# Boycott Olympics?



## PBC (Apr 8, 2008)

I know its ironic for an american to judge anyone for human rights...but I'm going to exercise my need to feel superior. Discuss.


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## The Teej (Apr 8, 2008)

No one gave a shit about the human rights in China before, why is everyone so worried now?


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## King Zargo (Apr 8, 2008)

No, its a sports event. 

Screw Politics.


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## Mucuna (Apr 8, 2008)

The Teej said:
			
		

> No one gave a shit about the human rights in China before, why is everyone so worried now?




Well, I think it's because China want to play Monopoly with the others countries too and it has all the ways to (even more than a lot of the "big ones").

When you have the above explained fact, plus the Olympics, the country will surely call the attention of the world and it is a good time to remind people of other old problems and, most of all, make a lot of pressure.

So, the morale of the story: If you wanna play, you have to pretend that you follow some rules (money, aka "measurable power" can make people blind to rule breakers, don't forget).


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## Bob Loblaw (Apr 8, 2008)

The Teej said:
			
		

> No one gave a shit about the human rights in China before, why is everyone so worried now?




haha who do you hang out with that no one around you gave a shit about human rights in China? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Have you never seen all those Tibet documentaries? Or that movie they made 7 years in Tibet or whatever? 

Here in the U.S. a lot of people drive around with free tibet bumper stickers (as if that's going to make a difference) which is also ironic because we are occupying Iraq but the majority of the U.S. doesn't want to be/thinks we should have never gone to Iraq....blah blah..blah blah blah...


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## coolbho3000 (Apr 8, 2008)

Hunan Beef > Human Rights


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## moozxy (Apr 8, 2008)

The Teej said:
			
		

> No one gave a shit about the human rights in China before, why is everyone so worried now?


Because of Tibet?


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## Cyan (Apr 8, 2008)

I was already worried before the olympic game are announced, nothing has or will change now.

And countries are the same, they were already worried for Tibet a long time ago, but they didn't do a thing to help them, why help them now ? it's just a way to advertise things, but they are still not doing anything to help them for good this time. "boycott the game and think it will help saving lifes"


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## Artheido (Apr 8, 2008)

shinsil said:
			
		

> No, its a sports event.
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> Screw Politics.



I agree. Just because of political issues the Olympics shouldn't be boycotted. Forget politics and think sport.

It's like saying 'Lets boycott food because of battery farming'. (not a good example >.>)


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## The Teej (Apr 8, 2008)

Ok, I was a bit too snappy there. All I'm saying is, that media coverage never really played up the importance of human rights to a degree it is now, which rather coincidentally happens to be the year of the Beijing Olympics.


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## Renegade_R (Apr 8, 2008)

Ooooo....we're Boycotting something....what does that mean anyways?  Means that you won't watch it on TV?  Meh go ahead, it'll free up the HD signal bandwidth.  Instead of dealing with another country's problems how bout deal with your own first.  Everyone whines about free Tibet...what about Iraq?  What about our health care system?  What about etc etc etc...

I challenge anyone to visit Iraq and then Tibet and compare the conditions.
The media consumes the world too much these days.


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## coolbho3000 (Apr 8, 2008)

What is boycotting the Olympics going to do? Is it going to make China respect Tibet more next time it hosts an Olympic game?

Oh wait. There ISN'T going to be a next time. So I really don't see the point.


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## Bob Evil (Apr 8, 2008)

Boycott the U.S. ... Free the planet


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## Renegade_R (Apr 8, 2008)

thebobevil said:
			
		

> Boycott the U.S. ... Free the planet


I think you hit the nail right on the head.


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## Bob Loblaw (Apr 8, 2008)

eh, if you boycotted the U.S. nazis would run Europe.


The point is to not let China have anything good because they don't let their people have anything good.


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## Bob Evil (Apr 8, 2008)

Bob Loblaw said:
			
		

> eh, if you boycotted the U.S. nazis would run Europe.
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*YAWNS at the 63 year old retort ... that almost all Americans use, on the 'net.*

As an American myself, I have to say how pitiful it is that that is the only comeback Americans ever use.

On behalf of the rest of the World, I must say to you this ... "What have you done for us lately?"

As for China not having anything good, the U.S. is in massive debt to the Chinese, and only getting in deeper. 20 years from now, you'll be living in a part of a city in the U.S. called AmericaTown


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## coolbho3000 (Apr 8, 2008)

That's why I moved to Antarctica.


