• For idealists, the Olympics are about men and women at the peak of their physical fitness competing in their specialised field, representing their respective countries.

For idealists, the Olympics are about men and women at the peak of their physical fitness competing in their specialised field, representing their respective countries.

For the realist, it is political, a war, a battle by another means. Countries face each other in the ring, pool and track fighting to top the medal table; America and China always near the top. The 2008 Olympic games, held in China have presented an opportunity for the western media to focus and scrutinise Chinas human rights record, one party state and anything else the ‘West’ frowns upon.

Before the games began, the Western media were suggesting political leader’s boycott the games because of Chinas Human rights abuses and failure to pressure Sudan to act on the Darfur crisis.

Hilary Clinton called on George Bush to boycott the opening ceremony. The torch relay was disrupted in Britain and France, by protesters as Western politicians rallied, self-righteously, to boycott the Olympics. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg urged Gordon Brown to boycott the opening ceremony saying Gordon Brown should “take a stand for human rights”. Gordon Brown did not attend the opening ceremony, but insisted that it was not a boycott. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper both decided not to attend the opening ceremony. Film director Steven Spielberg withdrew as artistic advisor for the Olympics.

At the opening ceremony, the media eagerly pointed out to viewers that no mention of the Tiananmen Square massacre or Tibet was made by China. The BBC described China as a “closed society” that was “xenophobic at times”. British protesters scaled heights in Beijing with a free Tibet banner, and found themselves deported back to Britain.

All this self-righteousness seems hypocritical. The principals of opposing human rights are not applied consistently, namely Britain, America and Israel.

In the light of all this I would like to call for a boycott of the Olympics. Political leaders, dignitaries and anyone else of political worth should boycott the Olympics. Human rights, environmental, and all other form of activists should converge on the Olympics. Brandishing placards and banners, taking part in different types of direct action even try and disrupt the Olympic torch relay. That’s right! I’m calling for the boycott of the 2012 Olympics to be held in London, Britain.

We should apply the same standards to Britain as we do to China. Britain has been involved in extraordinary rendition – flying prisoners to countries where the USA can torture them. The illegal occupation of Iraq orchestrated by America and Britain resulted in the deaths of over half a million civilians. Britain topped the arm sales list, no doubt due to the massive arms deal with the un-democratic Saudi regime. Our treatment of asylum seekers, immigrants and Muslims is deplorable. The Sun, consistently, publishes a plethora of stories blaming minority groups for the ills of society. Britain’s refusal to use its political influence with Israel to stop the atrocities committed in Palestine. Palestinians subjected to a siege, constant attack, cut off from their relatives and livelihood by a wall, declared illegal by international law.

Britain has still not granted justice to the Chagossians who were forcibly removed from their island, in the Indian Ocean, to make way for an American military base. Britain continues to occupy Afghanistan in the name of stopping terrorism and spreading democracy.

How would Britain react if human rights activists scaled Big Ben and unveiled a banner; ‘let the Chagossians return’, ‘Free Ireland’ or ‘End the Occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine!’? It seems acceptable for us in the West to travel around the world and point fingers; tell people how they should be living their lives. If the boot was on the other foot, our media would react in the racist and xenophobic way it so attempts to hide. Will our media down play any protests? Something they accuse China of doing.

Whilst protestors are in London, they should take the opportunity to protest against America as well. Since Britain, of late, seems to be an extension of America’s imperialistic arm. ‘Troops out of Iraq’, ‘Stop polluting the Earth’ and ‘down with fences and walls, against people who are only trying to return to their land!’ should be some of the slogans brandished at the 2012 Olympics.

I also expect the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics will show Britain’s role in the Slave trade, occupation of Ireland and Iraq. China boasted how they invented paper and the printing press in their opening ceremony, Britain can boast that we invented? Racism.

We in the west are in no position to point fingers. In no way am I justifying Chinas actions in Tibet or against its own citizens. However the double standards of the West cannot go unanswered.

Britain and America have killed millions, colonised and continue to support un-democratic regimes. The West’s legacy still scares the Earth, from East to West. The destruction of the environment lays testament to the West’s disregard for people in favour of corporate profit. Let the movement for the Boycott of the 2012 Olympics begin.
People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.