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Rahodeb

Rahodeb

Los Angeles, CA
March 2006

APR 17, 2006 06:38 PM

When I worked, recently, as a docent at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, I always made a point of comparing Nazi Germany’s treatment of Jewish people (and other minorities throughout Europe) to China’s current (and historical) treatment of religious and spiritual groups, political activists, and of course, Tibetans. Religious rights and freedom of expression are just two issues on the long list of Chinese human rights abuses, and the heartbreaking Tibetan occupation and genocide that has been occurring for over four decades continues to haunt the world community.

Steven Spielberg, whose films include Schindler's List and Munich, and who, incidentally, created the Shoah Foundation, should know better than to support an authoritarian state like China, but support he does (however inadvertently). It was announced today that the globally revered director has joined the team that will design the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The hypocrisy and irresponsibility in this action is blatant. We live in a world that still grapples with the Holocaust; indeed—a world in which Holocaust survivors remain (albeit in dwindling numbers) to share their testimonies. We have seen the kind of suffering that victims of the Holocaust endured repeated again and again in the sixty years since—in Cambodia, East Timor, Guatemala, Rwanda, and Sudan. You'd think we would have learned a long time ago from the global mistake of the Armenian Genocide, which kicked off the bloody 20th Century and set the world stage for what was to come. Instead, as evidenced by Spielberg's decision to creatively support Olympic games in a country that doesn't deserve to host them, we seem to have learned only to value money over humanity.

There is no question that it's difficult to live a life based on principle. Benjamin Franklin, one of America's best-loved Founding Fathers and a genius by anyone's standards, made a well-documented point of trying. He conceived a list of virtues by which to (attempt to) live his life. The list read:

1. TEMPERANCE
Eat not to fulness; drink not to elevation.

2. SILENCE
Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

3. ORDER
Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

4. RESOLUTION
Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

5. FRUGALITY
Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself i.e., waste nothing.

6. INDUSTRY
Lose no time, be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary action.

7. SINCERITY
Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. JUSTICE
Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. MODERATION
Avoid extremes, forbear resenting injuries as much as you think they deserve.

10. CLEANLINESS
Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

11. TRANQUILLITY
Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

12. CHASTITY
Rarely use venery but for health and offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.



Upon reviewing the list, a Quaker friend of Franklin's remarked that he had forgotten one very important virtue: Humility. Franklin, always interested in self-improvement, amended his list with:

13. HUMILITY
Imitate Jesus and Socrates.



Steven Spielberg could use a Quaker friend, right about now. As far as I'm concerned, he can insert his pacifist, humanitarian, philosopher-poet of choice. Imitate Gandhi, imitate Martin Luther King, Jr., imitate Mother Teresa, for all I care. But live a life of principle, Mr. Spielberg. Find the courage and the humility to say, on behalf of the Shoah Survivors whose testimonies you collected, on behalf of the children of Darfur, and on behalf of every Tibetan refugee: "No. It doesn't matter how much money or notoriety you offer. I cannot and will not do business with a nation that makes a habit of discrimination, oppression and genocide."

Do that, Mr. Spielberg, and maybe your legions of fans will imitate you, and the cruel world we live in will start to change, ever so slightly, for the better.

Tangus

Tangus

Chicago, IL
November 2005

APR 17, 2006 07:10 PM

is this a rant or a story? confused

bcguitar33

bcguitar33

Jamaica Plain, MA
January 2004

APR 17, 2006 07:10 PM

Unfortunately, the Quakers were notoriously bad at numbering items in lists.

AceTracer

acetracer

Hollywood, FL
January 2004

APR 17, 2006 07:11 PM

So your argument is that because Spielberg is helping with the ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics, he's a proponent of oppression and genocide?

I didn't expect much from an article that Godwinned itself in the first sentence, but wow.

FreakPirate

FreakPirate

Canada
November 2002

APR 17, 2006 07:12 PM

Tangus said:
is this a rant or a story? confused



Rant.

SoEffinHappy

SoEffinHappy

Philadelphia, PA
April 2003

APR 17, 2006 07:15 PM

AceTracer said:
So your argument is that because Spielberg is helping with the ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics, he's a proponent of oppression and genocide?

