‘Heavenly drums, silver bell dancers, light wheels and flying men took center stage to greet guests at the National Stadium Sunday for the closing celebration of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. "You made the Games," said IOC President Jacques Rogge (www.en.beijing2009.cn).’
The quote above gives a good description of the flourishing Olympic Games which were held in China in 2008. However, the Olympic Games of 2008 also had a less blooming side. During the preparations of the Beijng Games, human rights were undermined. An example which shows that human rights were violated is the imprisonment of two civil rights activists who criticized the Beijing Olympics.
Besides this, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) did not articulate concerns about the human rights situation in China. Therefore Sophie Richardson, advocacy director of Human Rights Watch,
questioned herself whether the Olympic movement respects human rights.
After all those accusations and avoidance of the committee to mention any concern, the president of the Olympic committee, Jacques Rogge, called on the authorities in Beijing to respect their “moral engagement” to improve human rights in the months leading up to the Games and to provide the news media with greater access to the country. However, he also still stated that the Games would still be a great success.
I think everyone agrees on the fact that China act morally wrong by not obeying human rights in order to have the games in Beijng. They did not act in line with their duty to treat people fair. However, I also think that the IOC acted morally wrong by articulating public concern on the human rights situation of the Beijng Games (this concern was spoken out after a lot of critics on the IOC were already given), but still stating that the games would be a success. I think that by continuing the Games, they are ignoring their duty that they have to treat people correctly and it seems that they want to have Olympic Games at the expense of everything.
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5 comments:
I also believe that China acted morally wrong, since they did not take into account the opinion of the Chinese people regarding the Olympic Games. In 2006, I went to Beijing and spoke with people living in the ‘hutongs’ (shantytown )of Beijing. These people did not even like the Olympic Games, since all their houses would be destroyed in order to have space for new sport facilities. The government left these persons to their fates. I think it was morally wrong of China to act against the will of their own inhabitants by organising the Olympic Games.
I agree on the fact that China acts morally wrong by not obeying human rights in order to have the games in Beijng. In the principal you described that China has to improve themselves during the time before the games. China has an own way of faking this improvement by making sure that journalist can only film the things they chose. By playing the media, they let the world think they improve, while in fact nothing will change.
The Olympic Games has always been a worldwide event. The human rights are suppose to cover the whole world, that’s why I think the Olympic Games would be a good instrument to make sure that these rights will be obeyed. By not taking actions the Games are telling the world that they chose the Games above human lives.
So what do you think is more important a game or a live?
I think it is clear that china act morally wrong. But how about IOC as the writer mentioned? I think IOC acted morally wrong in the sense that they were speechless about the immoral actions of China.
And if we think the legal discourse boarderI can also conclude that china is morally and legally wrong. Legal discourse can include non-state-issued-rules like semi-law, international law, human right, etc. Therefore I think if we consider legal discourse more broad, China also acted legally wrong.
The Olympic Games of 2008 had a strong impact on China, morally speaking.
I agree to a certain extent with the author of the principal comment that China acted morally wrong by disobeying human rights. However, I disagree with the author that by continuing the Olympic games China is ignoring its duty to help. Of course, several acts of China (see background article 2) were morally wrong but by being able to organise the Olympic games China was also able to provide employment to a lot of people. This in turn may have lead to economic prosperity and property which are essential for people to be happy and self-determinant.
What happened during the Olympic games can be related to utilitarianism. Apparently China believed it was acceptable to violate the human rights of several people while at the same time the Olympic games provided benefits to a larger part of China.
s926012
It states without doubt that China acted total morally wrong conduct.
If human rights are violated, it is a bloody shame.
Stating the on the other hand the olympic games had been a succes is true, but not at every price. The olympic games could be almost anywhere a succes, you don't have to violate human rights for that. So in my opinion that counter-argument is ridiculous.
In my opinion, the IOC should have cancelled the olympic games in China, because of the violation of the human rights. By didn't doing it, they are supporting and approving the human violating actions of china.
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