any olympic events worth all this shit?'

[JonnyHungwell]

There's nothing wrong with China hosting the games. True their human rights aren't the best in the world - but they certainly aren't the worst.

Remember the good old US of A killed 3 MILLION Vietnamese - don't remember people bleeting about that when the Olympics were in Los Angeles.

You've fallen for the anti China propaganda.

[Jonone]

All you know about China is what you read Swampthing. Maybe it's time to question the reliability and partiality of the information you expose yourself to.

[Deuce Bigolo]

To be brutally honest i think the Olympics & China go very well together

One is a ruthless regime which will say or do what ever it takes to remain in power and the other big business draped in the flag of patriotism

If we were ever going to begrudge china this event surely we should also cease trading with them until they get their human rights record in order?

Of course that will never happen because big business stands to lose too much money.So we are all hypocrites regardless of the Olympics

Much of our current prosperity is being driven by the chinese economy

Food for thought

[mart]

Swampthing can read far more than the unfortunate citizens of China.

Protests allowed in 3 parks in Beijing.....if you have a permit...and you're not in jail.

Mart

[Guilbert]

>Remember the good old US of A killed 3 MILLION Vietnamese

And dropped Napalm on innocent people (including children).

In fact the USA have probably been responsible for far more deaths and suffering (worldwide) since the second world war than China have.

[Guilbert]

And 30 or so years ago the USA had apartheid against blacks as bad as anything in South Africa.

In fact it used to make me annoyed how the USA critisized South Africa for its treatment of blacks, yet blacks in the south of the USA were treated almost as badly.

Here is a sign from the USA from the 1960s

[JonnyHungwell]

There was a documentary on Dutch channel BVN the other night, where they travelled to the Sichuan province. It's been colonised by Han Chinese, in order to keep their hands on the vast oil and coal reserves. The two populations still live separately, but at least China has given them a modern environment with a decent infrastructure. The police were pretty heavy handed when the crew tried to film outside of the good areas and people were genuinely afraid to pass political comment - but when asked if they'd prefer more political freedom or more money, the answer was for more money.

Freedom will come in time, but at the moment when take home salaries are around ?200 a month, there are more pressing matters. The good of the country comes before personal freedom.