Duncan Goodhew gets his priorities straight
Nice to see former Olympic swimmer Duncan Goodhew breaking ranks from the other Olympian appeasers and speaking out against China:
It shows how extreme things can get in this country and it’s a great shame. It’s such a bad example for children.
Hang on. Sorry, he was talking about people in Britain who are against murder and torture. My mistake. He went on:
The Olympic Games is about inspiring young people, human excellence and fair play.
And just think – for two weeks this summer some very lucky Chinese people will get to see those values up close.
Posted on April 7th, 2008 at 8:08am under Bread and circuses, Culture, media and sport, Human rights
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• 11 Comments |
I bet you the lucky Chinese people won’t be getting a free press during the Olympics, seeing as foreign journalists probably won’t have it either.
http://lettersfromatory.wordpress.com
Because democracy is less imortant than letting lots of different countries do their running and jumping nowadays isn’t it?
[...] can get in this country and it?s a great shame. It?s such a bad example for children." Source via Only trouble was he was talking about the protesters. Role models eh? __________________ Ian [...]
Because democracy is less important than letting lots of different countries do their running and jumping nowadays isn’t it?
When was it not?
ejh’s last blog post..Spain
396 and 392 BCE. The Spartans won the tethrippon, but there are no records of anyone trying to disrupt the proceedings with protests about militarism, child-pickling or proto-Hollywood homo-eroticism.
Philip’s last blog post..A Gift From God
I’m with Jim White here. (Actually, I also agree with myself.)
Have you checked out your own bank? Any investments? Pension etc? Computer parts? Childrens’ clothes? Dare one say that “democracy is less important than …?”
It’s also not a competition between abstract nouns, people. We can’t even agree what ‘democracy’ means.
Well, if I can be holier than thou for a minute, I have.
And I think for these purposes, Dave, democracy means ‘not like China’.
[...] we knew this was going to happen. And shame on Duncan Goodhew [...]
Duncan Goodhew was sickening on the BBC, arguing politics and sport shouldn’t mix then going on to make political comments.
I have never seen my younger brother more inspired as when he is talking about the rights of Tibetans and the injustice of China getting the games.
I’m not sure why China getting the games is an injustice – not unless anybody thinks that sport and the Olympics are about democracy or the right of small nations to self-determination. I’m not sure Baron de Coubertin would have had much time for either notion.
On the other hand, where I disagree with White is that if they do get the games, it’s a fine opportunity for protestors to highlight what China does that China shouldn’t do. By all means protest at banks, shops or anywhere else you want, but when an enormous event is being held to say “this is China” then surely there’s no better time to make your protest? I think they’re playing a blinder, so far, the protestors.
ejh’s last blog post..Spain
i didn’t see this and i am glad of it.
michael greenwell’s last blog post..ANTHROPOMORPHISATION