Boycotts, China and why the Olympics are aptly named

Because, by the time the games start, China will be limping.

Let me state for the record:

1) I don't care about the Olympics - except for Men's Basketball, Men's Hockey and Men's Curling. Most Olympic sports are the shit we do during gym when we aren't allowed to play soccer, dodgeball or other fun games. If you wanted to encourage me to watch, make it like the Olympics of old - have them engage in gladiatorial combat.

2) Olympic Boycotts often lead to the demise of Fast Food chain profitability because they load up their "win a burger when America wins gold" in sports where the soviet bloc dominates;

3) The fact that China is allowed to host any international event baffles the mind. So, will Taiwan be able to compete? It doesn't look like it or at least, China is using its position over the rest of the world.

Ok. Apparently the IOC wants to cancel the torch relay through parts of Europe and (presumably) Tibet. Good Luck with the latter part. When the Red Guard controls the border, you can't really tell them what they can/'t do inside their borders. Frankly, anyone in China who is upset because people are crashing their international relay to push a political agenda should go sit out in the cold, with but a torch to warm them.

China is a gigantic monolith of a consuming public. They make things poorly, dangerously, in an unsustainable way, in an energy inefficient way, they generate that electricity inefficiently, and they do questionable (if not EVIL) things to their people. Especially those who aren't friends with Mao. If the military-industrial complex is responsible for creating Climate Change, China will be responsible for ending it, or, the final change to the Climate. I could go on, but I don't have to - China is tolerated because they spend a lot of money.

We don't need China's cheap stuff. We can make our own expensive stuff.

China continues to desperately need our Energy, wood, water, food, and all other natural resources. China is a consumer. At some point in history, we need to look at the crap in the dollar store and say "I don't need this at all, let alone pay marginally less for it." While it is true that we compete both domestically and internationally with China (and others) to sell what they manufacture - at some point the human race is going to realize that price point is not the only consideration. When it happens, let me know.

In the mean time, I think it is time to stop placating China. They are oppressive and brutal in achieving their imperial goals. That was deliberate word choice. While they can feel free to participate in the games, hosting it sends the absolute wrong message - and boycotting it will accomplish less.

Until it does. Everyone forgets that it was the IOC that was the first to tell South Africa that they were being jerks. Russia didn't come to Los Angeles, and we didn't go to Moscow. Big deal. A generation of atheletes might not get their chance to throw their spear. while boycotts do nothing, maybe the IOC should ban Chinese atheletes from competing.

That would get someone's attention.