witzend
Well-Known Member
In all honesty, I will probably watch very little if any of the Olympic games this year. I have some very fundamental problems with China, not the least of which are lead paint in our childrens' toys and poison in our pet food. I remember the cultural revolution, or what we knew of it here. I recently read a book called "Mao - The Untold Story", which was a very comprehensive history of Mao from his young adulthood to his death. It was written by a woman who was exiled to the Himalaya's when she was 14, and whose parents were paraded for months through the streets and made to crawl on glass during the cultural revolution. She interviewed over 150 of his inner circle, those who have lived this long. He was a monster who still shapes their every world move. He starved over 35 million people to death during peace time in his country, and sold the food they grew to Russia to obtain the bomb. When his advisors pled for his mercy for them, Mao said "The people must learn how to not be hungry" and tortured the advisor. He is still presented to the people and the world as a near god in China. I feel the Olympic games in Beijing are to Mao's vision what the '36 Berlin games were to Hitler, and I can't in good conscience support them by watching.
That being said, I saw this photo today of Yao Ming carrying the Chinese Flag into Olympic Stadium. I actually like Yao Ming quite a bit. He seems to be a very funny, humble and talented young man. I thought it was hilarious to see him in front of the rest of his team. They come to his beltline, I swear!
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/08/xinsrc_2020805082322031242993.jpg
That being said, I saw this photo today of Yao Ming carrying the Chinese Flag into Olympic Stadium. I actually like Yao Ming quite a bit. He seems to be a very funny, humble and talented young man. I thought it was hilarious to see him in front of the rest of his team. They come to his beltline, I swear!
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/08/xinsrc_2020805082322031242993.jpg