The Conservative Cave
Current Events => The DUmpster => Topic started by: franksolich on April 10, 2008, 07:20:03 AM
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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3133509
Oh my.
Husb2Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 05:41 PM
Original message
I didn't like it (in the moment) when Carter ordered an Olympic Boycott in 1980 ......
.... but have come to see it as a brave act that was absolutely correct. Carter, already low in public support, did what he saw as right.
The Soviets had invaded Afghanistan. Carter canceled our Olympic involvement.
I think a similar action now, with China, would be in order.
himpsrsmarter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 05:43 PM
Response to Original message
2. Since China is funding the war i hardly think Dimson will call for a boycott.
americanyouth (28 posts) Wed Apr-09-08 05:46 PM
Response to Original message
3. You know...
There are always going to be conflicts in the world. Part of the whole point of EVERYONE'S Olympic involvment is to step back from those conflicts for a while, no matter who or what they effect or who disagrees with who, shake hands with each other, in a sense, and enjoy a worldwide past time. The people protesting China's hosting the Olympics for "peace and justice" are actually destroying the little peace that we as a world community have been able to maintain. Hell, given the situation, China is exactly who we SHOULD have host the Olympics, if nothing but to show them that, while we disagree with their policies, we want to resolve in a peacefull and brotherly manner. By holding these worldwide protests we only prove, once again, how petty we can be, even in an agreed time of peace.
spoony Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 06:05 PM
Response to Original message
5. Absolutely. Carter is so piled on by the RW and the media
but he was, and is, a man of tremendous principle and fortitude. And you're spot on about the Olympics.
I dunno.
Perhaps the Incompetent One is "so piled on" because the Incompetent One deserves it.
trof Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 06:16 PM
Response to Original message
6. I kinda felt the same.
Thought he was being a bit of a goody two-shoes, overreacting.
Now I recognize the guts it took.
And it was the right thing to do.
aikoaiko (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 06:17 PM
Response to Original message
7. I disagree -- The US boycott did nothing. Did the Soviet bycott change anything?
LanternWaste (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 06:23 PM
Response to Reply #7
9. Sometimes (as was the case in 1980)
Sometimes (as was the case in 1980), I believe that our statement of intent was louder than Soviet inaction.
Although it may not have changed Soviet policy, it was an additional (and very loud) way of saying, "we do not condone your actions".
To me, boycotts, strikes, etc. are not merely about winning, or gaining even the most marginal of victories-- they are also de-facto statements of belief.
LanternWaste (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 06:19 PM
Response to Original message
8. I'm torn.
I'm torn.
I believe that Pres. Carter did an honorable and noble thing, and it was the right thing to do in 1980.
However, in 1933, Jesse Owens made a statement just as loud, just as large and (arguably) just as honorable by playing in the Olympic Games.
Two diametrically opposed stands, yet both leading towards the same statement of intent.
The kerosene-drippings primitive should pick up a history book.
It was 1936, not 1933.
indepat (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 06:29 PM
Response to Original message
10. And if the US is still in Iraq when the next Olympics come to the state, would such invite boycott by those opposed to Prue-emotive war?
Warpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 07:51 PM
Response to Original message
11. Some points to consider
First, a US boycott wouldn't stop US tourists from attending the games or stop anyone else. The economic impact would be negligible.
Second, the only people to suffer from a US boycott would be our athletes. That's what made the 1980 boycott such a tragic mistake. It changed nothing. It just deprived a lot of people who had been training their whole lives the opportunity to compete.
Third, the Olympics are non political, despite Carter and despite how odious we think the Chinese crackdown in Tibet is.
Fourth, and most importantly, a nation that started a war on another nation, a nation that unilaterally discarded the Geneva Conventions, a nation with rendition and torture as official policy, HAS ABSOLUTELY NO MORAL STANDING to use to boycott any other nation in the world. People would laugh and they'd be correct to do so should Stupid puff himself up and declare his moral outrage had led to a boycott.
I dunno.
I'm still confused that the primitives seem to be turning against China, when they should be enthusiastically supporting China, what with China being a paradise of workers and peasants with free medical care for all, and of course the homeland of the primitive icon Mao tse-Tung.
I'm still trying to make sense of that.
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Were not these the same DUmbasses that were oh so pissed off at GWB for the Falun Gong movement protester here in the USA?
Are not these the same DUchebags that never mention the persecution of Christians in China?
What would a DUmmy be without hypocrisy and hate of conservatives?
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Husb2Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 05:41 PM
Original message
I didn't like it (in the moment) when Carter ordered an Olympic Boycott in 1980 ......
.... but have come to see it as a brave act that was absolutely correct. Carter, already low in public support, did what he saw as right.
The Soviets had invaded Afghanistan. Carter canceled our Olympic involvement.
I think a similar action now, with China, would be in order.
But China can't boycott the Olympics because the U.S. invaded Afghanistan. They're hosting them....
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Husb2Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 05:41 PM
Original message
I didn't like it (in the moment) when Carter ordered an Olympic Boycott in 1980 ......
.... but have come to see it as a brave act that was absolutely correct. Carter, already low in public support, did what he saw as right.
The Soviets had invaded Afghanistan. Carter canceled our Olympic involvement.
I think a similar action now, with China, would be in order.
But China can't boycott the Olympics because the U.S. invaded Afghanistan. They're hosting them....
I think he's advocating WE boycott because of China. Frankly, I'm not sure who put the bee in their collective bonnets. I've always thought they wanted us to become more like China whether we want to or not. That's all China is doing with Tibet. China considers Tibet to be part of their country, thus they need to obey like good little commies. Of course, being leftists they have a whole sack full of useless gestures...half assed sanctions that amount to nothing more than a slap on the wrist, boycotts, bombing aspirin factories, "feeling our pain", Not One Damn Dime day, 3-person protests, cutesy slogans...it keeps them from getting too restless, even their party leaders know that, it's why they occasionally pretend they actually work.
Cindie
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Husb2Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 05:41 PM
Original message
I didn't like it (in the moment) when Carter ordered an Olympic Boycott in 1980 ......
.... but have come to see it as a brave act that was absolutely correct. Carter, already low in public support, did what he saw as right.
The Soviets had invaded Afghanistan. Carter canceled our Olympic involvement.
I think a similar action now, with China, would be in order.
But China can't boycott the Olympics because the U.S. invaded Afghanistan. They're hosting them....
I think he's advocating WE boycott because of China. Frankly, I'm not sure who put the bee in their collective bonnets. I've always thought they wanted us to become more like China whether we want to or not. That's all China is doing with Tibet. China considers Tibet to be part of their country, thus they need to obey like good little commies. Of course, being leftists they have a whole sack full of useless gestures...half assed sanctions that amount to nothing more than a slap on the wrist, boycotts, bombing aspirin factories, "feeling our pain", Not One Damn Dime day, 3-person protests, cutesy slogans...it keeps them from getting too restless, even their party leaders know that, it's why they occasionally pretend they actually work.
Cindie
I know, I was scraping the be bottom of the humor barrel with that comment.
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himpsrsmarter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Apr-09-08 05:43 PM
Response to Original message
2. Since China is funding the war i hardly think Dimson will call for a boycott.
Does this mean the US taxpayer is off the hook and liberal/DUmmies can stop bitching about the "cost"?
Good.
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I'm with Frank....however, I think that the DUmmies are fixated on "protest" as a symbol of their angst......it doesn't seem to matter who is protesting what......somewhere in the world someone is protesting "something", and they are "down" with that.....
Of all of the "protests" that I have heard about, few have ever accomplished anything beside make the "protesters" feel important......I usually just point and laugh.
doc