China must ban U.S. from Olympics for human rights abuses
The time is nearing for China’s Olympics. The Olympics, combined with the World Expo in 2010 have long been pointed to as landmark events for China in its build up to superpower status both militarily and economically.
With the battles in Tibet, however, China’s human rights record is once again showing itself to be a major problem for the nation that promotes its “One nation, two systems” paradigm. Thus far, Chinese officials have shown no interest in doing much regarding its horrific record on human rights and its squelching of personal freedoms, and few other countries seem to have the fortitude or strength of character to force the issue.
There is a solution for China, however, that would reverberate around the world and show at least a minuscule effort at improving global human rights. With U.S. President George W. Bush ho-humming about China’s abuses and committing to be in China for the opening ceremonies, Chinese officials have an opening of their own.
They can ban the U.S. from competing, and not allow Bush within their borders to show that they will no longer accept the human rights violations and international crimes of the U.S.
The United States is now a nation that admittedly tortures both foreign nationals and its own citizens. The U.S. is an aggressive, warring nation currently fighting wars on two fronts while saber rattling about starting a third. The U.S. spies on its own citizens, as well as citizens of other nations. The U.S. has consistently not only shown a lack of concern about the people’s of other nations, but have actively helped murder millions whether through war, sanctions or covert actions. Those in power of the U.S. jail political opponents. When the Gulf Coast of the U.S. was decimated by Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. government watched as the deaths piled up, then offered its citizens poisoned trailers to inhabit.
The U.S. has defied the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion, the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, the Non Proliferation Treaty, the Geneva Conventions Protocol, the UN Charter, as well as its own constitution.
Antoine Bernard, executive director of the International Federation of Human Rights, has said, “The key to peace and democracy building world-wide is accountability for international crimes.”
By banning the U.S. and George Bush from the Olympic Games, China will shine a bright light on the myriad human rights violations and international crimes of the U.S. under the Bush Administration.
While this would undoubtedly be viewed (and rightly so) as an incredibly hypocritical move by China, it would be another step in its ultimate goal of becoming the world’s next superpower.
After all, the U.S. has created the blueprint for how superpowers are allowed to act in regard to human rights abuses and international crimes. And that blueprint simply states “Do as we say, not as we do.”
–WKW