Steven Spielberg bails on the Beijing Olympics
posted at 6:52 pm on February 12, 2008 by Bryan
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And for good reason.
Steven Spielberg has decided not to participate in the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing as an artistic adviser, citing the lack of progress in ending the genocide in Darfur.
The move marks a public relations blow to the Chinese government as it tries to prevent the Games from being politicized, not just on the Darfur crisis but other issues.
Read the rest. His response is better than the British move to muzzle its own athletes. It certainly doesn’t make Spielberg perfect on human rights, but it’s almost refreshing to hear someone in Hollywood bashing someone other than Bush. And the fact is, China is much more influential in Sudan than we are and is in a position to end the genocide in Darfur. So far, though, China has chosen to value its oil contracts over innocent life.
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Yeah, I just read it on the BBC website. Good for him.
infidel65 on February 12, 2008 at 6:55 PM
Good on ‘im.
flipflop on February 12, 2008 at 6:58 PM
Pull Out NOW
Kini on February 12, 2008 at 6:59 PM
Good for Spielberg.
China is exploiting Africa from top to bottom, but then again when has the Chinese government ever given a flying monkeys about the sanctity of life and liberty?
Pax americana on February 12, 2008 at 6:59 PM
Hooray! for Speilberg.
RushBaby on February 12, 2008 at 7:01 PM
Lack of progress in Darfur???? How about the lack of progress right there in China? I think they still have a lot of work on civil rights issues, nass murder, mandatory abortions, etc.
DAT60A3 on February 12, 2008 at 7:03 PM
I didn’t know there was an Indiana Jones event?
Kini on February 12, 2008 at 7:03 PM
The left can have some good positions…this is one of them.
That’s laughable, when was the Olympics not used politically…in 1980 when 11 Jews were killed and not one middle east leader (save King Hussein of Jordan) denounced the murders?
How about steroid use by the East Germans, to show how great their society was.
Or when Carter boycotted because of Russian invasion’s. Every one had political overtones. Oh and don’t forget about “the day the water turned red”, 1956 gold medal water polo match between Hungary and Russia, just after Russia invaded Hungary. Nothing could have been more dramatic or political than that famous confrontation…well maybe Jessie Owens in 1936, just 70+ years ago…
right2bright on February 12, 2008 at 7:07 PM
Credit when credit’s due. Steve, good on ya mate. Now if the girlie-men on the USA Olympic Committee would due the same and not sign the ‘gag order.’
mustang1 on February 12, 2008 at 7:13 PM
Embarrassing the Chinese is the only way to manipulate them. They respond to shame. The trick is, getting the response you are looking for.
TBinSTL on February 12, 2008 at 7:25 PM
Pardon me, but I am a bit confused here. The Sudan crisis is one of jihad, muslims slaughtering non-muslims into anhilation, in Northern Africa.So what kind of “unique influence” as Speilberg puts it, does China have to stop Muslim jihad in a North African nation? About the only thing China could do is promise to support and not block U.N. sanctions, and we have seen how well they work at stopping jihad.
Seems to me if Speilberg wanted to use his “unique influence” he could demand that China allow the free flow of information on the internet, or demand the halting of the persecution of falon gong. But maybe that is to logical for someone of Speilberg’s intellect?
paulsur on February 12, 2008 at 7:27 PM
Yay! Anti-dhimmitude (or at least its non-Union Mexican equivalent).
aengus on February 12, 2008 at 7:28 PM
This Olympiad will rival the Berlin Olympics under Hitler for political drama.
jgapinoy on February 12, 2008 at 7:42 PM
But he has no qualms about canoodling with Castro? Kind of hypocritical, isn’t he?
Blake on February 12, 2008 at 7:49 PM
oldernslower on February 12, 2008 at 7:49 PM
Fuck China and the Olympics. Fuck Spielberg too.
echosyst on February 12, 2008 at 7:51 PM
whooops, sorry.
And does this surprise anyone?
oldernslower on February 12, 2008 at 7:51 PM
he’s a lib, can’t be trusted
oldernslower on February 12, 2008 at 7:53 PM
I completely agree that the athletes shouldn’t talk politics in China. Remember how idiotic those stupid Bridge winners looked when they got political?
