Discussions

User Comments

1. 

   4/11/08

   daniel23

   Yes, the Olympics have always been political. Look at Jesse Owens...

   [reply]
2. 

   4/11/08

   ekim941

   The Olympics bring in lots of money.
   Money=politics.
   Sad but true.

   [reply]
3. 

   4/11/08

   Kiwipulse

   it gives a boost to the economy. When we talk money the government are always around!

   [reply]
4. 

   4/11/08

   timethief

   The Olympics are indeed about politics, big money sponsorships, drugged athletes and enormous local debt loads on local taxpayers, most of whom who cannot afford a ticket to see a single Olympic event in their own community and who will not be able to afford to use the facilities after the athletes are long gone.

   [reply]
5. 

   4/11/08

   timethief

   The "boost" to the local economy does not flow back to the majority of the taxpayers who pay the shot for the extravaganza that benefits the rich and [in]famous. The majority of taxpayers are faced with the burden of paying for the extravaganza as well as the maintenance costs of the facilities for decades to come. Meanwhile the same taxpayers have to endure politicians and their good buddies the businessmen, who will profit from the Olympics decrying the fact that there is no money for needy people and for the facilities that are actually needed in the community.

   [reply]
   1. 

      4/11/08

      ekim941

      Mmm, Sorry, I disagree. The crowds that flock in to see the Events bring money. They buy souvenirs, stay at hotels and eat at restaurants that are owned by Mom and Pop. The tourist revenue is much bigger than say a super bowl.
6. 

   4/11/08

   markstoneman

   I don't think one can categorically state that politics and the Olympics should never mix. In fact, they always do, but it is a question of quality and degree.
   
   But if you, 2010, mean by the question, should we threaten boycotts, even then I think we need to think of the specific context and not give a blanket statement for all times. Who can really feel good of having pandered to Hitler's new Germany in 1936? Sure, Jesse Owens showed him, but Hitler also used the games as an excuse to make everything look rosy.
   
   Now the Chinese are a different kettle of fish altogether, and I also believe a boycott would be counterproductive. Making the Chinese lose face would hurt us. But there are other threads where we've gone into that, so enough on that score.

   [reply]
   1. 

      4/11/08

      2010

      As Face is huge in Asia I completely agree, as I lived in Asia for the past 5 years I found a lie is better than loosing face.
      It seem to me the spirit of the Olympics has been lost and its either for grandstanding or Capitol Gain Now.
      Even the IOC is corrupt taking bribes from host countries.
      Sad
   2. 

      4/11/08

      Norski

      "Even the IOC" ??!
      
      Sorry, just about every Olympic cycle, I've heard and read moderately plausible accusations that the IOC is composed largely of knaves.
      
      It'll never happen, but I think that there's something to be said for putting the name of every country on Earth (I think there are something like 200 or 250, at last count) on a tile, put the tiles in a bucket, stir the bucket, and draw out a tile.
      
      The name on the tile would be the next country to host the Olympics.
      
      Don't knock the idea. Right now, Seychelles might have been a better choice than China.
      
      For countries without a lot of existing infrastructure, my guess is that the locals could wangle deals with outside contractors, swapping expertise and financial backing for the kind of publicity and exposure the Olympics provide.
      
      Just a thought.
7. 

   4/11/08

   Norski

   Trick question, right?
   
   Everything is a part of politics, one way or another, sooner or later.
   
   The Olympics seems to be a trifle more political this time, than others.
   
   But, I'm not going to spend time hand-wringing about it. I plan to keep an eye on the games: and see if the Chinese weather-wizards can keep it from raining.
   
   (I'm not making that up: abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=4522805&page=1 . I hope they have better luck than some American weather makers: Those experiments pretty well stopped, a few decades back, after a modified storm system dumped record rainfall on the Black Hills, wiped out some residential areas, and killed quite a few people.)

   [reply]
8. 

   4/11/08

   colorfulmars

   i think they are separate.

   [reply]
   1. 

      4/11/08

      Norski

      Politics and the Olympics should be, true.
      
      What actually happens can be something else.
9. 

   4/11/08

   wehireu

   The olympics exist to promote politics through sport rather on the battlefield.

   [reply]
   1. 

      4/11/08

      2010

      Never looked at it that way before good point