The Olympics

This is a topic I've been meaning to cover in the last few days. The Beijing Olympics. The spectacle of all spectacles. Well, I'm here to tell you that this whole thing is a sham. The Olympic spirit has been lost, or maybe just converted, to a essentially meaningless series of events and challenges that people will forget as soon as they end...with the exception of Phelps' achievements.

I try to think back on what the Olympics was/is supposed to mean. A celebration of good will among nations and games in the spirit of competition. Can anyone say that is what is going on here? Personally, I cant watch the Olympics without thinking about the atrocities that China inflicts or contributes to around the world. Maybe I'm out of line for saying so but this is a country that seems to have NO regard for people, their own or others. They participate in so many crimes against humanity that you would almost think they actively pursue it. And what does the IOC do? Reward them? How sad is that?

What kind of issues is this Olympics ignoring in order to have the games in China? Correct me if I'm wrong but doesnt China play a role in the atrocities going on Darfur? Burma? Minority issues (Tibet, etc)? Where are all those conservatives who trumpet religious freedoms? Doesnt China have a TERRIBLE pollution problem? Forced evictions (This even happened again RIGHT BEFORE the games!)? And thats just the stuff that pops into my head. Anyway, I just think they ruined a chance to make a statement about human rights and its a shame. I guess the Great Wall is still doing its job.

Concerning the games themselves, am I the only one who finds it a little suspicious that all of a sudden China is handing everyone their ass in these events? Not that they havent done well before but the amount of difference MUST invoke suspicion of some sort. Home cooking, maybe?