BMX the Olympics and Tibet

[S.Brothers 1,025]

I wanted to share a conversation with you guys that I had with an old friend of mine this past weekend. I thought it was pretty interesting and some of us were already discussing these issues here on the site, so I just dropped it into an OS-BMX interview format to help wash it all down.

 

This is a bit different then our usual track side content, and our usual interviews for that matter, but you guys don't strike me as being too concerned with limiting yourselves to a strict regimen of the strictly typical.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Spur 69]

Great read and great awareness. Tibetian injustices have existed longer than most of the conflicts on the planet. Yet gets little attention/action by the world community or goverments. Only small factions keep the candle burning to remind folks of one of the great injustice done to the Tibetian people. Thanks Steve.

 

I want to see the US BMX team dominate in the sports first ever olympics too, but I feel a boycott would speak volumes and is necessary.

[keep_it_warm 129]

That is awesome reading Steve. I appreciate your efforts. Tense times globally...but even more so where you are.

[21windowkuwahara 1]

Very informative!

 

The World Press is being kept out of direct and exact information regarding Tibet and the loss of lives, so pictures of the attrocities have not made it out of Tibet. The Chinese government are meticulously keeping the truth contained. What is being shown on local news channels is not deep or detailed, when most Americans in SoCal are very desensitized by daily news of random violence. The action in Tibet has not affected the General Public because of Media containment and spin media in the U.S. to keep trade relations/investments in good standing, this Sucks!

 

I spent an hour discussing the issue in Tibet yesterday with the owner of my local UPS store (she did't know anything about it!) and we debated whether or not we (the US) should boycott the Olympics... I said we should boycott, she said "leave it up to Jesus..."

 

This struggle for Independence needs as many voices as possible while the Iron is Hot!

 

1936 Berlin Olympics in Germany all over again...who will be Jessie Owens this time? China is playing the role of Hitler and the Natzis very fittingly.

 

What can be done on a local level to assist the Free Tibet movement?

[mongoosedrummer 49]

Great job SB. Wow, that is an incredible piece... Knowledge rocks, thanks.

 

BMX, Tibet and China... Incredibly, it really is connected.

 

That's what makes this site so great, intellegent people who can speak freely about everything...

[BOMAT_1 0]

The Tibetan people have suffered 'far too long'... there has GOT

to be a solution...but I don't think an Olympic boycott is the answer!

 

A boycott would ONLY penalize ALL the American athletes who have

worked long and hard to reach the levels of achievment that Olympic

athletes must attain!

 

In 1980,President Carter decided 'on his own' that the United States

should boycott the Summer Games in Moscow...in order to protest the

Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan! Our summer athletes didn't get

to compete in their games...most of the athletes 'never competed again!'

The boycott accomplished nothing other than ending the competitive

careers of hundreds of American athletes! The Soviets had their Olympics,

they stayed in Afghanistan-for several more years-and our athletes'

dreams were destroyed...for NOTHING!

 

The ONLY way to 'punish China' is economically! We should 'stop buying'

anything they make...period! Their Government has become rich-and their

people suffer 'in much the same ways' as do the Tibetans...We are,in some

ways,responsible for this situation...Our government continues to buy from

China...while we continue to 'make little HERE in our country' anymore!

China will continue their current policies until the REST of the World steps up

to the plate....WE can't do it all...but we CAN boycott Chinese goods...ANY

Chinese goods! Somehow I DOUBT we will...but we SHOULD...our athletes

shouldn't have to 'pay for OUR stupidity...again!'

[AndyDiamond 3]

The Tibetans have been f**ked over by the Chinese for a long time.

 

Bloody Chinese government - talk about freedom of speech - not!

[Dirty 59]

I would love to see a bmxer in the olympics with "free tibet" across the back of his leathers like they used to do in the old days.

[21windowkuwahara 1]

There is no freedom in communism. In fact it is the antithesis of freedom to be "common".

 

China's government (post Mao) has been wanting a country with one people, ignoring many minorities like the Tibetans, Yao and Uyger whom are of a more Turkish dialect and look than Chinese. Religion of any kind is a (anti-Common) issue for the Chinese. They think it is undermining their unification of all people. Anything that divides people they want squashed so that they can realize their form (not Soviet) of Nationalism then Socialism then Communism.

 

The Chinese never approached this Nationalist goal through brotherly peace, instead they used Mao's philosophy of "Peace exist at the end of a Gun Barrel." This form of "Gun-Boat Diplomacy" was taught to the Chinese by the British, whom brutally colonized China and forced them to distribute Opium to common people and heavily taxed those that would not comply. (look up China-Opium Wars and Boxer Rebellion.) This caused China to look within itself and not trust the Western "Developed" Nations. The cold shoulder that exists from China goes way back and unless you read history it is bound to happen again. Hell even if you do read history.

 

21

[PandaProAm420 96]

Boycott China, not necessarily the Olympics.

I have a friend on his way to the Olympics this year (on the USA Triathlon Team) and I would hate to see him loose the chance to represent our country and get a chance to compete on the world stage. Hit China in the pocketbook.... stop buying Chinese products! BTW, check out your favorite current bicycle companies and see where there bikes and parts are made before you drop that coin on a new ride, about 80% of bike frames are manufactured in China including most of the models from a certain site supporting manufacturer (the reason you won't see me on one, even though I have a co-sponsorship and many friends/connections in the company).

 

Know where your money goes.

[BMXROB 1]

"The Dali Lama is first, and foremost a Buddhist Monk. Even though he's the figurehead of the Tibetan government, in exile, his point of view is completely informed by his religious practice and his dedication to compassion and nonviolence"

 

Speaks serious weight about Buddhism. If only all religions would really practice what they preach. Too much hipocracy in the world.

