Olympic Protests Extinguish Flame, Fun

It's continually shocking to see hundreds and thousands of protesters showing up to block the procession of the Olympic torch relay across the world.  Most all of the protests are steming from human rights violations in China and against Tibet, and while the things that are going on in Western China are not okay by any means, it's a shame that the fall-out is seen all along the path of the Olympic Torch.  I understand that there is not a better worldwide stage to point out the violations of rights and freedom on China's part, but there must be a more productive method than to crash the party of every Olympic parade in every city across the world. 

The torch relay is meant to bring countries together and unite the world leading up to the Olympic Games, a festival of sport that brings out the pride and patriot in all nationalities, and gives the world a break from the dreary and depressing news of every day life.  Bringing to attention the Tibetan hardships that are taking place and the human rights violations throughout Western China is a good  and necessary thing.  But doing so at the expensive of every individual who attempts to enjoy the Olympic torch relay is not fair.  And now the news that San Francisco's mayor plans to partake in protests when the torch arrives in SF.  The Olympic Games will go on, despite all the protests, and likely none of this will sway the minds of China's goverment.  So is it worth it?

Comments

[woodennickels]

First, let me say that I generally like your product, and the effort that you have made both at the local level in the Jackson Hole Tetons area, and at the more international level on environmental politics. This is commendable. However, your position on the relationship between civil disobedience and the Olympics is really, really disappointing. Not simply because it stands in opposition to my own opinion, but because it fails to actually consider the political entailments of the Olympics as an institution. It reads, in my opinion, as a failure of political will, when politics buts heads with an issue that is not politically fashionable (i.e, we are willing to support fashionable causes--such as the environment, but when politics collides with 'sport' we are unwilling to consider this a legitimate issue). I'm saddened by this because it makes me question the integrity of your commitment to socially responsible investment.

I understand your frustration, but I also feel that it is generally confused, and mistaken on a number of levels.

1. First, you argue that the olympics are best appreciated as a festival of sport, disassociated from politics. However, you characterize the result of participating in the olympics in ostensibly political terms--namely, the arousal of feelings of patriotism. Patriotism is politics at its best, so your general premise is negated by your attempt to justify it. Participating in the Olympics is in and of itself a form of politics, and it has been from the start. There are a number of examples of this. Too many to list here, so for space reasons, I refer you to this link for a short run down:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_in_the_Olympics

2. Second, your view that politics ought to be separated from sport, generally supports the chinese position--which is that one should not 'politicize' the olympics. However, if you accept this position, you basically concede to ignore two basic points. First, that this is the first time the Olympics have been hosted by a blatantly repressive regime where the precondition for participation is to accept this separation of athletics from politics. China has not made acquiescence to the curtailment of free speech a condition for participation, but its distinction between sport and politics, and the developing code of conduct that is growing out of this distinction is in fact resulting in this type of censure . Consider this article for how this is playing out in the worlds democaracies---http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=513362&in_page_id=1770&ct=5

Second, that the athletes themselves don't have a political opinion and a civic right to both participate and to protest. Consider the end of this interview for discussion of the role of athletes in protesting the chinese in Darfur http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89523627

3. Although you are correct in suggesting that a great majority of the protesters are protesting over the Chinese occupation of Tibet, the protesters are actually comprised of a coalition which opposes the role of china on a number of issues. In addition to the Tibetan issue, there is the economic role of China in supporting states that are aggressively perpetuating genocide in Darfur. Finally, there are those who protest the internal violation of human rights that the chinese government has organized against ethnic and political minorities who seek avenues of civil protest during the games.

In closing, let me just reiterate both my disappointment and my sympathy for your frustration. I understand that this blog is perhaps just an expression of that frustration, and nothing more. However, at the end of your blog you pose a question--"is it worth it?" And my answer is categorically yes. Its worth it even if the chinese government doesnt change their policies. Its worth it because realizing this type of protest is useful if we are to make athletics and the athletic community more socially responsible. This sentiment, of social responsibility coupled with leisure and enjoyment, is something I think you clearly express in your commitment to the environment in your pursuit of the "Mountain life." I would hope that you use this event as an opportunity to extend that commitment as a general ethic, more broadly construed.

[MK]

We appreciate your thoughtful and educated response. The original blog post was meant to start a discussion, but the intention from an organizational standpoint is to stay neutral and play the devil's advocate. So there's no need to feel disappointed, as the above does not represent the views of the company, and rather was meant to point out the disruptions and protests regarding the Torch Relay. Our views on China, the Olympics, the human rights violations and the rest of the issues were not discussed above, intentionally.

[woodennickels]

Hey Great! Glad to be of help then. I think this issue is a really complicated and confusing one, and so I used this post, and your blog, to take the afternoon to formulate an opinion.

Just so we're clear, and even if my disappointment were sustained (which it is not), I love your products, and the work that you do. If it is the case that your playing devils advocate, then its even more commendable that you provide a forum for this type of discussion.

[MK]

Glad to hear we cleared things up, thanks for your support as a customer and as a reader of our blog.