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## Bob Loblaw (Apr 8, 2008)

thebobevil said:
			
		

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haha maybe about the AmericaTown thing. 

As for the 63 year old retort it still holds up because had it not been for my grandparents 63 years ago, there is a good chance your grandparents would have been put in an oven. 
Then you wouldn't be around  to ask "what have you done for us lately?" And instead should maybe ask now what you should have asked then "What can we do for ourselves?"
Because quite honestly I wouldn't hold my breath for America to help anyone anymore.


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## Bob Evil (Apr 8, 2008)

coolbho3000 said:
			
		

> That's why I moved to Antarctica.



I spent some time at a place near Mt. Erebus, when I was in the USAF.


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## Bob Evil (Apr 8, 2008)

Bob Loblaw said:
			
		

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And again, speaking as an American myself, I wouldn't want the U.S. to do anything for me ... their help costs too much 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Every member of my family, for 9 generations, has fought for the U.S., up to, and including myself, and I am making sure that tradition ends with me.


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## Costello (Apr 8, 2008)

I think that the sole fact of having this boycott idea in the air is enough.
Think about it.

If a couple of countries were to boycott the olympics, what would happen?
The olympic games would take place anyway, and the Chinese government would be under slight political pressure.
And sport would suffer from the absence of these countries. But do you really believe that this would make China change the Tibet situation? I don't believe so.

The fact that this boycott is seriously considered by some countries should already be enough for China to realize that the world does care.

That's just my two cents, not that I've been following the whole thing closely.


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## FAST6191 (Apr 8, 2008)

Renegade_R said:
			
		

> it'll free up the HD signal bandwidth



Might I suggest you read basic signal sending one more time.*

Personally I rate the US behind China when it comes to human rights these days but you already blocked any wisecracks along those lines at the start of the thread. Also as I have not bothered to watch what passes for news these days (and skimming through it just to pull it apart would kind of defeat the point of that) I am not equipped to do a point by point breakdown.

"As for the 63 year old retort it still holds up because had it not been for my grandparents 63 years ago, there is a good chance your grandparents would have been put in an oven."
[insert snide remark about event further back in history where the situation was "reversed".] Also the concept of "generational gratitude" (outside the actual "generation" that did it perhaps and even then you will have to make a good case and it would not be a whole "generation") is something I find comical.


"If a couple of countries were to boycott the olympics, what would happen?"
See "USA boycott 1980 olympics". Even during the "Russia/USSR is evil phase" it did not do a whole lot.

* this is probably where I find some moron decided tailored/shared broadcast was a good idea for a mass delivery system is it not? If you mean some form of shared bandwidth for internet ignore me.


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## gblock247 (Apr 9, 2008)

Honestly has the Olympics really meant anything in the past 20 years?  I mean, f*ck the World Cup has more meaning than the Olympics do/does....


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## DarkAura (Apr 9, 2008)

gblock247 said:
			
		

> Honestly has the Olympics really meant anything in the past 20 years?  I mean, f*ck the World Cup has more meaning than the Olympics do/does....


Olympics are for national pride.  Thats good enough for me.


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## Bob Evil (Apr 9, 2008)

DarkAura said:
			
		

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It's one step from national pride to jingoism ... especially for Americans


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## DarkAura (Apr 9, 2008)

thebobevil said:
			
		

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Yah but at least people still watch it.

Off topic.  I always thought your name was bobtheevil for some reason.


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## Bob Evil (Apr 9, 2008)

DarkAura said:
			
		

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I was BobEvil for years, but then too many BobEvil's started appearing, so I became the defintive article


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## coolbho3000 (Apr 9, 2008)

Costello said:
			
		

> If a couple of countries were to boycott the olympics, what would happen?


What would happen is, the countries that decided NOT to boycott them would have a better chance at winning.


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## MC DUI (Apr 9, 2008)

Boycotting the Olympics will have zero impact on the political policies within China, therefore athletes who have trained hard for years should not be denied their opportunity to compete on the world stage just because somebody thinks sending a 'message' would be a good idea.


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## PBC (Apr 9, 2008)

If china asks for attention on the world stage then why not give it to them.

It is too bad that it has to be negative attention but they should not be allowed to do as they have been.

This was an issue before the olympics and it will be one afterwards. That is no less, rather MORE of a reason to rub their damn faces in the fact that they are set to be the center of world focus and perhaps they should act more responsible. I don't claim to think that if a country boycotted the olympics it would change much on the political scale. I think individuals should just...not watch it. 
You wouldn't be supporting your own, which is troublesome.

