Boycott the Chinese Olympics!

[Higgly]

Walmart is giving them our jobs - and this is just precious - Walmart is selling to the underclass that are the biggest losers from Globalization. We've had them stealing our good name and adulterating our food. We have our kids licking lead off of their toys. They want our athletes to go over their and suck their pulluted bloody air.

I say boycottt the Chinese Olympics. They want to play in the big leagues, then let them buy the bloody uniform.

Edited August 18, 2007 by Higgly

[Xander]

What good, if I may ask would boycotting the Chinese Olympics do. What in fact, good or bad, would it do if Canada and or other countries decided not to participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Any country that did not participate would after making such a decision become very unpopular with the Chinese government. This would make any attempt to then use diplomacy to improve China even harder then it already is. If you want to change them diplomatically then boycotting the Olympics would in fact be a step backwards. If however you do not intend to change them diplomatically and instead chose to use force. Then again this kinda of force witch would for a short period of time put a certain amount of pressure on the Chinese government is not nearly enough to change any of their domestic or foreign policy. Are their not better ways of reshaping china. Perhaps something monetary, a tax or tariff. This would not only create a larger and longer lasting effect on china it would also help deal with problems here at home. Namely those cause by companies like Wal-mart. Who chose to import products from other countries, like china because they can be manufactured cheaper their.

[Guest American Woman]

Walmart is giving them our jobs - and this is just precious - Walmart is selling to the underclass that are the biggest losers from Globalization. We've had them stealing our good name and adulterating our food. We have our kids licking lead off of their toys. They want our athletes to go over their and suck their pulluted bloody air.

I say boycottt the Chinese Olympics. They want to play in the big leagues, then let them buy the bloody uniform.

So basically we should boycott the Olympics in China because American companies are moving their factories to China? Wouldn't it make more sense to boycott the products of companies that outsource to China?-- to boycott Walmart? As for "our kids licking the lead off their toys" -- they are hardly "their toys" since Mattel is ultimately responsible for its factories and its products, not the Chinese government.

Regarding "their poluted air," I've seen more polluted air in American and Canadian cities than I've seen in Beijing, so I guess we all have polluted air at different times.

As for their "stealing our good name and adulterating our food," I don't even know what that's supposed to refer to.

Xander makes very good points.

[betsy]

When you guys rally to boycott companies that outsource to China, don't just mention one name - Walmart.

This is what makes some statements dubiously questionable. Statements like this do not seem to be talking about the real issue of this topic at all....it's more like anti-Walmart.

Practically most companies outsource or get imports from China.

Why don't you just say, check what you buy and don't buy things that come from China.

So, no I'm not a spokeperson for Walmart. I just think that for an issue to be taken the way it's intended....I wish for accuracy.

[Guest American Woman]

When you guys rally to boycott companies that outsource to China, don't just mention one name - Walmart.

This is what makes some statements dubiously questionable. Statements like this do not seem to be talking about the real issue of this topic at all....it's more like anti-Walmart.

Practically most companies outsource or get imports from China.

Why don't you just say, check what you buy and don't buy things that come from China.

So, no I'm not a spokeperson for Walmart. I just think that for an issue to be taken the way it's intended....I wish for accuracy.

Since you said "guys," plural, I'm assuming you included me in your response. I was responding to the idea of boycotting the Olympics, since that is the topic of this thread; I'm not "rallying" for boycotting anything. I was simply saying it would make more sense to boycott the company (that was mentioned in the original post) than to boycott China. I also said "boycott the products of companies that outsource to China," which is quite accurately addressing the real issue of outsourcing.

Edited August 19, 2007 by American Woman

[marcinmoka]

Odd. I thought the very purpose of the Olympics was to foster closer ties and relations between nations, regardless of the actual political conditions which exist. Furthermore, China must change seeing as the eyes of the world will be focused on their nation. Some of these changes will no doubt remain, so in this respect, the Olympics can act as a catalyst for good.

I for one, would much rather see us go there and clean up in the medal standings.

Edited August 19, 2007 by marcinmoka

[Xander]

Going to the Olympics could also help with the establishment of democracy or at least political change in China. If their was a large protest the worlds eye would already be focused on china for the olympics and with all the foreign nationals as well as news reporters it would be extremely hard for the Chinese officials to crack down on the protesters like they did at Tiananmen square in 1989. Although the Chinese government would certainly try to disrupt any attempts to plan a protest to coincide with their hosting of the Olympics, I wounder what would happen if a large scale protest did occur during the games?

[CLRV]

How many are aware that the CEO of the company that sold the lead-painted toys felt so disgraced by the incident that he hung himself? Apparently it's fairly common when Chinese leaders and public figures are disgraced.

I wonder how many western CEO's have taken that kind of personal responsibility for their company's actions?

oooo... the evil Chinese...

[maldon_road]

How many are aware that the CEO of the company that sold the lead-painted toys felt so disgraced by the incident that he hung himself? Apparently it's fairly common when Chinese leaders and public figures are disgraced.

I wonder how many western CEO's have taken that kind of personal responsibility for their company's actions?

oooo... the evil Chinese...

And a few years ago they executed 14 plant mangers for not meeting their quality control standards. Heads will roll over this latest fiasco.

[Riverwind]

And a few years ago they executed 14 plant mangers for not meeting their quality control standards. Heads will roll over this latest fiasco.

