waste of money

[5rod]

5rod here
just to say what a waste of time and money this
olympic torch as been.
dont get me wrong i love the games  BUT
2000 POLICE must have cost 2million pounds +
for a gas lighter to go across the city
 I could think of alot better things with that sort of cash
homeless to start with.
What about you

[star]

I agree, I think its very wrong to mix sport and politics.

It will be interesting (to say the least) what actually happens at the games............more riots I expect.

[Lindsay]

mm - same problems here in France today as in London yesterday.  What a shame.

[ktlawson]

Personally I don't really care about the Olympics.   It costs too much for what it is.   Sporting events in general are good but the Olympics is just another doomed millennium dome type project that the taxpayer is footing the bill for heavily.   The government is even having to coin money off the national lottery to feed the bill, and they have said they want more money from it.  At least Dick Turpin wore a mask.

Phew!  Whinge over

[Lacelotte]

I've just heard the torch has managed to go out twice today! Ooooops

[Grandma]

No one I know - (four generations of my family plus friends of all ages) - gives a tinkers cuss about the Olympics but I know a dozen (or two!) who care very much indeed about human rights! Power to the people! 

[!mpetuous]

We should never have allowed the torch in as a protest against China.  The Chinese government are using the torch relay to promote themselves whilst at the same time murdering and torturing innocent people in Tibet. Giving the Olympics to Beijing in the first place was a disgrace and any right thinking person knew that their assurances that their human rights record would improve as a result was a lie at the time. China still executes hundreds of innocent people for crimes they did not commit because a visibly quick result is more important than justice. The country is a disgrace!

Still support the Olympics as a concept though - it is just the IOC that needs to take a long hard look at itself.

[posie]

We should never have allowed the torch in as a protest against China.  The Chinese government are using the torch relay to promote themselves whilst at the same time murdering and torturing innocent people in Tibet. Giving the Olympics to Beijing in the first place was a disgrace and any right thinking person knew that their assurances that their human rights record would improve as a result was a lie at the time. China still executes hundreds of innocent people for crimes they did not commit because a visibly quick result is more important than justice. The country is a disgrace!

Still support the Olympics as a concept though - it is just the IOC that needs to take a long hard look at itself.

I couldn't agree more. This could have been stopped in its tracks by the IOC, they have only themselves to blame for the disruption currently being caused by protesters.

[caroline7758]

Compared to 8 million for the Diana inquest, it's a bargain

[5rod]

thats why the taxes are so high.
common sence   where has it gone.
 thats  better a good old moan
                             
                            5 rod

[Old bird]

I admire the conviction of the protesters - they are putting themselves in potential danger for people in Tibet who are unable to protest for themselves.

I do not agree with politics and sport being combined - but the human rights issues that China imposes on both Chinese and Tibetan people.  Did you know that they execute 22 people a day?  One person I heard of was killed for tax fraud - how outrageous is that.

So I say well done to those prepared to stand up for the many millions of people in both Tibet and China that are unable to and the ones that have died for Freedom. 

The Olympics should be about just sport I agree - but you cannot just ignore the human rights (or total lack of them) for those people.

Old Bird
 

[SamLouise]

I like the olympic torch tradition.  I like seeing it being moved about.  I enjoy the olympics, both summer and winter and I'm looking forward to the next one too 

Whilst I admire people's concerns and passions for human rights and don't wish to offend anybody, it angers me that it's a flavour of the month situation.  Nobody speaks of it beforehand and nobody will speak of it again when the torch debacle has died down or even when the olympics has come and gone.  Will the world's public still be as concered then?

[!mpetuous]

Maybe not for you but basic human rights for the people of the world are a regular consideration in our house - it effects what we buy and we are members of Amnesty.  Not just the trendy ones.  I am with Ollie on this one (other thread) and do not have a finite amount of compassion that I can only spare for those nearest and dearest.  I do think some people should spend far less time thinking about their own immediate needs and should consider those unable to speak for themselves.

[grawrc]

Clanger you are so right! I spend a lot of time and money respecting the rights of my fellow humans.

I don't have a problem with the Olympics per se. And I do think that sport is preferable to war but the commercialisation of it and the money creamed off it disgust me.

[aromatic]

   HERE! HERE!!! grawrc........

[Robert_Brenchley]

Remember who started the olympic torch thing? The modern olympics were intended to be political right from the beginning, and have only become more so as time passed. Otherwise, they'd be affordable.

[valmarg]

I think this should all be put into perspective.

Whilst I agree the Chinese have a lousy 'human rights' record, and what they are doing in Tibet is a disgrace.

Look at your computer - where was it made 'in China'.

You only have to look a the cheepo crappo clothes in the likes of Tesco - where were they made 'in China'.

Most electrical goods you have the option of buying these days are 'made in China'.

If you were really serious about 'human rights' for Tibetans, you would boycott Chinese products.

Wouldn't have much left on the electrical/computer shelves.

valmarg

[SamLouise]

Maybe not for you but basic human rights for the people of the world are a regular consideration in our house - it effects what we buy and we are members of Amnesty.  Not just the trendy ones.  I am with Ollie on this one (other thread) and do not have a finite amount of compassion that I can only spare for those nearest and dearest.  I do think some people should spend far less time thinking about their own immediate needs and should consider those unable to speak for themselves.

I didn't direct my post at any one indivdual person and I'll thank you to do the same.  You don't know me so you can't comment on my household's view of human rights.  As it happens it's pretty similar to yours (and probably a large amount of people on this forum) My point was that of the public jumping on the human rights bandwagon as it does it rounds - again.  But many of these people around the world wagging their fingers and having their say won't have much to say about it when it all dies down.  That's just my opinion though.

Valmarg has also made a very good point that a lot of people don't think about.

[Old bird]

It has not just hit the press because of the Olympic Torch thing.  Remember last month when the Tibetan monks were being killed in their hundreds for daring to bring the world's attention to their plight.

The Dalai Lama who is the spiritual leader of Tibet (who incidentally are a gentle nationality on the whole due to their religious beliefs) has been in exile for many years.

The protestors have to use things like the Olympic Torch event to bring the attention again and again to the world leaders to the plight of the Tibetans.

It is too simplistic to say stop buying chinese made articles - if we did that then the chinese workers and their families will starve - they don't have a "welfare state" like we do.

All power to their elbows - but equally I hope the Olympics do go well - for the athletes sake who, in turn, have trained long and hard for this - their goal - to take part in an Olympics and for them to win is the ultimate dream.

Old Bird
 

[springbok]

If Tibet had Oil, or Fuel, I am sure the world would of sent the troops in then to help the tibetans.