I didn't expect much from an article that Godwinned itself in the first sentence, but wow.



She's not saying that he's a proponent of oppression, she's saying that he is not taking a stand against it. She's saying that someone who claims to oppose oppression should also oppose something like the Olympic Games being held in a place that is very oppressive.

FreakPirate

FreakPirate

Canada
November 2002

APR 17, 2006 07:16 PM

SoEffinHappy said:

She's not saying that he's a proponent of oppression, she's saying that he is not taking a stand against it. She's saying that someone who claims to oppose oppression should also oppose something like the Olympic Games being held in a place that is very oppressive.



So by all right I should refuse to use Google, Yahoo and countless other companies that do business in China as well?

AceTracer

acetracer

Hollywood, FL
January 2004

APR 17, 2006 07:18 PM

Tangus said:
is this a rant or a story? confused


I'm not exactly sure, but she gets a triple word score for including Nazis, Benjamin Franklin, Darfur, and Quakers in a story about Spielberg's role in the next Olympics.

SoEffinHappy

SoEffinHappy

Philadelphia, PA
April 2003

APR 17, 2006 07:21 PM

FreakPirate said:

SoEffinHappy said:

She's not saying that he's a proponent of oppression, she's saying that he is not taking a stand against it. She's saying that someone who claims to oppose oppression should also oppose something like the Olympic Games being held in a place that is very oppressive.



So by all right I should refuse to use Google, Yahoo and countless other companies that do business in China as well?



Well, yes and no. If you feel strongly that the oppression carried out by the Chinese government needs to be stopped, then yes, by all means. If you don't feel that way, then I would say no, you don't have to refuse any company that deals with them. I WOULD like to say that there is a considerable difference between dealing with a business that is trying to sell it's wares in another country and having a group of nations choose to hold an event like the Olympics in an authoritarian country.

Luminaire

Luminaire

Seattle, WA
August 2003

APR 17, 2006 07:22 PM

AceTracer said:

Tangus said:
is this a rant or a story? confused


I'm not exactly sure, but she gets a triple word score for including Nazis, Benjamin Franklin, Darfur, and Quakers in a story about Spielberg's role in the next Olympics.



Seriously. That's class right there.

Aaron

Aaron

Shakopee, MN
July 2004

APR 17, 2006 07:24 PM

Also, don't buy anything from a store...ever, all that shit is made in China.

teen_lobotomy

teen_lobotomy

Clinton, IA
March 2006

APR 17, 2006 07:24 PM

SoEffinHappy said:

FreakPirate said:

SoEffinHappy said:

She's not saying that he's a proponent of oppression, she's saying that he is not taking a stand against it. She's saying that someone who claims to oppose oppression should also oppose something like the Olympic Games being held in a place that is very oppressive.



So by all right I should refuse to use Google, Yahoo and countless other companies that do business in China as well?



Well, yes and no. If you feel strongly that the oppression carried out by the Chinese government needs to be stopped, then yes, by all means. If you don't feel that way, then I would say no, you don't have to refuse any company that deals with them. I WOULD like to say that there is a considerable difference between dealing with a business that is trying to sell it's wares in another country and having a group of nations choose to hold an event like the Olympics in an authoritarian country.



So then do you plan to stop buying and using products made in China as well? Which is pretty much most things.

AceTracer

acetracer

Hollywood, FL
January 2004

APR 17, 2006 07:24 PM

SoEffinHappy said:

AceTracer said:
So your argument is that because Spielberg is helping with the ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics, he's a proponent of oppression and genocide?

I didn't expect much from an article that Godwinned itself in the first sentence, but wow.



She's not saying that he's a proponent of oppression, she's saying that he is not taking a stand against it. She's saying that someone who claims to oppose oppression should also oppose something like the Olympic Games being held in a place that is very oppressive.


Should we also boycott every item that is imported or exported by China, and every other person, company, country or organization that deals with them? So, basically, everybody and everything?

Wouldn't a more prudent course of action be to try to befriend oppressors and through diplomatic relations work with them to improve the quality of life of their citizens? What does stonewalling get you? Where has it gotten us with Cuba in 50 years?

