2008 World Olympics :: Bejing, China

This is all over the news this afternoon. The Olympic torch is supposed to arrive in San Francisco on Wednesday, it's only stop in North America. There will be 6 runners taking the torch on a 6 mile track around the bay. Three climbers scaled the Golden Gate Bridge hanging banners from the bridge cables reading "Free Tibet" and "One World, One Dream: Free Tibet."

There have been protests worldwide wherever this torch is. Paris had some very similar protests, and when the torch did arrive, the riots and protests caused them to snuff out the torch and take it onto a bus to keep it and the runners safe.

And in London anti-China and pro-Tibet demonstrators, gather on a road in the middle of the city where the Olympic torch parade was scheduled to pass.

I understand why these protests are happening. China's relations with Tibet and with The Sudan are very controversial. They have oil interests in The Sudan and are actually fueling both sides of the conflict there with weapons and machinery and vehicles. That is wrong, and the world is watching.

In February, Hollywood director Steven Spielberg withdrew as an artistic adviser to the Olympics' opening and closing ceremonies over China's support for the Sudan government.

Hilary is encouraging Bush to pull the US out of the 2008 Olympics due to China's humanitarian record. Obama is torn on this issue, because he believes on one hand that Chinese involvement in The Sudan and in Tibet is wrong and should be stopped, but on the otherhand, the Olympics are supposed to be a venue to bring the world together, not a venue for political protest. I see where he is coming from, but I would definately encourage Bush to boycott the Olympic games based solely on the fact that China is involved with the terrible Sudanese government.

I believe that this is a very important issue that we should all know where we stand on.

What do you think about all of this? Where do you stand?