American olympic bicycle team shows up wearing masks. Asked to apolgize.

[Rox_My_Sox1]

For those of you who haven't heard, the American Olympic bicycle team showed up at Beijing airport wearing masks cause the bloody air is so dirty. They were asked to apologize. What are your reactions?

 

[alf1]

meh just seeing the pictures with all this fog ... do they ever see they sun ?
and anyway, you see people in China driving on their bikes wearing those masks already for the same reason
i think it's just plain stupid asking for excuses

 

[FeatherDaemon1]

Typical of the ChiComs. I'm not watching the Olympics. The IOC f-ed up choosing China and forcing people to choose between their conscience and their athletes.

 

[MistressValerie1]

The athletes don't owe the Communists any apologies. I am not watching the Olympics either 🙁

 

[Camel26]

They weren't asked to apologize--to my understanding, they apologized of their own accord so as to not cause any ill will towards the Chinese or anyone else involved...

I think this olympics is going to be a load of crap!!!!

 

[Dr. Bill Kobb]

I'm with the posters above. Bad idea letting the Chinese host. I have nothing against the fine people of China, but their government is vile. Free Tibet, and that's just for starters...

 

[Cbarton]

Any bad press the IOC gets is deserved. I've heard first hand of the persecution done there to Christians and other dissedents and it was an outrage that Bejing was chosen.

 

[skull108]

i kinda wonder if somebody is going to get sick or worse die from all that air arround there.Athletes breath deep and heavely , specialy with some diciplins so lots of air intake.Kinda makes u wodner if they have like special rooms with oxician (air) tanks

 

[Bashiku]

The athletes don't owe the Communists any apologies. I am not watching the Olympics either 🙁

I wonder if anyone thought about some members being Communist...

 

[MistressValerie1]

MSNBC ran a good article about worldwide protests against the mistreatment of Tibetans: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26099984

I wonder if anyone thought about some members being Communist...

I have no objections to Communists per se; I was referring to the Chinese Communist government in my original post.

 

[Camel26]

I have to agree with Bashiku...we have members here from all over the world...and while I don't feel China should be holding the olympics for the safety and health of the athletes, I don't believe that calling people "Commies" is going to aid in improving international relations, on a broad scale as well as between members of our own little microcosm on this site.

Just try to be considerate of the members of this site...that's all...we're all friends here, no matter where we are from or what governmental system we subscribe to. BE NICE!!!

 

[FeatherDaemon1]

I wonder if anyone thought about some members being Communist...

There may have been communists on the IOC, but I think this was more about giving into whining Chinese demands for recognition from the world. Plus, I'm sure all the money they dumped on the IOC was helpful.

And of course all of our dipshit countries fawn all over their labor. But that will be only for another decade or so. India will eventually get off its lazy ass and build up enough infrastructure to make a bunch of Hindus more attractive than the ChiComms.

 

[Bashiku]

I have to agree with Bashiku...we have members here from all over the world...and while I don't feel China should be holding the olympics for the safety and health of the athletes, I don't believe that calling people "Commies" is going to aid in improving international relations, on a broad scale as well as between members of our own little microcosm on this site.

Just try to be considerate of the members of this site...that's all...we're all friends here, no matter where we are from or what governmental system we subscribe to. BE NICE!!!

Glad to have you on my side on this one... you are powerful foe, but even more powerful ally 😀

 

[MistressValerie1]

Interesting ...

The wave of repression and intimidation of human rights activists and dissidents in China in advance of the Beijing Olympics has also targeted homosexuals, according to China's best-known gay and AIDS activist.

In an email, Dr. Wan Yanhai reported that the month of March saw numerous police raids on gay gathering spots in Beijing and Shanghai, and he said that the evidence of a new pre-Olympic crackdown on gays is so widespread it is clear it is being orchestrated "at the national level."

....

Wan is not the only one in China to report on the anti-gay crackdown. The Shanghai-based English-language website The Shanghai-ist reported that "the raid on the Beijing club Destination took place the same night as a raid against PinkHome of Shanghai, where a number of gays were arrested. Such repressive measures taken so rapidly in such a short time span against places frequented by gays has never before been seen in China, and justifies our being afraid."

Complete article at http://gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19471744&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568864&rfi=6

 

[Camel26]

Unfortunately, I can't be mad at just china over this one...this happens in dozens of countries all over the world for lesser reasons than hosting the olympics...

The olympics just gave them an excuse.

It infuriates me...makes me feel helpless for my Chinese GLBT brothers and sisters...but there isn't anything one little queer girl from Pittsburgh is going to be able to do to stop it, other than live my life...be a good person...and show, through my actions in life, and as part of a same-sex couple, that just because my partner and I have the same plumbing, doesn't mean we're not good people...and hopefully, the world will see our example, and our love, and how we're no different from any other couple...(we just have a hell of a lot of fun in the bedroom, as we are, at times, forced to get creative 😉) And maybe, in time, as laws begin to change in the US, and other countries, the world as a whole will change...and become a less violent, homophobic place.

For now, that's all I can hope for.

I still don't think it's kind to refer to all 1.3 Billion Chinese as communists...that's like calling everyone in the US a Republican (sorry to any Republicans offended by that comment...just trying to make a point, nothing more.)

Oy...what a mess.

 

[FeatherDaemon1]

When I say ChiComms I am referring to the ruling party. It has always been that way since the days of the U.S.S.R. Nobody has ever honestly used that epithet with the broad brush. We all know that there are those in China would love to see their country become a constitutional democracy with the freedoms the West enjoys. That very fact makes our support of their regime even less tolerable.

 

[melanie2]

They weren't asked to apologize--to my understanding, they apologized of their own accord so as to not cause any ill will towards the Chinese or anyone else involved...

I think this olympics is going to be a load of crap!!!!

ah...i think it will be also...but ya know the stupid Chinese people were the ones who revolted in the early 1900's...so they get what they deserve..they wanted freedom from the Manchu dynasty..welll lookit what they have now..i was going to watch, only because of my interest in what the Forbidden City looks like, having read Pearl Buck's "Imperial Woman" several times..but my imagination made the place look better than it actually is..

i will say this...Tzu Tsi..or however you spell her name is probably spinning in her grave at the defilement of her sacred home...

i suggest reading that book, it's full of history and a great read...

 

[BigNorm]

i'm not watching either, i can't believe the commies got the olympic nod.