Olympics 2008 - Harmony or Divergence?

China has been placed in the international spotlight after being criticized because of its role in Tibet and also that of Darfur, as I posted about previously. The U.S. and other countries have called on China to provide civil rights and freedoms to those in Tibet and to enter peaceful discussions aimed at resolving the crisis there, as well as in the continual genocide occurring in Darfur. Since China is the host of the Olympic Games this summer, protestors have been using the games as collateral for their demonstrations. Today in Paris, these demonstrations interrupted the movement of the Olympic torch relay. The demonstrations forced authorities to have to extinguish the flame of the torch on two different occasions, and eventually place it on a bus, according to the Associated Press. It has been reported that the relay has now resumed the carrying of the torch but there still remains some confrontations between the protestors and authorities. It has also been reported that the police have taken protestors away from the scene and even have resorted to tear gas on those demonstrators who were purposely blocking the route of the Olympic torch. The scene around the Olympic torch bearers have been described of being encircled by several hundred police officers, some in vehicles and on motorcycles, others on rollerblades and on foot. Even the mayor of Paris ordered a banner to be displayed over City Hall that says "Paris City of Human Rights." These demonstrations today come after yesterday’s demonstrations in London, where several arrests were made against the protestors. One demonstrator even attempted to snatch the torch away from the torch bearer. Although it seemed as though it was a day filled of riot against the Olympics, it was reported that thousands also came out to welcome the torch and support the Olympics.

My concern with this is the two sides of the argument that are both reasonable and imperative. At one end of the spectrum, dignity is being stripped away from the athletes of the world by turning the games into nothing more than a political statement. The Olympic Games are about world unity and peace between countries, so to bring the outside fragmented political world into these peaceful games would degrade the entire foundation of what the Olympics is built upon. Yes, China does have a poor history when it comes to human rights and action should be taken against them to pressure them to change that. But to attack the torch is the same as attacking the athletes who carry it and the very Olympic ideal, not China’s human rights record. If politics enters these Olympic Games, they may never be the same, as these games will allow for use of political matters in future Olympic Games as well. And on the other end, this might be the most important method of reaching the Chinese government in taking action to alleviate the distress within Tibet and Darfur. While it is difficult to outweigh the pros of leaving politics out of the games altogether, many believe that doing so in the face of controversy will ignite hotter flames in the eyes of China, ultimately forcing them to move in the direction of peace for Tibet and Darfur.

What do I think? I think people should seize this opportunity to let China know that the world is outraged. Do not let China get away with such political apathy of its responsibilities while the spotlight is on them, but do not go as far as to completely usurp the very honor and respect of other global athletes and their countries. Speak out and speak loud against China, but be careful and gentle to the idealism behind the Olympic Games.

Life is Good

888 Reasons Why - by Amy Hall
That is the title to a small, yet enlightening book that gives us 888 reasons for why we should enjoy life. I noticed this book stuck in between a best selling novel and a textbook on the bookshelf in the basement of my house, where my sister keeps all of her books. As soon as I flipped through the pages and picked out certain tidbits, I immediately smiled and remembered why life is so wonderful, despite any pitfalls. I asked my sister to please let me borrow it and have it had at school with me ever since. This book is a reminder for us all to smile at the little things in life, even when much bigger problems have burdened us. I am going to share with you a few reasons included in the book, so you can remember these little joys when life seems overwhelming.

Reason 3: No line at the grocery store when your cart is full
Reason 55: Deliberating what cloud shapes look like
Reason 108: The wonderful surprise of receiving a funny card from a friend
Reason 175: The perfect cotton-soft inside of a new sweatshirt
Reason 206: Letting snowflakes fall on your tongue
Reason 252: Evening walks
Reason 272: The fireplace that warms your back
Reason 317: Swimming at nighttime in the darkness and admiring the stars while floating in the water
Reason 392: Soft-serve chocolate ice cream in crunchy cones
Reason 437: The smell of fresh pine needles
Reason 460: The freedom to express yourself
Reason 483: The giraffe- you just gotta laugh when you really look at one
Reason 530: Boys and girls in those tennis shoes that showcase blinky red lights when they run
Reason 591: Bazooka gum cartoons
Reason 642: Succumbing to the temptation of a crunchy funnel cake at the amusement park
Reason 678: The way your muscles tingle and burn after a really good workout with weights
Reason 724: How groups of people do the universal moves of the "YMCA" dance together
Reason 773: The pleasant tone of the doorbell when you're expecting a friend
Reason 789: The neighborhood smoothie shop
Reason 848: The funny souls who cover their cars with bumper stickers
Reason 883: Shadow-puppet theater on bedroom walls

