everyone should make their own choices based on their own convictions.
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9 comments:
"digitally enhanced" fireworks? Yikes, that's nuts!
Cool! I’m counterculture. I looked that up on Wiki and I like it. Maybe next month’s manicdote-header will involved tie-dye....!
We agree with your boycott and also try to boycott, but it is difficult when most everything says "Made in China". Mom thinks pugs are probably the last great thing to come from that country.
I'll add one to your 13. Selling of dog & cat fur to clothing manufacturers.. we won't even go into the inhumane treatment of said cats & dogs.
My mom and I do try furry hard -
She'll admit she watched some of the olmpikhs but she did girlkhott the opening and khlosing ceremonies -
My unkhle Steve and my khousin Wolfie live in Northern China - it doesn't sound like a furry fun place save fur some of the KHOOL temps -
Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
PeeEssWoo: Hope woo are still on the road to rekhovery after losing them bits of yours!
Mommy watched the opening ceremonies and was upset with many aspects of it (the displacement of people to build the complex) but then Daddy ended up watching the sporting events and she ended up watching too - but the unsettled feeling never went away.
We think you're smart and good for your boycott.
Pug love from,
Pearl & Daisy
Mom thinks it was a total disgrace bulldozing apartment buildings for olympic structures. We only hope that things will change more positively for China in the future.
Roxy
Hi!
Just thought we'd say hi! We're late in meeting new doggies from DWB but welcome!
The Brat Pack
Thank you for bringing up these issues! I thought it was disturbing how the issues with Tibet and the hazardous environmental issues were suddenly swept under the rug as soon as the opening ceremony began. It's wonderful for countries to come together and play sports together, but shouldn't we be realistic about it as well instead of looking at it through rose colored glasses?? The fact that they managed to conduct the Olympics with minimal human loss (so far as we know) doesn't overturn the fact that they mistreat their own people and care little for the impact their actions have on the environment that WE ALL share.
So huzzah for your 13 thoughts.
I knew some of the things on your list but not all of them. The fireworks have happened before, I think an another olympics added fireworks after the fact. And honestly out of all those other things, the fireworks are small potatoes. :p
What I find super interesting is the fact that you say you are Chinese (or from there) and you disagree with it,
You are the only person I personally have come across that is from China and against the Beijing olympics.
Thank you for the thoughtful post. It will be interesting to see what you will have to say about the 2010 winter games.
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