What Will A Boycott Accomplish?

April 13th, 2008 at 05:56pm Kit O'Carra 51

  Why is there always a bandwagon leap of arrogance and hypocrisy when the Olympics roll around?  It seems one or more countries have a group of activists who have been training almost as long as the athletes themselves when it comes to diverting the attention of the Games to a political arena, if not a self-indulgent one for their own agendas.

As a former Olympic hopeful, spending six years on the United States Shooting Team traveling around the world to compete, I get a little irascible when the talk turns to boycotting the Olympic Games. Why isn’t the boycott a daily issue with everyone who feels it necessary to disrupt the Olympics, directed toward nearly every retailer in the country who offers goods made in China? Where are the demonstrations at the doors of Wal-Mart or Dell Computers?

Everyday in this country millions of people are spending money on toothpaste, pet food, laptop computers, Black and Decker tools, clothing, toys, baby strollers, cosmetics, electronics and more; all made in China, and yet without any fuss or hesitancy whether they are sanctioning China’s actions by making their purchases. So why are the Olympic Games the biggest attention getter for the boycotters? How will a boycott affect American companies operating in China? Wouldn’t we be shooting ourselves in the foot?

President Bush boycotting the opening ceremonies would be the same as any of us attending a birthday party for someone, but refusing to eat the cake because you don’t agree with the person’s politics. Isn’t this where the phrase ‘you can’t have your cake and eat it too’ came from? If not, perhaps it should have new meaning now.

I disagree with the idea of boycotting the Games. I am not naïve enough to wax poetic on the main purpose of the Games as ‘competing in harmony and peace with all nations, setting aside our personal beliefs for sixteen days.’ There are too many people with their hands in the coffer for that kind of simple certainty. I do believe though that each athlete should have their chance at competing, no matter where the Games are held or what that country has done to another. I believe that Tibet should have its freedom and independence, and no longer suffer from the inhumane treatment of China. But boycotting the Olympics isn’t going to change one damn thing for Tibet. Thinking it will is foolish.

Bill Clinton gave (i.e. sold) China permanent favored nation trading status. Will a boycott of any kind for any duration change any of that? Of course it won’t. So just exactly who would be affected by a boycott? Most certainly the athletes who have trained for years for this one chance will be affected. Did our boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow cause the fall of USSR eleven years later?

My advice is this: boycott on an individual level if you feel strongly about an Olympic boycott. If you want to try to change the ways of China, try to find a retailer who does not offer even one item in their store with a Made In China tag on it. Good luck with that. Buy Only American. Block NBC from your remote control. Send Bill Clinton an “Up Yours” card on recycled paper made in America from trees clear-cut in Oregon.

Can you see the futility in a 16-day action that revolves around the Olympics?

Let the Games begin.... without the disruption of politics. Wouldn't that be a nice vision for a brief sixteen days?

Waiting reluctantly on the beach of Lincoln City, Oregon...

Entry Filed under: Sports, Politics, Travel, Business, Foreign Policy