Sample of Opinions From Bloggers on the Beijing Olympic Games

By China Watcher

Provided below is a sample of opinions from the various communities living in China and overseas:

(1) I live in China. I support Spielberg's decision, but not his protest. I understand some western people cannot tolerate a peaceful and friendly Olympic games in Beijing. But using the Darfur problem to boycott it is not right. The tragedy in Sudan did not come from the oil trade, but from the conflict between black Darfurians and Arabs. I hope they can understand the complexity first before simply picking on China for the responsibility. Please do boycott the Olympics - I don’t want the west bringing political hostility with it here.

(2) Let's see if he'll boycott the London Olympics for the UK's involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. What do westerners really know about China besides western propaganda on human right issues, Tibet, freedom of speech, etc? On the Darfur issue, I think there's a difference in thinking between China and the west. China does not believe in the high moral stuffs that the west likes to talk about. China sees all that as just a way to hide the west's true ambitions for Africa's resources.

(3) Mr. Spielberg's behavior is inappropriate. Complex China has many groups of people. Those who prepare the Olympics are different from those who decide Darfur policy. This behavior is rude. It can only be interpreted as hostility against China - as a whole. The feelings of the Chinese people are hurt.

(4) I do not support Spielberg's protest. It is very politically incorrect! I cannot believe some people are being negative towards the Olympic Games being held in Beijing. Many people are extremely prejudiced towards China and the Chinese people. China just wants to give the world a great Olympic Games. Take it, or leave it. Please stop being narrow minded, mean and malicious towards China!

(5) No doubt the Chinese government has loads problems, but what about the Chinese people? It is because of the hard working Chinese,China's GDP annual growth rate remains 10% for 20 years, 2 billion of Chinese rural population were lifted from poverty. What they have achieved in the past 30 years had taken developed countries 100 years to complete.There were no other country on earth has ever had such economic success on such enormous scale,so why shouldn't the Chinese people been awarded Olympics?

(6) Spielberg is the only winner of this GAME. Why focusing on Darfur while many other places around the world surfer the same? Why attacking China while his own country entered other people's land without invitation? Where was he when the US were hosting 1984 1996 Olympics? Boycotting Beijing is a big statement, but a statement doesn't equal to a resolution. Humanity crisis is a far too complex world issue that a little star could handle. Many people hate China but, never mind, many hate USA too!

(7) To be honest, if I had never been to China and only knew about China through the Western media like BBC or CNN, I would be horrified about this country. Although the camera never lies, footage of China in the 80's used in a documentary filmed in 2007 could be very misleading. Buy a ticket to Beijing to see the olympics, talk to local peole there, and your impression of China will be changed.

(8) I am surprised at the stance of the UK regarding the Dafur issue. I am quite perplexed because the UK has been putting pressure on Zimbabwe and it has failed terribly. This should be taken into context. a beggar has no choice.The Chinese have no choice and cannot attach strings to their dealings with the sudanese govt. What about Russia, there are issues surrounding the abuse of human rights and the UK could not even extradite the person behind the killer of Lityenko. China is the same.

(9) What I find interesting about this debate is why do people pay so much attention to Spielberg's political opinions?Why do people think that a director is the moral guiding hand on the Dafur situation?
This is like asking a comedian for medical advice, you don't do it because he/she isn't a medical expert.Likewise wouldn't it be better to trust the experts on the Dafur issue(ie UN).
Spielberg is using his fame and fortune to corrupt the minds of the public,DON'T FOLLOW HIM,DECIDE FOR YOURSELFS

(10) Why does everyone on this board seem to forget the simple fact that Olympics is a sports event? It should not be linked to politics. Why not just use the opportunity to appreciate another country's culture and cheer on for our atheletes? Leave China's politics alone, every country has its issues.

(11) I would simply ignore Mr Spielberg’s action. He was hired as an advisor of the Beijing Olympic Games, but he saw himself as the Governor of China. Being living in the UK for many years, I have an in-depth understanding of what kind of human rights and democracy western countries want to promote to China. China may not be powerful enough yet. However Chinese people are becoming more and more open mind while the western people’s opinions towards China are still staying in 40 years ago.

(12) United States is a racially segregated country and the people from the USA who complain about China all the time are people who do not make the complaint out of sympathy for the people in Dafur but out of hatred, jealousy and bigotry that they feel toward the Chinese. We all know that Guantanamo Bay exemplifies the values that Americans place on Human Rights.

(13) Many have raised issue on Tibet. Why not find a Tibetan around yourself, and ask if Tibet has been part of China since the 12th century, when UK was doing slave trade, and the US, hmm, was not in history yet after another 500 yrs. There might be other problems in Tibet today; but Tibet has never been a "country" in the last 800 years. Not a single country, including UK (invaded Tibet in 1900s) and India, has admitted its independency. How could you blame today's China (since 1949) for this?

(14) I've been living in China for 26 years, and what you said was obsoletely nonsense! I admit China has problem with free speech and human rights, but that doesn't make it hell. Most Chinese are satisfied with their life because it's getting better. And we are working on our democracy. I beg you go to China and have a look, don't just blabla based on what u hear

(15) USA should stop supplying arms to dictators or training their military in countries such as Chile, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Argentina where slaughters often occurred. Why can't the Olympics be left out of politics, it is an occasion when we are supposed to celebrate the sporting youth and not remark the failures of our politicians.

(16) Keep politics out of sport. Boycott the Beijing Olympics and then others will boycott London 2012 in retaliation. Don't get involved in the sort of childish nonsense we had in 1980 and 1984. (Moscow and Los Angeles).

(17) First of all, why on earth did Spielberg accept the offer to become an adviser then turn his back against the PRC? Hadn't he already heard about the buzz since a year ago or he just realized that within a month? Second, please fellow westerners don’t be such hypocrites, western countries also caused stir around the world. Don’t keep pointing China as if they are the main source of the issue in human right's degradation. What about Iraq, Afgh., Guanta., Israeli's toward Palestinian? Few actions taken.

(18) The Chinese can be critical of a long list of Westerners' misdeeds such as: Forcibly taking land from Native peoples in America, Australia and Africa and keeping them drunk and stuck on reservations. The invasion of the Middle East to secure the West's share of oil. America's influence in the rise of dictatorships and political unrest in various South American nations. The list goes on for miles. However, Chinese people do not criticize Westerners in such childish and naive ways. Have respect.