The fact that China was even considered in the first place showed that the olympics doesn't really give a care about Tibetian rights. But I say any news is good news. 

I.E Give them hell before the olympics. Give them hell during. Give them hell after. 
I don't need an excuse to support human rights. The olympic is just a very good time to bring it up...seeing how it is supposed to encourage peace.


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## MC DUI (Apr 9, 2008)

PBC said:
			
		

> I.E Give them hell before the olympics. Give them hell during. Give them hell after.
> I don't need an excuse to support human rights. The olympic is just a very good time to bring it up...seeing how it is supposed to encourage peace.



I have no problem with giving them hell in the media, I just don't think athletes should suffer because of political issues.


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## lagman (Apr 9, 2008)

Boycotting the Olympic Games wont fix anything while all the countries in the world keep supporting and making more powerful China's economy everyday.

And just in case some clueless person out there think so: I have nothing against Chinese people in general


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## hanman (Apr 9, 2008)

i wasn't going to watch it anyway


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## Renegade_R (Apr 10, 2008)

FAST6191 said:
			
		

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I was actually referring to the internet for HD delivery with IPTV and also with the digital cable we have over here, big events like the Superbowl or NHL Finals get heavily compressed so it can be sent over the digital cable network.  Which is why I also have an antenna connected to my ATSC...because over the air signals aren't compressed as heavily.

Side note...anyone see how the Tibetan protesters attacked the disabled torch bearer in Paris?  That's humans exercising their rights??? Right?


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## yuyuyup (Apr 10, 2008)

I dono why the olympics is celebrated with the hitler torch run http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7330949.stm

by the way I learned this tidbit of info today from The Rachael Maddow Show on Air America Radio


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## Renegade_R (Apr 10, 2008)

yuyuyup said:
			
		

> I dono why the olympics is celebrated with the hitler torch run http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7330949.stm
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> by the way I learned this tidbit of info today from The Rachael Maddow Show on Air America Radio


I learned it from CNN (unfortunately)...they definately made sure to emphasize the nazism and swazstikas in it.

I'm sure they won't be mentioning that when the USA gets the Olympics again.


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## Rayder (Apr 10, 2008)

I've got my own problems without worrying about China, Tibet or the Olympics.  While I have no plans to cause any further problems for any of that stuff, I won't be watching the Olympics either....never have.

As for political problems in some other country......I couldn't care less.  All political BS is just that, BS!


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## Gman 101 (Apr 10, 2008)

I wonder how credible the Tibetans truly are. The Chinese government purportedly found a few people on the death list released by the Tibetans as alive and well, while other people on the list had actually never existed. But seeming as this is Xin Hua's news agency, it's hard to believe who. I don't like the Tibetans myself, seeing as they're causing so much violence already. If they want to have a proper say, they should do it peacefully, not with violence or destruction. The same applies with China. They shouldn't use violence to quell the people, but neither should they sit on their hands watching people destroy a city they've spent tens of millions of yuan into.


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## Artheido (Apr 10, 2008)

Bob Loblaw said:
			
		

> eh, if you boycotted the U.S. nazis would run Europe.
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As far as I see it, America fought Japan in WWII and Britain fought the Nazis. Don't take credit for something you didn't do 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




You're one of those people that think a person should die if they kill someone.


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## Bob Loblaw (Apr 10, 2008)

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LOL! WHAT!? Where the f*** did you go to school?!?! That's cute that you think there weren't American soldiers assisting the British army like there had been since WW1.


Until America came over the nazis were slowly *and surely* taking over Europe. And you know what the response is from a lot of people when you defend America by telling them America saved their grandparents from an oven, giving them a chance for a future generation? It's usually "Oh, that again..." or "You didn't get here soon enough!" Fucking pompous audacity.

Go back to school.


This is what happened before America came in:

In Western Europe, British troops deployed to the Continent but neither Germany nor the Allies launched direct attacks on the other. In April, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway to secure shipments of iron-ore from Sweden which the allies would try to disrupt. Denmark immediately capitulated, and despite Allied support Norway was conquered within two months.British discontent over the Norwegian campaign led to the replacement of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain by Winston Churchill on May 10th.
On that same day, Germany invaded France and the Low Countries, making rapid progress using blitzkrieg tactics. By the end of the month the Netherlands and Belgium had been overrun and *British troops were forced to evacuate the continent*, abandoning their heavy equipment. On June 10th, Italy invaded, declaring war on both France and the United Kingdom; twelve days later France surrendered and was soon divided into German and Italian occupation zones, and an unoccupied rump state under the Vichy Regime. In early July, the British attacked the French fleet in Algeria to prevent their seizure by Germany.

