Letters from a Young Radical

Athletes who take Tibet stand 'face Olympic cut'

I understand the argument that "politics should stay out of the games", if only out of respect for the mind-blowing amount of work it takes to get to the Olympics, and the intense concentration and ideal mindset required to pull off a medal. I hope for the sake of the athletes, that everyone has what they need to perform at their best.

At the same time, I think its ludicrous to claim that people sporting Free Tibet accessories are engaging in an act which would offend or distract anyone except perhaps some athletes and the Host Itself. I suppose it could be considered "just polite" to not insult your Olympic host, but the Tibet situation is such an obviously public problem, I would assume the IOC (International Olympic Committee) would have thought of that before deciding to have the games in Beijing.

I don't know anything (at all) about how the IOC decides where to have the games, or who benefits in what way. I assume, as always, that there is some financial benefit, probably for a select few (I dunno does any of the money go to China's poor? Please let me know). Naturally, it makes sense to stamp out the deviants if they're going to ruin the deal for those who benefit.

I'm personally really excited about this happening, despite the obvious problem for many involved. You know that something is going to happen. One person, or tons of people (wouldn't that be lovely!) are going to take some kind of stand here. I think it's unavoidable. It'll be tense, and exciting, and the first person that gets expelled from the games is going to become a martyr. This whole thing has given huge media attention to the Free Tibet cause.

Can you believe they're rioting in Tibet? What a statement that is, when a culture that is typically nonviolent decides it's had enough.

Looking at the Olympics as a place where all nations of the world can come together in unity, leaving our quarrels and politics behind us, begs an important question: Why do we have quarrels and politics we need to leave behind us? Why are Earth's countries fighting each other? Why are we killing each other? Why are there so many poor? Why isn't Tibet free?

And if this whole thing is about unity, why should we ignore the problems in the world rather than open our eyes to them? If anything, the Olympic Games should represent a place where we can gather to overcome our differences by relating to people our leaders usually claim are our enemies. If all we do is come together for friendly competition only to go home and return to the routine of hating and killing our neighbors, what have we learned? What's the point?