Look for the Sadr City Olympics in 2012

Can somebody please explain to me why we are allowing an oppressive regime like fucking China to host the Olympics, which last time I checked are supposed to symbolize the brotherhood and commonality of all nations through the ancient tradition of peaceful competition?

Simply consider the Olympic Games Web site: "The Games have always brought people together in peace to respect universal moral principles. The upcoming Games will feature athletes from all over the world and help promote the Olympic spirit." Peace and universal moral principles? Does that include beating Tibetan monks in the street? Does that include ruling your society through fear and Big Brother surveillance?

As if it weren't enough to hold the games in a nation known for its violent control of its own people and the people of other, peaceful nations, Olympic officials are now threatening to crack down on free speech during the event. Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee, announced that China would expel any athlete who violates the Olympic charter by contributing to "political, religious or racial propaganda."

The problem is that China considers any speech that isn't careful scrutinized and vetted by the ruling party to be "propaganda." This ideology especially applies to Tibet. In other words, while flying a Tibetan flag would be considered a simple act of patriotism in any other nation hosting the games, in China it suddenly becomes an act of propaganda.

This is why it's a bad idea to hold the Olympics in a nation that has absolute contempt for freedom of speech. And the Olympic Committee isn't exactly adding any clarity to the subject:

The IOC did not specify whether a Chinese athlete or a foreign competitor of Tibetan origin flying the Tibetan flag would be regarded as patriotic or propagandist. A spokeswoman said that there had been no discussion internally or with the Chinese authorities about use of the Tibetan national flag. Asked whether athletes would be allowed to hang the flag in their rooms, she said: “The village is an Olympic venue so it falls under the same rules and regulations of any venue which would mean that anything in there would be judged on whether it was a provocative propaganda initiative.”

The fact that the IOC has still not qualified the exact interpretation of “propaganda” means that some athletes remain confused about what they can say during the 16-day event without being sent home or stripped of a medal.

Unfurling Free Tibet banners or wearing Save Darfur T-shirts at Olympic venues are acts likely to be regarded as a breach of the charter, which was introduced after the American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos gave the Black Power salute on the podium at the 1968 Games in Mexico City. But there are still many grey areas and concerns among human rights campaigners that athletes’ right to free speech will be curtailed to avoid embarrassing their Chinese hosts.

What a joke. Here's hoping the Olympics are an epic failure and a complete embarrassment for the Chinese government.