Dump the olympics and dump chinese made goods. A lesson needs to be sent.

And yeah I know the keyboard, LCD, MB, and 95% of the things I am using are made in China.

China always does what it wants when it wants. Basically anything without monetary gain to them doesn't move the hand of it's government.

Just look at how it deals with it massive stray cats and dogs situation. And I doubt they can do anything to solve their pollution problem because the government is part of the cause. They have been turning a blind eye on polluting factories for the longest time mainly because it's profitable and cheaper than going the environmental route. You think that without lots of funding and government support that the factories are going to just stop polluting overnight. It's just doesn't work that way.

I think they should clean up their internal policies and realise that there isn't always a quick solution to every problem they are currently facing.

Well considering America isn't exactly the shining beacon light of ethics (Gitmo, secret overseas prisons, torture, bitchy HS girls), I think we should just STFU and concentrate on not getting disgraced in basketball.

I'm sure I'll get flamed for saying this, but its not our business to be telling other countries how to run themselves. The United States does NOT know the best way for OTHER countries to have a democracy. We seem to forget we've been doing it for almost 250 years. Why do we seem to think that we can march in to a country like Iraq, who has NEVER had a democracy, and install one and have it run smoothly in 5 years? Our OWN form of democracy is so messed up as it is today that most likely we'll never fix it properly.

In other words, let China handle China's business. Its not our place to tell them how to run their government. We've done just as much heinous stuff as the Chinese in our time.

I think before people get up on their high horses, we need to remember things like the Bonus Marchers of the 30's, and Kent State, just to mention a few questionable moments. No country has a spotless record, and after living in China for ten years I can state that it's nowhere near the heinous dictatorship it's hyperbolically portrayed to be. The Olympics are intended to be separate and above politics. Let's preserve the Olympic spirit and just have some good, sporting games.

Why doesn't China just free Tibet, or make them an autonomous region like Hong Kong? The Tibetans just want to be free and have their own country.

But, the Tibetan people have timed their protests correctly, right when Olympic reports are next door in China. They'll get the publicity they want/need. I doubt China will "free" Tibet. Still, props to Tibetans for making some noise, although too much of their noise has come in the form of death/murders :(

http://graphics.jsonline.com/graphics/photographer/20/20534_large.jpg

I agree that you should try seperating the spirit of the Olympics from politics. But sadly, seldom does even the host country itself...

I'm happy for the chinese people, but I can only guess how many people have been displaced from their homes to 'clean up' unwanted areas, dissidents jailed, or how extensibly the chinese dictatorship will try to direct the whole spectacle into some illusion, aswell as use it to brainwash its people even further...

No, when it comes to the chinese government, I don't trust them one bit. Just as well take the opportunity to hand it to them where/when it hurts the most.

Boycott the Olympics.

Boycott merchandise.

Boycott watching the broadcasts.

Boycott going to the games.

Boycott companies that support the Olympics, and by extension, the enslavement of Tibet, oppression of free speech, and inhumane treatment of its own citizens: Visa, Coca-Cola, lenovo, Panasonic, McDonald's, Samsung, GE, Kodak, Adidas, Haier.

On the other hand, letting China do its own thing could already be the best ting you could hope for if you want to expose its shortcomings. Every nation the torch has been to already has complained bitterly about "the thugs" (in the words of the London Olympics head) that China is using to "protect" the Olympic flame. It's certainly the most authentic diplomacy you're going to get from any country.

"REFLECTIONS ON TIBET"
http://www.newleftreview.org/?view=2380

It's long but is a fairly balanced summary on more recent Tibet political history, focus on 1950 and afterward.

well we SHOULD boycott CHINA. but WTF does that have to do with the olympics. It's incredibly reckless to destroy the olympic games for athletes that have NOTHING to do with China :(

I wonder which will affect china more, boycotting the olympics, or boycotting chinese goods?

I boycott both boys and cots.

China doesn't care what the west thinks. The most dangerous thing to them isn't our opinion, it's a small group of people forming a political movement that sweeps the populous. It's how they got into power themselves. The Olympics is just an opportune time for their enemies (real or perceived) to take action, and some are.

I've got a history teacher who says they need to go back to Greece where they started and ditch the silly torch thing which has nothing to do with the original Olympic games. Sure would solve the problem of bickering over where they should be held.

Let the atheletes play...screw politics.

I lost all interest once they allowed professional athletes to compete. The Olympics has become nothing more than a money-grab.
I say shut them down and put all that time, money, and effort towards something truly magnanimous.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympics#Boycotts

I say we do more than just boycott the opening ceremonies.

There's no real problem in that. Those to blame are the Olympic comitee. That is where the protests should have happened years ago. And they did, and they got bored and left. At this point, there's nothing to do, but enjoy China's wonders of technology, architecture and organization.
I bet transportation in the city will suck greatly. There's a ton of people living there already

I'm not really sure what the U.S. should do, but I can see why Germany would boycott the Olympics. After all they had some countries boycott their Olympics.