Point: Boycotts don't work
By Lily Shen '11
The media has recently buffeted Americans with the calamitous Olympics torch relay and all sorts of protests that came with it. Politicians are tripping over each other in their eagerness to condemn China, call for boycotting the opening ceremony and claim the high moral ground. All of a sudden, everyone sounds assured that age-long political knots can be untied by sabotaging the Beijing Olympics.
The trigger of this large-scale protest is last month's Lhasa incident and the complex Tibetan controversy that could not possibly be summarized into a few news reports or a slogan as simple as "Free Tibet." Nevertheless, the protestors have managed to make their voices heard loud and clear by the West. As the Olympic torch relay made its way to Europe and America last week, it attracted many different, well-organized and well-financed groups calling for a change in Chinese government policy such as Tibetan independence activists, Darfur activists, Taiwan Independence activists, Falun Gong practitioners and environmental NGOs. These protestors clashed with police and security officials surrounding the sacred torch and at times managed to break through the security lines, injuring the torchbearers and grabbing the torch.
The Olympics Games is an international celebration of humanity, and is supposed to transcend political conflicts. Boycotting any part of the Olympics not only shows disrespect to the modern Olympic ideal and all the people who strive to make it possible, but also to the hard-working athletes.
Though Olympics and politics have not been strangers to each other, historically boycotts have had little effect, if any, on the messages they are trying to send. Most times, they only damage public relations and achieve nothing. The boycott of 1980 Moscow Olympics led by the United States and the Soviet's retaliatory boycott of 1984 games in Los Angeles are perfect examples. If the two boycotts did not achieve anything between the United States and the USSR, how would boycotting the Beijing Olympics solve the Tibet problem that is essentially a Chinese regional affair? Any political grievance should be taken to other, legitimate channels, such as United Nations or other diplomatic institutions and leave the Olympic arena to those who truly care about the Games.
Free speech and legitimate protests should be respected, but using the Olympics to demonize China and its people should be condemned. Some disruptive actions, though intended to be directed at the Chinese government, have been ineffective at getting their message across and only humiliate the people of China without any constructive implications. CNN commentator Jack Cafferty's irresponsible comments about Chinese being "goons and thugs" demonstrate how easily such accusations could slip into dangerous racism. Such remarks and protests may even incite ethnic nationalism and xenophobia in China and cause China to retreat from its increased openness to and engagement with the West. Should this happen, it will be a major setback not only for the people in China but also for world peace and prosperity. No good can come of a backsliding China.
Lily Shen is from Shanghai, China and can be reached at danqis@princeton.edu.
Counter-point: Protests not anti-China
By Mark Jia '10 and Julian Smisek '09
The official Olympic slogan may be "one world one dream," but the increasingly vicious exchange between Han Chinese nationalists and the West illustrates that the two sides have different conceptions of what the Olympics should be. For the Han Chinese and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government, the Olympics should be devoid of politics, except, of course, the use of the Olympics to highlight China's rise to prominence. For human rights activists and much of the West, the Olympics presents the perfect opportunity to put international pressure on the CCP to improve its record in areas such as the environment and human rights. Lately, many world leaders have been toying with the idea of boycotting the Olympics' opening ceremony to put pressure on the CCP, which views such a boycott as a considerable loss of face.
We agree with the Bush administration that such a boycott would be unhelpful. Boycotting the opening ceremony allows leaders to feel as though they've done something about the discontent in Tibet without actually having to do anything. Instead of a boycott, world leaders should continue to engage with China and the Chinese government to help China improve its track record.
Since the recent controversies unfolded, Chinese nationals have incited a firestorm over what they have perceived to be demeaning and racist attacks against the Chinese people. Nationalist sentiment has swept the country and the world in the form of hurtfully antagonistic blog postings about "traitor" citizens abroad who have sought compromise rather than confrontation, as well as myriad death threats sent to Western media bureaus in Beijing. We find the Chinese reaction to be both falsely inspired and dangerous.
The recent wave of protests from advocacy groups and world leaders are not "anti-China," as some suggest, but instead "pro-human rights." Even the organizations that do condemn some in China are expressing outrage directed at the Chinese government, not the Chinese people. We regret that China today remains a nation where the crucial distinction between a country, its people and its government is blurred and ambiguous.
Groups that lobby for CCP action against the Sudan or the promotion of Tibetan autonomy are entitled to peacefully protest and express their beliefs and convictions. That right is sacrosanct and should not be abridged or denied to them or anyone, as long as the protests are peaceful and orderly. We urge Chinese nationalists to recognize these protests as anti-CCP, not anti-China.
Some cite the tremendous strides in Chinese human rights since the Cultural Revolution as reason to let the CCP be. Though we chafe at the use of one of the bloodiest periods in Chinese history as a baseline, we acknowledge the increasing respect for fundamental human rights and values. The conclusion is not, as some suggest, however, that the world should now stop exerting any form of pressure whatsoever on the CCP. The danger in indulging in this kind of praise is that it promotes a sense of complacency that is ultimately detrimental to the interests of humanity.
Mark Jia is the president of the Chinese Students Association and Julian Smisek is the president emeritus of Princeton Amnesty. They can be reached at mjia@princeton.edu and jsmisek@princeton.edu.
Read More
Why can’t lecturers win the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching?
Jerry ZhuLet’s acknowledge those who make “boutique teaching” possible, those who work tirelessly to make our rigorous curricula more accessible, and those who dedicate their time to advising and guiding us through all the challenges we face at this University. Lecturers should be eligible for the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching.
Let’s acknowledge those who make “boutique teaching” possible, those who work tirelessly to make our rigorous curricula more accessible, and those who dedicate their time to advising and guiding us through all the challenges we face at this University. Lecturers should be eligible for the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching.
Princeton’s administration of justice is Trumpian
Frances BroganThe disparity between the University’s approach to Giberson and its approach to pro-Palestinian protestors reflects a concerning trend of appeasing an increasingly emboldened right rather than resisting the threat it poses to academic freedom and the wellbeing of Princeton students.
Secular Opening Exercises? Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water
Frank StrasburgerThe secular makes no room for the spiritual. What Opening Exercises are meant to convey is the spirit of the institution so that it may be kept alive from generation to generation.
The secular makes no room for the spiritual. What Opening Exercises are meant to convey is the spirit of the institution so that it may be kept alive from generation to generation.