[Edited on Apr 17, 2006 by AceTracer]

bones_708

bones_708

Houston, TX
December 2004

APR 17, 2006 07:27 PM

Tangus said:
is this a rant or a story? confused


rant

xmomx

xmomx

Poulsbo, WA
January 2003

APR 17, 2006 07:28 PM

Franklin, a very wise, humble, pios man, who just so happend to have died from syphilis.
I know ad hominem arguments don't count, but all things are "do as I say..."

xmomx

xmomx

Poulsbo, WA
January 2003

APR 17, 2006 07:30 PM

Look, I didn't like War of the Worlds either, but this is taking it a little too far don't you think?
wink

if

if

Providence, RI
April 2005

APR 17, 2006 07:31 PM

AceTracer said:
Wouldn't a more prudent course of action be to try to befriend oppresors and through diplomatic relations work with them to improve the quality of life of their citizens? What does stonewalling get you? Where has it gotten us with Cuba in 50 years?



Or, if we find that diplomatic relations prove difficult, perhaps we could interact in a lighthearted, friendly atmosphere, such as, ummmm, idunno, maybe sports?

Luminaire

Luminaire

Seattle, WA
August 2003

APR 17, 2006 07:35 PM

if said:

AceTracer said:
Wouldn't a more prudent course of action be to try to befriend oppresors and through diplomatic relations work with them to improve the quality of life of their citizens? What does stonewalling get you? Where has it gotten us with Cuba in 50 years?



Or, if we find that diplomatic relations prove difficult, perhaps we could interact in a lighthearted, friendly atmosphere, such as, ummmm, idunno, maybe sports?



Bingo. The Olympics is the perfect thing for this situation.

TheFuckOffKid

TheFuckOffKid

NEWSWIRE

Australia

APR 17, 2006 07:41 PM

SoEffinHappy said:
If you feel strongly that the oppression carried out by the Chinese government needs to be stopped, then yes, by all means. If you don't feel that way, then I would say no, you don't have to refuse any company that deals with them.


The point has been made already, but the practical question is: do we know that not dealing with China when it comes to things like the Olympics will make this oppression stop?

The lines quoted above suggest that it's axiomatic that our boycotts would effect change in the appropriate direction, while our engagement with China makes us Oppression Enablers.

Not sure I know the answer/s, but it seems like an important question.

Dogslife

dogslife

Toronto, ON
April 2003

APR 17, 2006 07:44 PM

Western Liberalism is history. The future is China. All the histrionics you can muster won't change that. We are the last men before them.

Learn Cantonese.

AceTracer

acetracer

Hollywood, FL
January 2004

APR 17, 2006 07:52 PM

Dogslife said:
Learn Cantonese.


Damn, I hedged my bets on Mandarin.

null

null

I'm lost
November 2002

APR 17, 2006 07:57 PM

Oops. Wrong box.

[Edited on Apr 17, 2006 7:58PM]

Dogslife

dogslife

Toronto, ON
April 2003

APR 17, 2006 08:01 PM

AceTracer said:

Dogslife said:
Learn Cantonese.


Damn, I hedged my bets on Mandarin.


Whatever we decide to learn, our horrendous accents will handily mark us out as a slave class. To limber up for language classes I've been licking boots.

hell

hell

Austin, TX
February 2003

APR 17, 2006 08:04 PM

Summary of article:
I'm cool cause I had this job that proves that I'm more liberal than you. Plus, I can quote Benjamin Franklin and apply Godwin's law to almost anything with relevence with only subtle irrationalism.

If Speilberg was against the Chinese oppression then I would understand this flamingly pretentious article. But since he isn't, then I gotta say "Get your 'Free Tibet' bullshit outta here."

AceTracer

acetracer

Hollywood, FL
January 2004

APR 17, 2006 08:08 PM

Dogslife said:

AceTracer said:

Dogslife said:
Learn Cantonese.


Damn, I hedged my bets on Mandarin.


Whatever we decide to learn, our horrendous accents will handily mark us out as a slave class. To limber up for language classes I've been licking boots.


I've gotten really chummy with the folks at Panda Express.

I'm going for "house slave".

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