I’m happy about Spielberg.
Now let’s see what reporters do when they are over there.
MayBee on February 12, 2008 at 7:53 PM
Meanwhile, the LAT is still producing puff pieces on Jerry Yang of Yahoo, who helped the Reds find dissidents there and imprison them.
An Atypical Executive
Yeah, atypical…
PattyJ on February 12, 2008 at 7:55 PM
I just hope that the reporters do their jobs when they come to China. I think that many Americans have misconceptions about “big bad China.” Some of those misconceptions were true in the ’80’s, but are not true now. Some things, however are true, and should be investigated fully. I hope our media will not wimp out and just eat up the party line.
p40tiger on February 12, 2008 at 8:23 PM
He is also pissed that the Chinese have stolen hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties owed to him through their rampant piracy of his intellectual property rights.
China is a den of thieves.
Supported by their prostrate pimps in the West.
At least one man won’t play along.
Kudos, Steven.
To the Max!
profitsbeard on February 12, 2008 at 8:26 PM
But what is wrong with China? hey what is internet censorship and selling a few dissident kidneys between friends?
TheSitRep on February 12, 2008 at 8:34 PM
Even as we speak, I’m sitting in the PRC reading Hot Air. I can read Fox News, CNN, and nearly any site I want to go to. I am blocked if I want to look at Wikipedia, and sometimes I can’t go to BBC.
But, is it really that much of a loss? Wikipedia and the BBC? Maybe these ChiComs are on to something? haha
p40tiger on February 12, 2008 at 8:39 PM
Remember that Spielberg is actually a DINO: he’s been seen shooting sporting clays with Tom Selleck(sp?) That’s a secret though, so shhhhhhh!
Biffstir on February 12, 2008 at 8:49 PM
So much for “no blood for oil”, eh…. good on him…
liquidflorian on February 12, 2008 at 8:54 PM
Count your kidneys. lol
TheSitRep on February 12, 2008 at 9:02 PM
Look, I don’t want to be in the position of defending the government here (or anywhere), but I’m just saying that there are a lot of misconceptions about every day life here. Yes, I applaud Spielberg for taking a stand. I’ve even toyed with supporting a boycott of the games (though I think that is unfair to the athletes). But I have to say that in many ways, China is more capitalistic than it is at home, and, as we can see from all the lead scares, less regulated.
Think about it. Our own government is a bureaucratic nightmare of inefficiency. Now think of the bureaucracy involved in a socialist state–inefficiency defined. They don’t control people’s thoughts, and they don’t care what people do in private (as long as they don’t feel threatened). If you think China is like what we hear about North Korea, you are horribly mistaken.
p40tiger on February 12, 2008 at 9:20 PM
This is weak.
Kralizec on February 12, 2008 at 9:23 PM
No one wants the responsibility of taking care of millions of people with no reward for their efforts. Darfur to many is just population control in its most primitive form. Sad, very sad, that people are being massacred daily and no one gives a damn.
volsense on February 12, 2008 at 9:45 PM
I refuse to participate in the Beijing Olympics until there is meaningful progress in Britney Spears rehabilitation ….
Chimp 6 on February 12, 2008 at 10:22 PM
Finally some good news from Hollywood,I tip
my hat to Spielberg,but where is “I speak for
the entire world”,Champion against China
Richard Gere!
canopfor on February 12, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Poor effing idiots, hundreds of thousands of people are being slaughtered, and they’re worried about the stupid game being politicized. F em. Good for Speilberg.
4shoes on February 12, 2008 at 10:29 PM
Even as we speak,I’m sitting in the PRC reading Hot Air.
p40tiger on February 12,2008 at 8:39PM.
p40tiger(Flying Tiger):Ssssshhhhhhhhhhh,walls have ears!Hehe
canopfor on February 12, 2008 at 10:36 PM
Like the average Chinese person would have money to throw away on Hollywood turds.