Enjoy life. Smile :)

Stop Loss & VA, The War in Iraq

Stop Loss & The VA System
I saw the movie Stop-Loss last night and despite the plot of the movie, I was concerned mostly about the issues. The idea behind the movie, stop-loss orders issued by the government, intrigues me quite a bit. This intrigues me because it gives the military the right to order back into duty a member of the military who has already served active time. Yes, this may be necessary since we do not have a draft and casualties are climbing, requiring more manpower, but lets look at the overall picture. By doing this, the government is "backdoor drafting" these fine young men and women, who have already been through the rings of hell in Iraq. As I said previously, they are being placed back into the line of duty because of existing situations that require a certain number of soldiers active over in Iraq. The ability for the government to do this not only disturbing in itself, but so are the repercussions that have followed. We cannot use and abuse our voluntary system of military with these orders, and then not give proper treatment to the men and women upon their return home from war, often injured mentally and/or physically. I wrote last month about the VA (Veterans Affairs organization) and how they improperly handled my Grandfather's situation when he was gravely ill earlier this year. He was elderly, but he did serve in the biggest battles during World War II, including the Battle of the Bulge and the Battle of Normandy. He was wounded while on duty, and came back to endure difficult post-war years burdened by alcoholism and other family issues. Can you blame any veteran for suffering from such ill-fated problems after they are shipped back from war? I have not been there so I cannot explain or fathom the extent to which they hear, see, or feel pain. But I have read, watched movies, and talked to veterans, and through their words I have empathized with them. I have empathized with the bravery they devoted to our country while at war, only to return home in worse condition than they were beforehand, and no one gives a damn except their families and friends. If we are going to continue to stop-loss our soldiers, then we better have the best care given to these men and women upon their return home to our land of the free and the brave. And we better make sure that we are giving them the same opportunities to live post-war, as they have been giving us through the various wars they have fought in to protect and preserve our freedom.

Glory

Glory is the best film I have seen about the Civil War thus far, and undoubtedly a new personal favorite of mine. This movie prides itself as an instant classic that captures a much unknown aspect of our very own Civil War, which our history classes often fail to inform us about.

The movie is based on the letters of Colonel Robert G. Shaw (Matthew Broderick), an officer in the Federal Army during the American Civil War. He volunteers to lead the 54th all African-American Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Faced with much opposition in letting his army actually fight on the battlefield, Colonel Shaw does everything he can to prepare his men for battle and make sure they can proudly show their honor of being part of the army. Their training and fighting eventually leads up to the final assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina. Their heroic actions take them as the 1st regiment into the Fort, presuming they will face the toughest fighting. This not only brought recognition to African-American soldiers at the time, but it helped turned the tide of the war. The 54th regiment wasn't any ordinary regiment, it was full of men with dignity and the willingness to go to great lengths to fight for what they believed in. And that is just what they did.

This movie is going to be added to my list of movies of profound impact because it is a true story in a time of war. As long as you can get past the 1989 quality of the movie, it is a very enchanting historical account of African-American men who will do anything to fight for their freedom, show their courage, and prove themselves to be just as good of soldiers as the Whites. It reminds us that there is so much for us to learn out there about our history as a human race that is not readily available to us. Although it was during a time of brother fighting against brother, it does show that it is possible for individuals, despite race or background, to rise up and unify together to reach a common goal. We can learn from these displays of unification, and adapt them into our current thinking to ensure we aren't blinded by the boundaries that often divide us.