With France neutralized, the Axis was emboldened. *Germany began an air superiority campaign over Britain to prepare for an invasion and enjoyed success against an over-extended Royal Navy*, using U-boats against British shipping in the Atlantic. Italy began operations in the Mediterranean, initiating a siege of Malta in June, conquering British Somaliland in August, and making an incursion into British-held Egypt in early September. Japan increased its blockade of China in September by seizing several bases in the northern part of the now-isolated French Indochina.
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That's from the Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt(RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR MILITARY HISTORY)

Looks like you guys were doing great without us! (That's sarcasm)

And just for the record, I'm not some proud yank. I had nothing to do with the war, I wasn't even born. I just hate when America bashers don't realize if it wasn't for the country they hate, they wouldn't be here today.
The U.S. has done plenty of unsavory things since then(Iraq...to name one), yes. But, so hasn't every country. Including the U.K.(Ireland...to name one) And what this topic is about - China, who ravage their own people.


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## PBC (Apr 10, 2008)

Damn those Violent Tibetians for trying to exist a short distance from a global superpower.
Damn them for being resistant to the destruction of their peaceful culture and history.
Damn the Monks for defending themselves. I don't think you understand...have you ever seen the pictures of monks who burned themselves in protest? How dare you imply they are power hungry people of violence. 

and yes, Not many people have mentioned that China has a horrible human rights history with their own peoples as well. 

Its kinda sickening seeing how misdirected some of you people are. And how cowardly some people stick to their decision that NOTHING is infact the only thing they are willing to do/or say regarding serious human rights issues. 

And the debate over who saved who's asses in WW1, WW2...Etc is irrelevant and childish (tell that to your grandpa)

We all know america won the only war that ever really mattered....The American Revolutionary War. Put that in your Tea and Crumpet!
(Begin Flames for obvious joke......now)


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## Artheido (Apr 10, 2008)

Bob Loblaw said:
			
		

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I'm still going to school  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



Sadly, I missed a term of school due to sickness, the term we learnt about the Second World War. >.>; That's why I said 'As far as I see it'.
I didn't read the rest of your post, it's Spring break  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Point taken.


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## cubin' (Apr 10, 2008)

I'd usually never even consider boycotting a sports event..let alone the biggest one in the world.

I vote yes. It's time to 'peacefully' force China to stop being cunts.

Or you could just read Costellos post and pretend it's mine. The Olympics are still going to happen even if quite a few countries boycott but hopefully its enough to get the msg through (lol i bet it wont)


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## cubin' (Apr 10, 2008)

FAST6191 said:
			
		

> Personally I rate the US behind China when it comes to human rights these days but you already blocked any wisecracks along those lines at the start of the thread. Also as I have not bothered to watch what passes for news these days (and skimming through it just to pull it apart would kind of defeat the point of that) I am not equipped to do a point by point breakdown.



lol you should go live in china FAST6191 and then go to America and make a comparison.


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## Westside (Apr 10, 2008)

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That's the comment of the people whose family has not been tortured by the Chinese government and seen the foul play, and the dirty lies taught to chinese school kids by the government.  My brothers in East Turkestan, and allies in Tibet shall show you what China has done.  The nuclear test they have done without premission, the people the Chinese government have executed because they wanted to study their own people's history.


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## cubin' (Apr 10, 2008)

I foresee an America vs. Others. battle to the death. 

Plz keep this about the Olympics and whether you think it should be boycotted. 

All countries have done some messed up stuff but China is doing the majority of it at the moment.


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## Bob Loblaw (Apr 10, 2008)

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And let's not forget the tank incident. 

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=23...nmen+square+pbs

To compare China to the U.S. is like comparing a piece of grass to a tree in terms of human rights and really shows a lack of world education being substituted with ignorance.


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## arctic_flame (Apr 10, 2008)

Guantanamo...


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## Westside (Apr 10, 2008)

arctic_flame said:
			
		

> Guantanamo...


Please, China has "terrorist prisons" 10 times the size of Guantanamo to keep their so call "terrorists", who  in actuality have only done things alone the lines of public speaking against communism.


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## Renegade_R (Apr 10, 2008)

Seems like China-bashing on human rights and lead filled goods is the trendy thing these days~

Always nice to be part of a trend right?


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## Bob Evil (Apr 10, 2008)

arctic_flame said:
			
		

> Guantanamo...



