Comments on: Deported from China for documenting Free Tibet protests -- IOC censors YouTube videos of protests

By: Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Moderator

Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Moderator — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

BDewhirst @7, can you substantiate that assertion?

By: Takuan

Takuan — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

when the games were founded in Greece centuries ago, human nature was unremarkably like it is today.
Athletes cheated and broke rules to win. It was acceptable at the time to make amends with the gods for bad behaviour or disrespect by making an offering. One form of this would be a statue. It is said that the road to the first olympic grounds was lined on both sides for many, many miles with statuary.

Sport is sublimated primate warfare. Better than openly killing each other, same in basic intent. Any effort to cosmetically improve the image of sport by reference to “character development” is just that: paint over unpleasant reality.

Of course our developed economy has now translated the simple physical dominance and conquest into money – see gold, sliver and worthless bronze. Athletes now make apology (when caught) with public service announcements rather than marbles. The organization of the olympics has become it’s own industry as has the coverage and late commercial endorsements. Now we turn full circle and see also the games as a form of political warfare.

By: Antinous

Antinous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Sport is sublimated primate warfare

Even synchronized swimming?

By: BDewhirst

BDewhirst — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

It isn’t very hard to turn it into an issue of patriotism when the CIA kicks in the funding to start your protest movement.

Where are the Free Ossetian protesters? Do we only support those sovereignty claims supported by our government?

By: Takuan

Takuan — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The IOC is founded on corruption, profit and greed. Of course they get along with the PRC government.

By: BJ

BJ — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Learn something about China first. Start with, say, the spelling of Tiananmen Square?

By: Ugly Canuck

Ugly Canuck — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Well they are actually founded upon noble humanistic ideals, but the practice is/has become corrupt, profit-driven, and and full of self-aggrandizement. The same complaints had been heard in Ancient times concerning the Olympics and other games too.
IMO the IOC is the snobbiest organization on earth. Bar none.
They apparently have no love for us ugly, unhealthy, impecunious, loser lame-os. But I love the Olympics themselves anyway, despite the Fascist IOC….
For a refreshing change from current films/presentations, watch the full-length version of the film “Tokyo Olympiad” (was available from Criterion, now sadly OOP)…who cares who wins? Pay much more attention to all the other participants…sports is not about winning, it is about participation, and not just as a competitor, but also as a spectator, judge, organizer, usher…contrary to what the TV drills into yer little heads. Achievement in Sport will always be an individual thing, attached to a name, regardless of who pays the bills. Or who claims credit. It is also profoundly social.
IMO every person ought to attend an Olympics at least once in their lives. They are always a blast to attend…at least, for me they have.
But the IOC…well to each their own, eh?

By: Takuan

Takuan — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

especially! Have you ever seen the locker room brawls over who’s eyeliner got used?

By: Antinous

Antinous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Are you sure that he wasn't deported for not being pretty enough?

By: chromal

chromal — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

You play with the dragon, you risk being burned? It’s unfortunately, but completely unsurprising that they smashed his visit with a velvet-covered iron fist. I hope he feels he furthered the cause, rather than just misspent a hell of a lot of money. I have my doubts, though.

By: TharkLord

TharkLord — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

“Sport is sublimated primate warfare.”

Wow! In that case I can’t wait for the “Bonobo” style Olympics!

By: Stephen

Stephen — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

So they should either file the counter claim so YouTube puts it back up, or blur the logo and put it back up.

YouTube takes down automatically when they get a claim and puts back automatically when they get a counter claim.

IOC is undoubtedly sending YouTube takedown claims for all footage including their logo. This is about publishing rights and probably has nothing at all to do with the protest.

By: kimbatch

kimbatch — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Not surprisingly that he got deported. But the “IOC censoring YouTube videos recorded in NYC of the Free Tibet protests” that is very worrying.

http://uncensor.com.au

By: cherry shiva

cherry shiva — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

very worrying indeed. as is facebook censorship – more so, imo, as it is a verbal account, not a visual appropriation. sad times. here come the man.

By: Kobie

Kobie — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Shouldn’t he at least be speaking Mandarin or Cantonese? Not much point telling the Chinese how they’re being oppressed if they don’t understand a word of it. Sure, a few tourists might hear you, but you’re not telling them anything they don’t already know.

The problem with protesting against China is that most Chinese see it as an attack on themselves. The genius of the regime there has been to turn external criticism into a patriotic issue. If people want to change anything, then they have to address that first. No point telling people things they just don’t want to hear about their own government (let alone in a language they don’t understand).