Boycotting Olympics

My family will be watching the Olympics, we will go the whole way while doing it ,  Athletics is Not a political statement. It is about a small group of people in any sport who have trained, trained and trained some more to be the best they can be.  It is about families making huge sacrifices to get their child to meets, practices and coaches. It does NOT represent China, it represents AMERICA.   We are proud to cheer for our American Olympic Team.

Before I would boycott the Olympics I would check and check again that I am not buying goods made in China.  After the toothpaste/dog food debacle the Chinese Minister in charge of Exports was put to death for failing his country,   sheesh that is a Harsh job review!!    I doubt this man ever used the toothpaste or had a dog...  not that it matters to him and his family anymore. I really do go out of my way to never buy products made in China, it is nearly impossible and has doubled the time it used to take to shop.

I want to See Micheal Phelps crush his competitors in the pool, I want to cheer for Dara Torres as she swims in her 5th Olympics at age 41!! Lolo Jones runs with such grace I want to see it ! Gosh there are so many more, I LOVE to watch Gymnastics,  Fencing and the Horse events,  There isn't a sport played that my family and I will not be cheering on The American Team first then the other athletes who will challenge a clock or tape measure.  I did not boycott football because of Micheal Vicks and his caliber of human being, instead I watched it rooting for the Mannings, and Farve and their type of player, people who donate heavily back to the community, who smile and joke and make football fun.

I understand wanting to make a difference any way you can, but boycotting an atheletic event IMHO is NOT the way to go.              

Bonitaof Bwana Go USA !!!!

well said, bonita!

i still wish they had the olympics somewhere else... they are countdowns to the start of olympics everywhere... i'm going to start one to the end of the olympics...

maybe i'll watch some of the paraolympics though... now THAT is inspiring...

Bonita - I LOVE your emoticons!!!! Too cool!

(even if hockey isn't a summer olympic sport) 

Bonita of Bwana

My family will be watching the Olympics, we will go the whole way while doing it ,  Athletics is Not a political statement. It is about a small group of people in any sport who have trained, trained and trained some more to be the best they can be.  It is about families making huge sacrifices to get their child to meets, practices and coaches. It does NOT represent China, it represents AMERICA.   We are proud to cheer for our American Olympic Team.

I've yet to become aware of a country that hasn't done nasty, shady things. Which is not to say that at any given point in time, one country may be doing more nasty things than another - that is certainly true.

But I guess I just don't get boycotting China for human and animal rights. I'm not sure what that will accomplish? And sadly, most countries that can produce cheap goods to satisfy the enormous American appetite for stuff are going to have crappy human rights situations. 

I do not buy food products or dog products made in China, for health reasons. There is no government oversight, and I don't feel I can trust the label.

China is going to be one of the up and coming world powers. If it isn't already. It has pretty enormous influence, especially in Africa.

Hopefully as they open up, their approaches to human rights and animal welfare will change for the better.  

 As the Auntie of one destined to compete in the Olympics, I would never boycott them.  I know how hard my niece works on a daily basis.  Her 3 hockey goals in life have been to make the high school hockey team in grade 9, go to college on hockey scholarships, and to play in the Olympics for Team Canada.  So far she has accomplished the first two and is well on her way to the third.  Every single athelete that competes at the Olympic level has worked just as hard as Megan, and I would never do anything to take that glory away from them.  Imagine being one of those atheletes, knowing that the country you are going to compete in will mean that not many people will be watching you.  As an athelete you don't get to pick the country....