Yes, Guantanamo was based along Chinese lines ... practically of Chinese design.


(That's actually true.)

Guantanamo Bay ... a place with a U.S. miltary presence, inside a country that U.S. citizens have not been allowed to visit for decades.


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## Westside (Apr 10, 2008)

Renegade_R said:
			
		

> Seems like China-bashing on human rights and lead filled goods is the trendy thing these days~
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We from the West Turkestan have always wanted back what belonged to us from the beginning, the East Turkestan.  This has gone on since the beginning since China took over this land and named it Xinjiang. (meaning new territory in chinese)  It's about time the world see how horrible China is.


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## Bob Loblaw (Apr 10, 2008)

Guantanamo?!?! That doesn't even make sense. We are talking about the way China treats it's own citizens not the people it is at war with. The people the U.S. tortures in the Guantanamo are the people the U.S. is at war at with. I'm not saying it's right or wrong but they aren't doing it to their own citizens for power hungry reasons.


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## FAST6191 (Apr 10, 2008)

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Not a direct reply to you but 
Getting into the country:
fingerprints taken (not that mine would have been any good mind courtesy of extensive eczema and my working in a somewhat manual labour guise) and fairly well questioned.

Can force me to hand over my encryption keys (prior to this forcibly stopped more than a few research projects into it). The DMCA, archaic copyright/patent law abused by just about anyone who wants.

Prisons: Guantanamo has been mentioned and you all saw all the fun stuff the CIA was up to lately.
Fairly ridiculous laws regarding detention lengths even without charge, see patriot act. Size does not really matter here as they exist in the first place.

Immigration into the place: quite hard to do . Some scientist/engineer friends trying to get in faced serious issues and having to provide more than I would consider reasonable, numerous cases of people getting held up for conferences as well.

Some borderline monopoly holding companies going fairly unchecked. The biggest would be someone like MS but the media companies, energy companies, communications companies are far from clean here.

Taxation hitting a decent percentage in total and some fair issues there as well.

Religion hindering progress in education and science (stem cell stuff, "intelligent design"), I say believe what you like but when you come and mess with science, law and education that starts affecting me then we have problems.

A tendency to abuse trade might to get laws passed in other places (copyright is the main one here and considering most places these days have a strong manufacture/industry leaning and copyright/patents unpin that.....)

I am not saying either place is especially nice but it is maybe not quite as rosy as made out to be, it does not seem China purports to be all that great either while the US seems to hold itself to a fairly high standard (and attempts to hold others to it as well).


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## Bob Loblaw (Apr 10, 2008)

Some of those are decent points, FAST, about down points of the U.S.. However, none of them really are an example of physical abuse, violence, etc. against it's citizens. There is no comparison to China. And read what I said about Guantanamo above. Chinas torture techniques are used against their own citizens for reasons not of war. (Again, I'm not saying what *some* members of congress in the U.S. found to be ok practices in Guantanamo are acceptable. And people like Sen. John McCain led the crusade to end the torture of prisoners in the bay.)

As for the immigration customs. Why should we make it easy for people to get in? I'm guessing you've never gone anywhere as an American, but it's pretty tough to be treated more rotten. So, when it's so apparent everyone hates us, why should let them in easy? And if it's such an awful place, why do they want to come in at all?


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## FAST6191 (Apr 10, 2008)

I would argue the use of economic sanctions, deprivation of decent education and the like are as bad as any torture/violence.

Also how does having declared war on someone (I will leave out the spurious nature of the current group of them) justify such things?

For the record my dad holds a US passport and I frequently travel with him and being from the UK aka little America it seems does have downfalls too.*
With regard to getting it was not my point to make it easy (hands up I did not put that point across as well as I might have) but making it needlessly obtuse and complex does not instill a great amount of trust and goodwill (any "bad" people still have a wide selection of routes in). To be fair some of that might just be me being fairly bitter about the difficulty facing skilled workers when they are wanted.

*Sidenote I loved that Brazil now (ok for years now) fingerprints only those with a US passport: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...752C0A9629C8B63


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## Bob Loblaw (Apr 10, 2008)

It doesn't justify it, being in war. But it makes a whole lot more sense. And like I said, it was only a certain group of CIA officials and presidential mafioso that went ahead with it. When other respected members of congress caught wind of it, they put the inhumane treatment of prisoners in GB to an abrupt stop. And how is it different from the way the U.K. treats and has treated the Irish?