To make matters even better, Matthew Broderick isn't the only wonderful and immensely fascinating performance seen in the movie. Two other well-known and award-winning actors play prominent roles in this movie, Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington. In conclusion, I recommend Glory with the utmost anticipation that every movie-watcher and/or history buff will thoroughly enjoy it.

Beijing 2008 - Where Sport and Political Arenas Collide

There have been recent reports stating that China announced 19 people died in riots in the Tibetan capital last week and there is much worry about the unrest spreading into other regions. With China’s handling of the unrest in Tibet in recent weeks, it has received much international attention. A major concern revolving around China is the much anticipated 2008 Olympic Games, which will take place in the capital of Beijing in August. The Olympic Games that represent global unity through sporting events between numerous countries, won’t be able to mask the behind the scenes reality that places China in the hot seat. While any Nation who has the capability of helping Darfur, and the will to do so, should step in, China has a special and significant obligation to Sudan. Unfortunately, after five years of constant conflict, they have not done much to show for it. The country has a responsibility to aid in the crisis of Darfur, as it is the country of Sudan’s closest economic, military, and diplomatic ally. So if the country of Sudan cannot pull itself out of this mess, who should be next in line to step in? China.

Lately, several people and organizations have reported their willingness to protest the Olympics games in Beijing this summer because they believe that attempts to relieve Darfur must take place before the Olympic Games can go on. To some, this attempt for political reconciliation seems extreme, but for others, they see it as the only way to force China into action. China has the ability to bring peace, security, and hopefully some stability to the people of Darfur. The Save Darfur organization is a huge advocate for speaking against China, as the Olympic Games grow nearer and their efforts to aid in the crisis have not succumbed to much of anything. The Organization, as quoted by their website, has stated that: must take place before the Olympic Games can go on.

“Wherever China tries to sanitize its international image, we will protest and remind the world that China is enabling genocide. And we will not stop until China has brought the Olympic dream to Darfur. Please help us press China by participating in the numerous events and actions leading up the games in August and make sure to check back often for new actions!”

With China having the most probability socially, economically, and politically, to be able to pressure the country to end the genocide in Darfur, China needs to show us that as a rising global power, they will use their position to maintain peace when possible. With the Olympics approaching, which represent global peace and unity, China has an obligation to not only host these games, but to host a movement of peace that will bring an end to the violence in Darfur. As said by UN Members, and agreed by many, China needs to be consistent in its images within both sports and political arenas as host of the world’s sporting games.

Don't Forget About Darfur

And the genocide continues. Prior to 2003, much was unknown to us about Darfur. After the current crisis broke out that year, we became aware of the region, comparable to the size of Texas, lying in the country of Sudan, which borders Chad, Libya, and the Central African Republic. But what news gave us this familiarity of the region was sadly news of rape, violence, terror, starvation, and even death. And now we are here, five years later, with mass murder still occurring, and Darfur has lost its place in the spotlight of world problems.

The current crisis began after decades of small-scale conflict between rebel groups and the Central government that brewed into something much larger. Now the effects of the conflicts in Darfur have mounted to alarming statistics. Taken from the Save Darfur Organization webpage, the statement below is devastating: “This scorched-earth campaign by the Sudanese government against Darfuri civilians has, through direct violence, disease, and starvation, already claimed as many as 400,000 lives. It has spilled over into neighboring Chad and the Central African Republic. In all, about 2.3 million Darfuris have fled their homes and communities and now reside in a network of internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Darfur, with over 200,000 more living in refugee camps in Chad. These refugees and IDPs are almost entirely dependent on the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations for their basic needs – food, water, shelter, and health care.”

Luckily, a great deal has been done thanks to the efforts of governments and organizations in making progress toward relief and peace in the region. However, this genocide is far from over. Awareness still needs to be spread and action still must be taken. Check out the website http://www.SaveDarfur.org to learn more of the history behind Darfur and the current situation. Also, check out the United Nations website for any updates. You might just be one person, but your awareness and your word can empower others, and this could have a ripple effect leading to the end of violence for the victims of Darfur, and a step closer to a peaceful world. Check back soon for an update on a recent issue that has placed China in the hot seat for its controversial diplomatic handling of the crisis.