Murder a few scapegoats and the problem goes away? Who are you kidding?. The problem is the Chinese government's obsession with information control. Nothing will change as long as the Chinese government cares more about 'saving face' than 'saving lives'. Edited August 20, 2007 by Riverwind

[jbg]

Walmart is giving them our jobs - and this is just precious - Walmart is selling to the underclass that are the biggest losers from Globalization. We've had them stealing our good name and adulterating our food. We have our kids licking lead off of their toys. They want our athletes to go over their and suck their pulluted bloody air.

I say boycottt the Chinese Olympics. They want to play in the big leagues, then let them buy the bloody uniform.

At last we agree. Slave labor is slave labor is slave labor. The factory masters are rather brutal about it as well.

While you're at it, how about a few UN resolutions aimed at Tibet's subjugation? How about expanding UNWRA to Tibet, and maybe funding a full-blown insurgency against a slavemongering dictatorship? How about strappng bombs onto some "angry" Tibetans to attack a random crowd in Peking's (not Beijing's) Tianamen Square?

Edited August 20, 2007 by jbg

[jbg]

How many are aware that the CEO of the company that sold the lead-painted toys felt so disgraced by the incident that he hung himself? Apparently it's fairly common when Chinese leaders and public figures are disgraced.

I wonder how many western CEO's have taken that kind of personal responsibility for their company's actions?

oooo... the evil Chinese...

Maybe he didn't want to be "re-educated"?

[sunsettommy]

Walmart is giving them our jobs - and this is just precious - Walmart is selling to the underclass that are the biggest losers from Globalization. We've had them stealing our good name and adulterating our food. We have our kids licking lead off of their toys. They want our athletes to go over their and suck their pulluted bloody air.

I say boycottt the Chinese Olympics. They want to play in the big leagues, then let them buy the bloody uniform.

Walmart is giving them our jobs?

In CHINA............

LOL

Does that mean you applied for a position in a Walmart store in China?

It is clear you hate people who have the gall work in a Walmart store.

You are of course welcome to pay attention to the origination of products you consider buying and boycott them accordingly.

[Xander]

Walmart is giving them our jobs?

In CHINA............

LOL

Does that mean you applied for a position in a Walmart store in China?

It is clear you hate people who have the gall work in a Walmart store.

You are of course welcome to pay attention to the origination of products you consider buying and boycott them accordingly.

When it is said that Wal-Mart gives "our" jobs away it dose not necessarily mean jobs working inside actual Wal-Mart stores. Nearly %40 of the products sold in your average Wal-Mart are private label brands either owned by Wal-Mart or one of its subsidiaries. The contracts to the subsidiaries are always given to the lowest bider witch end up more often then not in places like china with lax or completely unenforced labor laws. As for the brands Wal-Mart directly owns, well they are often choosing like their subsidiaries to produce the products under their brands in countries were they can treat their workers however they want. As they do this they shut down the factories were these products used to be made. Since its initial success was in North American this is were most of its factories were initially located. Once these factories have been moved the jobs associated with them are gone. So it is fair to say they were taken away, since they were taken out of the Canadian job market.

[Guest American Woman]

How many are aware that the CEO of the company that sold the lead-painted toys felt so disgraced by the incident that he hung himself? Apparently it's fairly common when Chinese leaders and public figures are disgraced.

I wonder how many western CEO's have taken that kind of personal responsibility for their company's actions?

I'm not sure committing suicide is taking personal responsibility. Taking responsiblity for the company's actions would be sticking around, making sure all the toys were taken off the market, making sure it didn't happen again. What about the CEO of the company that sold the paint to the company? What level of responsiblity has he taken? I haven't read much about that.

Committing suicide when disgraced could mean that the person himself cannot handle having been disgraced and the consequences that go with it. But no matter what the reason, I feel for what the man went through. It sounds as if he were a decent guy, treating his employees fairly.

[margrace]

It is still my contention that we should, for instance, pay more attention in all stores to where the goods come from. In buying tops or t shirts I find that one made in Canada or the US is my size, is much better quality and last longer. A medium size shirt, made in Canada is a good fit, an extra size shirt made in China may fit me or be too small.

One of the other suggestions I heard was that one can buy in stores, and this time Wal-Mart one suggested and wear the cheap shirt a couple of times and throught it away. So haven't I heard a lot lately about our dumps being overfull and American Woman is right we should not be sending our garbage to the US. Maybe its time we took a little responsibility for our own actions.

[Higgly]

At last we agree. Slave labor is slave labor is slave labor. The factory masters are rather brutal about it as well.

While you're at it, how about a few UN resolutions aimed at Tibet's subjugation? How about expanding UNWRA to Tibet, and maybe funding a full-blown insurgency against a slavemongering dictatorship? How about strappng bombs onto some "angry" Tibetans to attack a random crowd in Peking's (not Beijing's) Tianamen Square?

So it's all about Israel is it?

[Higgly]

The problem is that the Chinese government is just not acting fast enough. The only way to light a fire under its ass is to do something that hits them where it hurts. The bigger a success the Olympics are, the less we can expect any respect from China for the problems it is dumping on us.

[jbg]

So it's all about Israel is it?

Are you trying to make this personal, even when I agree with you? I didn't even mention Israel in my post. Edited August 21, 2007 by jbg