Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Discussion Thread

[Hash]

Seems like it's going to be a very disrupted Olympic season. Discuss here.

The protests in Paris were huge and the Chinese officials extinguished the flame to prevent any bad happening to it. Protestors climbed the Eiffel Tower to put up a banner:
A Greenie councillor tried to grab the flame from one of the torchbearers and after that did something with the banner on the Eiffel Tower. Right and left-wing MPs also protested.

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Spectators=Chinese students in France of course.

Seems like it's going to be disrupted in SF, no? Hopefully.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Although I wish they had not chosen China, and I'm glad that people are protesting, enough is enough.  Let the Olympics happen, don't disrupt the majesty of the Games for political purposes.

[Verily]

Plurality Chinese San Francisco? You bet there will be protests.

[dead0man]

Although I wish they had not chosen China, and I'm glad that people are protesting, enough is enough.  Let the Olympics happen, don't disrupt the majesty of the Games for political purposes.

BS.  If you want the world's attention, why not use the world's biggest stage?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Although I wish they had not chosen China, and I'm glad that people are protesting, enough is enough.  Let the Olympics happen, don't disrupt the majesty of the Games for political purposes.

BS.  If you want the world's attention, why not use the world's biggest stage?

This won't accomplish anything; it just makes people look bad.

[dead0man]

Yeah, but it makes China look bad and they need to look bad.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Yeah, but it makes China look bad and they need to look bad.

That is true.

[GMantis]

Although I wish they had not chosen China, and I'm glad that people are protesting, enough is enough.  Let the Olympics happen, don't disrupt the majesty of the Games for political purposes.

BS.  If you want the world's attention, why not use the world's biggest stage?

This is exactly why the protests started.

[Hash]

Yeah, but it makes China look bad and they need to look bad.

^^^

[dead0man]

Nothing going wrong according to the PRC.  link

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[Hash]

For warm, it was warm, but not as much a welcome.

Berlin 1936 anyone?

[Silent Hunter]

OK, why did this city get the Olympics?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

OK, why did this city get the Olympics?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[ottermax]

I think the Beijing Olympic Relay planners chose San Francisco just based on demographics. They probably weren't thinking about politics... stupidity on their part. China is so sad.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

OK, why did this city get the Olympics?

Because it helps inflate the egos of the IOC members who think that the Olympics are something more than an overhyped sport competition.  The IOC is loving all this because it helps to reinforce the false idea that the Olympics are anything more than yet another opportunity for jingoistic couch potatoes to enjoy themselves for a couple of weeks.

[Stranger in a strange land]

OK, why did this city get the Olympics?

Because it helps inflate the egos of the IOC members who think that the Olympics are something more than an overhyped sport competition.  The IOC is loving all this because it helps to reinforce the false idea that the Olympics are anything more than yet another opportunity for jingoistic couch potatoes to enjoy themselves for a couple of weeks.

unfortunately much of the world doesn't see it that way: for many countries even winning a medal is a huge deal, and having the Olympics in your country is seen as a chance to showcase all that's good about it. That's why the Olympics are such a huge deal for China.

[Хahar 🤔]

I think the Beijing Olympic Relay planners chose San Francisco just based on demographics. They probably weren't thinking about politics... stupidity on their part. China is so sad.

You mean we didn't just randomly luck out?

[Hash]

OK, why did this city get the Olympics?

and contrary to when the 1936 Olympics were awarded to Berlin, China was a dictatorship back when it won it.

[Aizen]

The protests in Paris, London and San Fransisco make me very happy.

[Hatman 🍁]

One more reason they should've given it to Toronto.

[Smid]

One of the state MPs over here made a speech yesterday regarding the Beijing Olympics.

http://tex.parliament.vic.gov.au/bin/texhtmlt?form=VicHansard.dumpall&db=daily&dodraft=1&speech=8179&activity=Members+Statements&title=China:+human+rights&date1=9&date2=April&date3=2008&query=true%0a%09and+%28+data+contains+'FINN'+%29%0a%09and+%28+members+contains+'FINN'+%29%0a%09and+%28+hdate.hdate_3+=+2008+%29%0a%09and+%28+house+contains+'COUNCIL'+%29%0a

Don't know if that link works... if not - www.parliament.vic.gov.au - then click "hansard" then search for Bernie Finn in 2008.

It was just mentioned on www.andrewlanderyou.blogspot.com

[Hash]

No, they should've given it to Paris. Nicolas Sarkozy opening them would've been funny. And Bertrand Delanoe would've been re-elected by the first round.

[jeron]

Yes. The IOC is of course very hypocritical about this in claiming that the Olympics are not about politics, when clearly they have everything to do with politics. China wanted these games for political reasons, to create a more positive image of itself.

[Beet]

Yes. The IOC is of course very hypocritical about this in claiming that the Olympics are not about politics, when clearly they have everything to do with politics. China wanted these games for political reasons, to create a more positive image of itself.

The Olympic Games themselves are inherently 'political'. It is all about international peace and cooperation by using sports to transcend other issues. What the IOC is saying is that the Olympic message is undermined if the sporting aspect is unable to transcend other issues, such as Tibet.

[Hatman 🍁]

No, they should've given it to Paris. Nicolas Sarkozy opening them would've been funny. And Bertrand Delanoe would've been re-elected by the first round.

Toronto had the better bid. They should actually give it to cities with the BETTER bids, don't you think?