[JerZ_r1der 0]

I seriously enjoyed reading this article.

 

 

I had no idea what was going in in Tibet, the most I had heard was what they were doing with all the stray dogs and cats that have been running around. (They were catchingthem and stuffing them into cages and just leaving them there to die.)

 

It really was a very interesting article, and I learned so much.

It's definitely going to be something I'm going to bring up in my History class on Tuesday when I go back to school.

We always try to talk about the current and world events going on, and this would start a very good debate in my class. (I may even print out the article for my history teacher to read.)

 

 

It's horrible what the Chinese are doing to the Tibetans.

[COASTY 26]

A great read Steve. Thanks for taking the time to put that together.

I have been watching the news and trying to take it all in. I can't believe it's still going on. I don't understand why the worlds political powers let it be?

Like someone else said, Watch where the money goes.

[mongoosedrummer 49]

I seriously enjoyed reading this article.

 

 

I had no idea what was going in in Tibet, the most I had heard was what they were doing with all the stray dogs and cats that have been running around. (They were catchingthem and stuffing them into cages and just leaving them there to die.)

 

It really was a very interesting article, and I learned so much.

It's definitely going to be something I'm going to bring up in my History class on Tuesday when I go back to school.

We always try to talk about the current and world events going on, and this would start a very good debate in my class. (I may even print out the article for my history teacher to read.)

 

 

It's horrible what the Chinese are doing to the Tibetans.

 

Funny point about the animals... There were some really key things that pissed me off while I was in Tibet. One was, I noticed there were very few Tibetan dogs. I was told by locals, that the first wave of Chinese military killed almost all the dogs! Fuck did that piss me off! While visiting Temples that were still in tact (many, many were either destroyed or rendered un-inhabitable), we were able to see some dogs here and there which had been hidden by Monks during that first invasion... Sad. What else? A few pristine Tibetan lakes way above 5000 meters that had turned redish/orange because the Chinese had dumped nuclear waste into them... What else? Being followed around by sketchy Chinese officialls everytime we talked to Monks in any town, especially in Lhasa at the Potala and Summer Palace... Seeing so many Tibetans praying and Prostrating for the Dalai Lama's return especially at the Jokhang Temple... I wasn't such a good visitor I guess, because I asked too many questions and did smoke some hash with a guy from Prague and played frisbee, but I really did enjoy giving away several small pictures of the Dalai Lama to eager Monks who would secrectly ask me for them! He-he!!! Luckily, I never got arrested for that! Ultimatley, it's really hard to digest first hand what has happened there already and now it seems to be getting worse... Heavy shit...

[BMXROB 1]

Its getting some serious attention this time around. Nancy Pelosi visited the Dali Lama in India and I guess John McCain has jumped on board poking his nose around as well. The kind of thing thats needed to get the world to notice.

 

"A tiny fire, shedding light on the darkness of greed"

[bmxer4ever 0]

Thanks for posting up that interview. I've just posted a link to it as a bulletin on MySpace to let more people read it.

It's so hard to get info about anything that happens in China and Tibet, so this was a great article with plain facts and no bull.

 

I think boycotting the OPENING ceremony NOT the games is the point being made. As was mentioned, why destroy the careers of so many hard working athletes when the issue can be raised another way.

 

I'd love to see the BMX medal winners hoist the Tibetan flag above their heads at the podium ceremony! THAT would certainly get the Chinese authorities attention!

Kind of hard to censor THAT!

What would they do? Arrest the athletes and risk complete international condemnation?

 

Let's face it, if Tibet had oil under it, things would be a little bit different...... Iraq anyone?

G

[69ner 0]

any human that eats a dog or cat is disgusting in my book, thats my book i feel im not even on the same page as the chineese,or eastern countrys, ffs i didnt muuch like japan goin by waht happened in ww2 ,but that the chineese hated the japs too , i dont know anymore,guess i dont think sports and politics should mix, if theres a problem make WAR,BUT SEPERATE IT FROM SPORTS

Edited July 19, 2008 by 69ner

[S.Brothers 1,025]

dietary standards are culturally relative... for instance while you may enjoy bacon or pork chops... many cultures find that repugnant because pigs literally eat shit. Americans eat cows... the French eat horses, etc.

[bmiddaugh 0]

If there is a problem.

Find a solution.

The only athletes capable of bringing the Tibet issue to the front would be BMXers because as has been stated before many of us were and are...sort of free thinkers.

I believe if we were seeing BMX freestyle in the Olypmics, you might see something, I just don't see racing, making those kinds of waves.

Who knows..maybe the chinese will check luggage for any "Tibetan Contraband".

It is a sad situation indeed.

 

Come on already...Free Tibet.

[BOMAT_1 0]

 

Just 1 question...WHY would 'Freestyle' make more of

an impact than BMX racing on the 'Powers That Be?'

 

I don't follow this line of reasoning at all!?

 

'Splain it to me,Lucy.....

[S.Brothers 1,025]

I think he meant the freestylers might be more willing to make waves or go out on a political limb than racers.

 

By the way, they are still looking for an Olympic athlete willing to show the Tibet "colors" during the games.

[bmiddaugh 0]

man...

I'm chasing S. Brothers around this evening either apologizing or backing him up, lol.

Yes, that's exactly what I meant. I was around the freestyle scene for a long time, it seems they have more of a free mind for stuff like this.

racing or freestyle....is definately going to make people say...."This isn't the summer olympics I remember".

A racer wearing a Free Tibet shirt, well I would have to say that BMX racing would immediately be "back on the map".

[S.Brothers 1,025]

Just bumping some food for thought as we approach the debut broadcast...