People’s Olympics

2008.08.08 8:08pm – This is modern China’s shining moment, and another quad-annual opportunity for global citizens to demonstrate world peace.  Nations come together and compete, not by bearing arms or wielding swords (except for fencing and shooting) but rather by sending their most talented and disciplined athletes to participate in two weeks of spectacular contests and represent their best and push the limits of human possibility. China has endured decades of humiliation from foreign invasion, mass poverty and internal revolution, and is doing everything in its power to put on the best face for this official coming-of-age milestone. However, Beijing’s Summer Olympics has never been under greater scrutiny and politicking since Berlin’s during the Third Reich. Albeit important voices of dissent, criticism, and even prophecy have emerged since the IOC awarded Beijing the right to host the games, the Chinese government is poised to prove to the world that the oldest continuous civilization is not to be swayed by Western paternalism, foreign interference and internal uprising.  Rightly so, it is the Chinese people’s desire for the world and most of its leaders and citizens to take this moment to enjoy the celebration and be dazzled by China’s rich history, culture and impressive modernization.

The sad reality is that humanity’s conflicts, along with the collateral social, spiritual and physical damage, do not take vacations, be assuaged by lofty slogans, nor pause for grand celebrations. In fact, the Olympic spirit, and the arbitrary “Olympic truce” was spoiled as Vladimir Putin watches the opening ceremony when conflict escalated in the breakaway region of South Ossetia between Georgia and Russia. However, hope does allow us to work harder toward real peace through these inspiring weeks of solidarity and sportsmanship.

Nevertheless, dissent and protest can inspire as well. It is cliche at best and morally irresponsible at worst to marginalize those issues (ranging from Tibet to Darfur, inequality to corruption, pollution to product safety) in order to stage a party. Indeed, some of the most memorable and inspirational Olympic moments have been political in a sense that athletes spoke for the voiceless and empowered the oppressed through their triumphs and accomplishments.  Still, many have dismissed the complicated political, social and environmental challenges in China by adopting the concept that sports and politics should be separate. Although it is a good policy, as vital as church should be separated from state, sports is inherently political.  The race toward the most medal count is only another platform for the human instinct to compete and express tribalism. Host nation China and its state-sponsored athletic machine has put pressure on itself to surpass the US in gold medals. The rising power, with the current spotlight, will be able to foreshadow the eclipsing and weakening, but still unprecedented, hegemonic power. Yao Ming, China’s flag-bearer, is arguably the most well-known and respected Chinese alive. His stature characterizes the remarkable growth of China, and his personality and reputation reflects his country’s values of collective-before-individual, hard-work and excellence. Meanwhile, America’s flag-bearer is relatively unknown, especially compared to the country’s plethora of overpaid superstar athletes. The former “lost boy of Sudan,” runner Lopez Lomong, embodies America’s story of an immigrant’s self-determination and escape from brutal circumstances. These designations are hardly motivated purely by sports, but rather heavily marked by political overtones and patriotic passion. For this instance, the narrative propping up the stars and stripes is a provocation of the contentious issue of China’s business involvement and corresponding political apathy in Darfur – and America’s principle of standing up for human rights.

The Olympics is also a chance for nations put themselves “on the map.” But despite incredible stories of Iraqi, Sudanese, Afghani athletes, and others from smaller and more unstable nations, these next two weeks, as with the previous and next four years will be a showcase of the tension between America and China. Moreover, after the ‘one world one dream’ ends, the world, and especially these two giants, will return to the relentless pursuit of resources, wealth and power – and all the social consequences, environmental destruction and political conflicts that it entails.

Graphics courtesy of the New York Times and The Economist

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