[BostonCard]

I think a substantial portion of people feel as you do cardcrimson, and it is a very legitimate opinion.  In some ways, it would be nice if the Olympics were apolitical like that, and that every four years we would put away our differences temporarily for sport, kind of like the Christmas truce of 1914 during World War I.  The Olympics can be a reminder of what unifies us.

That being said, I personally find it hard to view the Olympics as apolitical, when there is such a strong undercurrent of politics running through them.  I don’t think there is any question that the CCP views the Olympics as a chance to sportswash their actions by wrapping themselves in the glory of the games (and no, this idea didn’t start in China with the Chinese communist party). I also find it hard to watch everyone kowtowing to the CCP.  But because they have warned athletes who might wish to use the stage to protest that they will be charged under Chinese laws, it is really hard for me to view these games as anything other than a big brobdingnagian stage-managed propaganda exercise, which doesn’t interest me at all.

As for Gu, she has the right to represent whoever she wants, but Stanford athlete or not, I don’t have to root for he.

BC

[BostonCard]

I think a substantial portion of people feel as you do cardcrimson, and it is a very legitimate opinion.  In some ways, it would be nice if the Olympics were apolitical like that, and that every four years we would put away our differences temporarily for sport, kind of like the Christmas truce of 1914 during World War I.  The Olympics can be a reminder of what unifies us.

That being said, I personally find it hard to view the Olympics as apolitical, when there is such a strong undercurrent of politics running through them.  I don’t think there is any question that the CCP views the Olympics as a chance to sportswash their actions by wrapping themselves in the glory of the games (and no, this idea didn’t start in China with the Chinese communist party). I also find it hard to watch everyone kowtowing to the CCP.  But because they have warned athletes who might wish to use the stage to protest that they will be charged under Chinese laws, it is really hard for me to view these games as anything other than a big brobdingnagian stage-managed propaganda exercise, which doesn’t interest me at all.

As for Gu, she has the right to represent whoever she wants, but Stanford athlete or not, I don’t have to root for he.

BC