2008 Summer Olympics? Not for All the Tea in China

Monday, July 16, 2001 - CHINA

"There is an old Vulcan proverb:
'Only Nixon could go to China.' "

Spock, Star Trek VI

BEIJING — On Friday afternoon, the International Olympic Committee announced its selection for the 2008 Summer host city; the award went to Beijing, a city favored by London bookies at 5:1 odds.

So what's the problem with the favorite winning?  The problem is that Beijing has a track record of brutality and political despotism that would hardly distinguish it a place worthy of hosting a gladiator tournament, let alone the Olympic games.

To add grease to the fire, Beijing officials proudly announced last week their aggressive campaign to exterminate all unlicensed dogs as a means of cleaning up the streets and appeasing the great god Juan Antonio Samaranch seated high atop Mt. Olympiad.  (Unrelated note: Mr. Samaranch himself is due to pass on the torch to his yet-unnamed successor today.)

Apparently, Beijing's campaign worked, and even as one of its chief rival cities, Paris, was busy promoting its own image of encouraging responsible pet-guardianship (i.e. pooper-scooping) as well as new and high-tech ways of disposing of pet waste, Beijing stole the vote.

In all fairness to the IOC delegates, of whom just over 50% preferred Beijing (and many of whom are now refusing to disclose their stance to the outraged public), there was much more at stake here than a last-minute dog-cull, or even a history of dog brutality.  As always, diplomacy, pomp and circumstance figured heavily.

For years, Beijing itself had been in the doghouse for numerous human-rights violations, atrocities and military tyranny stemming from the baneful Red days.  For this, the city—albeit the nation—has received decades worth of slaps-on-the-wrists and embarrassing disappointments in international affairs.  Why, up until a year or two ago, it was not even possible to mention the words "Beijing" and "Olympics" without hearing the ominous rejoinder "U.S. boycott" (and I'm sure Moscow remembers the severity of that phrase very well).

But now it seems that the statute of limitations has been raised, or perhaps Beijing has stood in the corner long enough, for in this one example, IOC planners could not deny any longer the bid of a city that has so earnestly promised "New Beijing.  Great Olympics," and more importantly $13 Million USD (almost three times the tab that Sydney paid in 2000) to spend on the Games.

"New Beijing" is already stained with the blood of dogs beaten to death in the streets.  And apparently the world has conveniently forgotten the great words spoken by Senator Paul Wellstone on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre:

"China's leaders would like nothing more than for the world to forget what happened at Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. We are here today and our message should be crystal clear: we have not forgotten and we will not forget.  As big, as powerful and as proud as China may be, it should not be accepted as a member of the international community until it demonstrates a true commitment to human dignity."

Last time I checked, "human dignity" meant "humane dignity" as well.

So there you have it: the problem.  If you want all the gruesome details, you'll have it soon enough, but if you are already convinced, then perhaps it's time to focus on a solution ...and there is one.  But first, let's all take a 20-minute break for some fuzz-therapy (ok, if you're at work, then it will suffice to pet your dog's picture—you have at least three taped to the side of your computer screen, don't you?).

Part 2: Believe it or not, the IOC did us a huge favor...(coming up)