Darth Executor on February 12, 2008 at 11:24 PM
Someone better tell the UN they need to get on this Darfur thing… oh wait…
Neo on February 12, 2008 at 11:44 PM
So when they want to build a highway, they just take your house. Or, and you have seen this if you live there, take part of their house, if it is not totally in the right of way.
When you look at the air, and you can see the air, unbelievable pollution.
The government props up the currency, hardly a free market. Any thing you want to buy in the world for manufacturing (that is as part of a manufactured part), and they will sell you the same thing for 80% of what you pay. Clearly against all trade agreements, their currency cannot be tied to our dollar. But for decades it was 80cent on our dollar.
It only appears to be a “free market”, but they set the price by being 20% under the market, no matter what it costs them. Think about it, they would buy wood from us, ship it over to them, manufacture a wood desk, and ship it back (at about 8 times the cube)and under cut our manufacturing. when you figure wages are maybe 18-22% of the cost of case goods, 75% material costs, how do they sell it for 1/2 the price?…government subsidy, that’s how.
right2bright on February 13, 2008 at 1:31 AM
I am not saying they are not corrupt. But your facts are a bit off too. Their currency is not, and has never been 80cents to the dollar. Try 12 cents to our dollar, recently rising a little bit.
As far as pollution, you are correct–in most big cities, but it depends where you are. I live in a city of about 5 million people, and the air is clear and the sky is blue. But Beijing…yeah, nasty. It just depends where you are. Some of the pollution is caused by foreign factories too, here for the cheaper labor. China desperately wants all the income from foreign companies it can get. They aren’t to the point financially that they can have a conscience about the environment like we do. All they care about right now is economics. The environment gets lip service, but no action.
Do you mean prices for local people being cheaper? If so, in some cases you are correct, but think about the lack of shipping costs. If it is made here, they don’t have to tack on the shipping costs, so of course that will be cheaper. As far as electronics or cars go, they are not much if any cheaper than in the US. Chinese electronics may be cheaper here, but that is because they are very poor quality.
The reason US companies keep doing business with China is not because of government subsidies (well, it could be part of the reason, I couldn’t say), but the main reason is because China has 1.3 billion people, so wages are low, and government restrictions are low. Our government has restricted our companies so much that it costs too much to open a factory in America. China is filling the gap caused by our singular mission to save the environment, and other causes that developing countries don’t have the desire to take on.
There are lots of rich people in China now, and tons of poor people. BMWs are a common sight, as are beggars on the streets.
As far as trade agreements, yes. They are totally corrupt. Hollywood movies are an example. They have a crackdown on pirate movies for TV cameras, but the next day you can go in I buy anything you want for about $.90 US. Counterfeit name brands are everywhere. Nikes are not Nikes, North Face is not North Face. That is why it is cheaper. It may look real, but it isn’t.
My point is not to defend the Chinese government. It is just to say that our government has created the environment for China’s behavior. We enter agreements and play by the rules, but it doesn’t mean other nations are. Whatever happened to “trust but verify?” We need to hold people accountable for stiffing us. They are taking advantage of opportunities that we give them. We need to play tough if we want to win. Nobody will hand it to us. We expect them to play fair, but when we find out they aren’t, there are no consequences. What’s up with that?
p40tiger on February 13, 2008 at 3:06 AM
Enlightened /s
- The Cat
MirCat on February 13, 2008 at 4:03 AM
Nothing to see here.
This is not a moral issue for Spielberg. He was embarassed into quitting.
davod on February 13, 2008 at 6:57 AM
Funny how the libs are all concerned about genocide in Darfur but turned a blind eye to the same thing in Iraq. The difference? There is no immediate American interest in Darfur so they can raise hell about it and not feel guilty about helping America in the process. Libs are libs.
Big Orange on February 13, 2008 at 8:46 AM
Has Spielberg ever apologized for filming that screedish take on the Munich massacre? I haven’t found any info to date that he’s sorry, and I think I’ll have to agree with Davod – he was just embarrassed into withdrawing.
Avi Green on February 13, 2008 at 10:30 AM
I agree with Spielberg whole heartedly and more. More people that should be held to task are right here in America, namely the 110th.
oakpack on February 13, 2008 at 2:26 PM
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