The Anti-Olympics

Email Print posted by Andrew Koenig 05/20/2008 04:48:16 PM EST

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Stand up for the Burmese people while having gobs and gobs of fun.

As you probably know by now, I am supporting the campaign to boycott the Olympics in Beijing, China. China materially supports the brutal dictatorship of Burma by selling weapons that are in turn used on the general populace. China also also buys natural gas from Burma. Additionally China provides similar support to the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. And of course there are the ongoing issues of Human Rights abuses in China, Tibet and tainted food and non-food products coming to America.

I can only hope that the recent earthquake that has struck the poor citizens of China, and who are suffering as a a result, will shine a brighter light on the way the Chinese government behaves and force them into changing their way of, ahem, governing.

So. My court case is done and there's nothing more I can do there. (missed the story?  read lots of articles here http://www.pasadenaweekly.c om/cms/commons/global_searc h/?text_search=andrew+koeni g&mainsearchsubmit.x=0& amp;mainsearchsubmit.y=0&am p;mainsearchsubmit=Search)

But I want to continue to bring attention to China's support of the problems and promote the boycott of this Summer's Olympics.

As an activist, it is important to have something ready to replace something bad. If you quit cigarettes, you better replace it with something healthy or you'll just go back to smoking or doing something else equally harmful. An option must be provided.

So if I ask you to not watch the Olympics, what should you do instead? Watch, or participate, in the Anti-Olympics! What's that?

The Anti-Olympics will be a  series of videos available on YouTube where people compete in ridiculous competitions. A shoe tying contest? 50 yard stripping dash? Who knows.

I want your ideas. I want contributions from around the world. I want to have a new video up for every day of the Olympics. Are you game? If you have an idea or just want to participate, let me know! The sooner the better. The deadline for videos will be July 1st.

What's going on in Burma is serious and China's support is no laughing matter, but let's have some fun while we stand up for the Burmese people. 

Join the Anti-Olympics MySpace page:

www.myspace.com/theantiolym pics

 

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The Anti-Olympics | 8 comments (8 topical, 0 hidden)
Massively multiplayer (none / 0)
I thought this post was going to be an endorsement of North Korea's Mass Games, which seek to preempt the "other" Olympics and have been described by North Korean state officials as the greatest spectacle ever to be witnessed by anyone.

by OneHitKill on 05/21/2008 05:55:35 AM EST

China is coming around. (none / 0)
China is becoming more capitalistic and less socialistic with each passing day. We should continue to support their transition from totalitarianism to neoliberal freedom.

My problem is with countries like North Korea and Iran and Cuba. They are run like a Democrat Party dream come true.

by KenTX on 05/21/2008 06:19:07 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Kenworld (none / 0)

It is very strange to me that Ken supports theorhetical dictatorship (Unitary Executive Theory) but considers the dictatorships of North Korea and Cuba to be Democrat dreams come true.

Iran is a theocracy, of course.  Not sure how Ken thinks that is a Democrat dream come true. 

Ken seems to fail to understand that theocracy and undemocratic states are Republican ideals.

A rational and honest person would look to places like Norway and Sweden as Democrat dreams come true which I will agree with. 

by ProfRich on 05/21/2008 09:34:51 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Yes, China is coming around (none / 0)

But not quick enough and not profoundly enough.

 Their influence over Burma is huge and they fail to use it to benefit the citizens of Burma. Burma will most likely not change until China makes them. And as you may be aware, Burma is among the worst of the worst.

I hope you'll reconsider .

Best,

Andrew 

by Andrew Koenig on 05/21/2008 02:54:12 PM EST

[ Parent ]
On a positive note (none / 0)

China did invade another country against the wishes of the world and refuses to leave despite international protest and the invaded country clearly wanting them too.

So in some ways they are becoming like America. 

by ProfRich on 05/21/2008 04:51:12 PM EST

[ Parent ]
That would make us (none / 0)
more like China.

by Andrew Koenig on 05/21/2008 10:14:27 PM EST

[ Parent ]
You deserve a cock today (none / 0)
The fact that the Mass Games enjoy such a turnout without the advertising dollars of Coke and McDonald's backing them up puts capitalism's clumsy trappings to shame. The worst part of the Olympics has always been the goddamn commercials, anyway.

by OneHitKill on 05/23/2008 07:46:46 AM EST

[ Parent ]
As requested.... (none / 0)
Andrew,

At the blog site (I can't believe somebody actually got me to go to MySpace. Hope you realize that it's ONLY because you're a fellow Turkee! (-; ) one of the requests for input is:

Have an idea for a ridiculous competition?

I have an idea. It's called "The Final Months of the Democratic Primary." The contest is easy, one person has already won the race and the other contestant keeps running and running and running...

by MedfordTim on 05/22/2008 12:22:35 PM EST

The Anti-Olympics | 8 comments (8 topical, 0 hidden)
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