XPost: can.politics, aus.politics, alt.politics.british   
   From: bitch@gripes.com.au.org.ml.gov   
      
   Karen Gordon wrote:   
   > (K): Two-faced wimp....   
   > 	   
   > Harper says he won't be going to the Olympic opening ceremony, 'but it's   
   > not a boycott'.   
   >   
   > Harper says: ""I think experience would suggest that such boycotts are   
   > generally not effective".   
   >   
   > Harper says: "Even the Dalai Lama has not called for such a boycott,"   
   >   
   > What this all says about HARPER, is that he is a hypocrite.  His 'concern   
   > for human rights abuses' in China are at the same depth as his concern for   
   > loss if profits by corporations doing business with China.   
   >   
   > Even Hillary Clinton has more balls than Harper.... she's telling Bush to   
   > boycott the Games.  (Boy, does she overestimate the size of any balls on that   
   > man!)   
   >   
   > Good for you, Gordon Brown!  Britain should be proud.   
   >   
   > Now it's time for the Aussie PM to show some intestinal fortitude.  After   
   > all, China DID boycott your Olympic Games.   
   >   
   > """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""   
   >  	               1956 Melbourne Olympics   
   >   
   >      The People's Republic of China boycotted the Melbourne Games to   
   >      retaliate against Taiwan's participation under the name "Formosa."   
   > """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""   
   > April 9, 2008   
   >   
   > British PM won't attend Olympic opening ceremony   
   > European Parliament expected to pass motion urging boycott   
   >   
   > Facing intense pressure from human rights campaigners, British Prime   
   > Minister Gordon Brown has decided to skip the opening ceremonies of the   
   > Beijing Olympics, the BBC reported Wednesday.   
   >   
   > The British news organization said Brown's decision does not mean he will   
   > boycott the entire Games. He still plans to attend the closing ceremonies.   
   >   
   > Officials at his office were not immediately available for comment.   
   >   
   > The news came as the European Parliament pondered a motion urging European   
   > countries to boycott the ceremony, unless Chinese authorities begin talks   
   > with the Dalai Lama.   
   >   
   > The motion, which is non-binding, stems from China's crackdown in Tibet   
   > after violent protests against Chinese rule broke out last month.   
   >   
   > "There is this growing momentum to send some sort of signal to China,"   
   > CBC's David Common said.   
   >   
   > The resolution, which was obtained by Reuters, says:   
   > "The European Parliament calls on the EU presidency in office to strive to   
   > find a common EU position with regard to attendance at the Olympic Games   
   > opening ceremony with the option of non-attendance in the event if there   
   > is no resumption of dialogue between the Chinese authorities and His   
   > Holiness the Dalai Lama."   
   >   
   > Common said the motion is expected to pass.   
   > ______________________________________   
   >   
   > Australian PM opposes Beijing Games boycott   
   >   
   > BEIJING (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Wednesday   
   > reiterated his opposition to a boycott of the Beijing Games but called on   
   > China to solve its "significant" human rights problems in Tibet through   
   > dialogue.   
   > [....]   
   > Rudd on Wednesday reiterated his opposition to a boycott of the Beijing   
   > Games but called on China to solve its "significant" human rights   
   > problems in Tibet through dialogue.   
   >   
   > "Some have called for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics because of recent   
   > problems in Tibet. As I said in London on Sunday, I do not agree," Rudd   
   > said in a transcript of a speech delivered to students at Peking   
   > University on Wednesday.   
   >   
   > "I believe the Olympics are important for China's continuing engagement   
   > with the world," Rudd said.   
   > ________________________________________   
   >   
   > China scorns Olympic boycotting   
   >   
   > CHINA said countries that boycott the Olympic opening ceremony in August   
   > would undermine their own interests, while skirting the issue of why it   
   > stayed away from the 1980 Moscow Games   
   >   
   > The Chinese foreign ministry made the remark when asked to respond to a   
   > call by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for President George W Bush to   
   > consider boycotting the Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing.   
   >   
   > "The Olympics is a sporting event for people around the world. Not   
   > attending does not mean isolating China. Officials and heads of state who   
   > come to China are participating in a gathering of the Olympic family and   
   > show support for their own athletes," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang   
   > Yu said.				   
   >   
   > "If someone wants to use the Olympic Games to flatter themselves it will   
   > not succeed. If they don't participate, it is the same as leaving the   
   > Olympic family. It will undermine their own interests,'' she said.   
   >   
   > When asked to comment on China staying away from the Moscow Games 28 years   
   > ago, she did not address the issue directly.   
   >   
   > "We have been opposed to boycotting the Olympic Games for any reason. It   
   > is a sports event for people around the world. It is not a venue for the   
   > discussion of political issues or a platform to give a political show,''   
   > she said.   
   >   
   > China today also hit out at Amnesty International ahead of a new report by   
   > the rights group, saying any attempt to threaten it over the Beijing   
   > Olympics would fail.   
   >   
   > """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""   
   >   Many of us believe that wrongs aren't wrong if it's done by nice people   
   >   like ourselves.                   ~Author Unknown   
   > """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""   
      
   I just can't see this happening, just too much money involved   
   The Sponsors supporting the Athletes for the last 4 years are going   
   to be pretty pissed, no return on the investment for another 4 years,   
   I don't think so.   
      
      
   Money makes the world go round not Human Rights issues.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)