Jimmy Carter said

 

"That was a totally different experience in 1980, when the Soviet Union had brutally invaded and killed thousands and thousands of people, who -- in Afghanistan then," he said.

 

Boycott the U.S. Olympics!

Arggg... Just watch for yourself. I think it's important to put what he said in context of everything else he was discussing. I can't help but respect a man who has done SO MUCH after leaving office.

 

 

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4643157

He's a fruit loop. Hamas should be destroyed.

 

Not saying it's not worth trying, but I'm not exactly holding my breath.

When I quoted 'Chinese people', I was thinking of those in San Francisco, Chinese-Americans, who engaged in blessedly vocal argument with the Tibetan exiles and supporters. Also, of the expression of a BBC reporter on NPR about the media inside China and 'general' response. I doubt this includes any of the more the one million people displaced for building the Olympic complex; or any of those displaced in the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. I don't think we are going to hear from these people. iNow. tell it to a Tibetan. Pangloss, Every time you open your mouth, your brains are on parade!

I think a Tibetan would want to see permanent improvement in humanitarian issues and freedoms, not some meaningless sympbolic gesture like boycotting an event that represents years of training and struggle for the world's best athletes.

Too damn bad, dude. Paranoia, none of you is my responsibility.

Too damn bad, dude. Paranoia, none of you is my responsibility.

 

So, you'd rather see a ban on the Olympics than a genuine improvement in the situation faced by the Tibetan (and other) people?

 

I truly am struggling to understand your position. You are arguing for a boycott on the Olympics as if that is somehow the "end all, be all" of the need for change. People here who agree with the need for that change have argued that such a boycott punishes the wrong group, that they agree completely with the spirit you are passionately expressing, but think we should work together to find a better way of achieving the goal you (and we) seek.

 

Why are you being so venomous with us? I just don't understand.

There's this Chinese girl at my school who routinely goes on tirades in person, and posting messages on facebook about how Tibet is a rebellious territory, who need to be controlled and the rebellion squashed.

 

I wonder what the majority of Chinese people think about the Chinese government and so forth. Do they whisper advice such as "You should not rock the boat"? Of course, when you look back at history, this broaches the subject of religion vs. the state. The Chinese are atheist, the Tibetans are not? Religion makes people do some crazy things, it would seem. But of course, every country in the world should be just like the U.S.

Oh dear...

Well, the Buddhists think of Buddha as a "god", whereas the Hindus think of him as an agent of Vishnu. I'm not sure what the Dalai Llama's position is on all of this, but I think he believes in Vishnu, or maybe one of his other names.

Gautama Buddha was a person who attained enlightenment.

Agreed. That was a silly comment.

 

 

Now... A boycott? Why is this the best route to achieve the goal you seek?

NPR this morning reported that roughly a half of all US athletes will boycott the opening ceremonies at Beijing. What will you boycott, iNow?

I'll boycott silly ineffective boycotts, how about that?

 

Quit being a venomous prick, norm. I quite agree with the goal you seek. I am challenging you on the effectiveness of the methods you've chosen to pursue in order to obtain it.

 

 

What about my position are you not comprehending?

 

 

If you disagree with the practices of the FDA, you don't go and set fire to a pharmacy down the street.

You offer nothing but insult.

I tried offering questions and requests at clarification first. Further, I have not intentionally insulted you, although, I did rhetorically slap you in the face to try getting your attention.

 

After more than 65 posts, you have not once answered a question in this thread about how and why a boycott will be the best means to achieve the goal you seek.

 

You are simply screaming for a boycott, and pissing on people who challenge the idea.

 

 

I want to know why.

Buddhists believe that (a) man is literally God, whereas Hindus believe that God is God, To me, that is a pretty serious distinction and very relevant to the discussion, as wars have been fought over which is correct. Is man in charge or God? If you ask me, all the Chinese have to do is keep up the Iron Fist to prove that man is in charge. If you ask me, Buddha was not enlightened because he was wrong, but that's besides the point.

 

So the issue remains, will boycotting have any effect on China's behavior. If they are truly trying to be on everyone's good side as claimed, then yes, it should have a positive effect, but I am not sure how unified the Chinese people as a whole are behind this alternate ideology. The majority of the Chinese people are out of view from my perspective. I am only familiar with the macroscopic aspects that they let me see and my limited experience trading with them. Does the Chinese government represent the will of the majority of Chinese people? Are Chinese people, in general, happy with the status quo?

Pangloss, Every time you open your mouth, your brains are on parade!

 

I know. Isn't it great?

 

 

Why are you being so venomous with us? I just don't understand.

 

Because we're not kowtowing!

 

 

 

(Sorry, that was awful, I know.)

Because we're not kowtowing!

I think it has more to do with the passion he feels on the issue. Since I quite agree with the goal he is trying to achieve, I am trying to drive more rationality into the perspective being shared, not attack him personally.

Oops, I did it again. My rationalization failed me. Sorry. No religious wars between Hindus and Buddhists, except for on Sri Lanka, and the Dalai Lama does not believe in a Supreme being.

It's just a (bad) pun. I know what you're doing, but I think the attack was pointless. He's just not interested.

Your intellectual circles escape me.

Norm,

 

Will you answer my question?

iNow, No. This morning a news commentator on NPR acknowledged China as the world gold medal winner in executions, quite a few thousand.

 

I'll boycott silly ineffective boycotts, how about that?

 

Quit being a venomous prick, norm.

 

I get banned while this ugliness stands? I am losing respect for this site.

iNow, No.

I still don't understand, Norman. Why not?