OK, first let me say that in no way do I condone this, (if it is true) nor do I condone bulldozing houses, nor human rights abuses, nor “factory farming” athletes to bring home gold medals. All things that the Chinese government has or is partaking in (as are many governments NOT getting this media coverage).

And if I were AT ALL convinced that ME not watching the Olympics on TV would do anything to stop even one of these things, I would do it. But I can’t “boycott” the Olympics, merely by not watching, I can only “boycott” NBC, which will do NOTHING to change this in the grand scheme of things. That is why instead, I am writing letters to the athletes who are local to me (Shawn Johnson, gymnastics, LoLo Jones, 100 m hurdles, Kara Goucher, 5k and 10k) encouraging them to educate themselves about the country they are going to and speak out against racism and injustice with their words and actions. I also wrote a letter to the IOC expressing my disapproval at China winning the bid for these Olympics and encouraging them to create standards countries that win the bid in the future MUST agree to abide by.

I feel like we really need to take more of a proactive approach here instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I do believe strongly in the IDEA of the Olympics, and further, the power of sport to heal and unite people of different cultures, religions, and ideologies like nothing else can. I believe that the Olympics have HUGE potential to bring the world to a greater awareness of injustices therein and I believe the athletes have in the past, can now (think Joey Cheek) and should be in the future ambassadors for speaking out and taking action against those injustices. The athletes are the ones with the real power.

If you feel it in your heart to “boycott” the Olympics, by all means do so. But do something more than just “not watch” them.

Just my 2 cents!

PP