The lack of educational resources is tough here but not as bad as some other countries. But no one will ever attack, say, Nigeria. A place where education is so absent people are dying from mosquitoes. 
Cubin' was right about this turning into everyone vs America. People just love to attack America. Especially over the internet. Which is ironic because guess who invented the internet? Yep, Americans.


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## coolbho3000 (Apr 10, 2008)

Bob Loblaw said:
			
		

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The tank incident was just a very tiny part of what happened in 1989.


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## Artheido (Apr 10, 2008)

Bob Loblaw said:
			
		

> Guantanamo?!?! That doesn't even make sense. We are talking about the way China treats it's own citizens not the people it is at war with. The people the U.S. tortures in the Guantanamo are the people the U.S. is at war at with. I'm not saying it's right or wrong but they aren't doing it to their own citizens for power hungry reasons.



Not really. There are times that they're just innocent people caught up in the war (watched a few documentaries and testimonies on it) that are mistreated and never taken seriously. Unless of course if the U.S is in a war against Islam, which they're not.


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## Bob Evil (Apr 10, 2008)

In New York City alone, there's madness a-foot ... Hercules Teams anyone? Or, as William Gibson called them, Samson Squads (S.S.)

As an American, living in Europe, I am, in this day and age, happy to be living in Europe.

On the Hercules Teams issue, before any Americans mention 9/11 ... I was living in Manchester, in 1996, when the bomb went off ... I had taken my grandmother shopping that day, and was less than a quarter-mile from the blast ... and we have no heavily-armed neo-fascists patrolling the streets.

Many countries have faced terrorist attacks without using it as an excuse to tighten their control on their people.

When there are soldiers in the streets, and they are your own soldiers, the government is fascistic.


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## dsbomb (Apr 10, 2008)

What if you just don't care about the Olympics?  Sure, I'll boycott 'em .. I've boycotted em for many years too because of um, China.



			
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> The violence near Hong Kong began after dark on Tuesday evening in the town of Dongzhou, when the police opened fire on crowds to put down a demonstration over plans for a power plant.


Link.  That sure as heck to me sounds just as bad as the evil US government!  Hell, that Cindy Sheehan lady was protesting outside Bush's home in Texas for what, a couple weeks without being killed.  Bush needs to learn to live up to the rest of the world's impression of him.


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## Bob Loblaw (Apr 11, 2008)

thebobevil said:
			
		

> In New York City alone, there's madness a-foot ... Hercules Teams anyone? Or, as William Gibson called them, Samson Squads (S.S.)
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Even with such supercops as samson squads, do you know how much radioactive material, drugs, guns, and people will still be smuggled illegally into America. It either means we need more of them or we don't need them at all because they aren't doing anything 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





They don't kill us like China does to it's people, though. DSBOMB's link is another fine example of Chinas insanity. And here is another: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-child_policy

And, yes, this presidency certainly used 9/11 to it's advantage. However, unlike the U.K., we are not under monarchy and after a maximum of 8 years are allowed a new president 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



And I've got to say Obama, Clinton, and McCain all look pretty good. If you've ever caught any documentaries on the evil deeds of the Bush presidency you'll see, that although he is a fellow republican, McCain put a stop to as much of Bush's madness as he could with the power he had.


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## coolbho3000 (Apr 11, 2008)

Bob Loblaw said:
			
		

> However, unlike the U.K., we are not under monarchy


...

_More research is required_


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## Bob Loblaw (Apr 11, 2008)

coolbho3000 said:
			
		

> Bob Loblaw said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is a polite way of saying the queen is still the law


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## coolbho3000 (Apr 11, 2008)

Bob Loblaw said:
			
		

> coolbho3000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Your original post (without the edits) seemed to imply that the monarch was the equivalent of President (something along the lines of "our presidents are limited to an 8 year term unlike the British queen") and that he/she had a lot of power. I meant to reply to this statement, not simply to your claim that the "UK is a monarchy" (which it is to some extent). Sorry for the confusion, let's drink some Kikkoman.

EDIT: Could a person currently living in the UK please chime in?

:yaykikkoman:


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## arctic_flame (Apr 12, 2008)

The Queen does not really control anything to do with politics.


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## Bob Evil (Apr 12, 2008)

arctic_flame said:
			
		

> The Queen does not really control anything to do with politics.



The Queen is just a token, really.

Almost purely symbolic.


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## Bob Loblaw (Apr 12, 2008)

Then why are weekly meetings with the prime minister required, in which the monarch can "be consulted, advise, and warn" the PM, if the she holds no power?


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