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# Readers Weigh Whether China's Human Rights Record Will Keep Them From the Olympics
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/080908-story/
- Published: 2008-08-09T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T20:39:12.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

LET THE GAMES BEGIN This past week, Q-line asked: There was some controversy surrounding the International Olympic Committee’s selection of China as the host nation for this year’s Summer Olympics due to that country’s human rights record. Given China’s history of human rights violations, will you be more or less likely to watch the games? Here are your responses: “HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS OR NOT, I wouldn’t watch the Olympics from China anyway. How that country, with its horrible air pollution, polluted food and other products, got selected is beyond believing. And all the doping of athletes turns me off anyway.”

“I WILL PROBABLY WATCH THE CONTESTS that interest me, but I would never consider going to China at this time. I am outraged at the Olympics committee for their choice. They should have said, ‘First show us, then apply next time.’”

“IN MY OPINION, THERE IS NOT A NATION in the world that does not have their own form of human rights violations. Here in the United States, a once great nation, we have those who, while driving their high-line, multi-thousand dollar automobiles, pass other humans who are eating out of trash bins. While this once great nation wastes billions of dollars in a worthless seemingly forever child’s play military confrontation that was started by a country and military commanders that did not command, the military confrontation has taken 4,000 lives from the young men and women in uniform. We, as Americans, should keep in mind that China was an ally to the U.S. during World War II against Japan and Germany, who have prospered greatly due to the American dollar. When one considers what is taking place in the world today, we should be pleased that China is offering a friendly hand. Yes, I will watch the Olympics.”

“CHINA IS SO INTO CENSORSHIP THAT IF anything does happen, like a protest or something, they’ll cover it up and won’t let it be shown, so there’s no point in watching the Olympics anyway.”

“YES, I SHALL ABSOLUTELY NOT WATCH the games. This is not only due to China’s history of torture and murder of religious and political prisoners, but also due to their customs of eating dogs, skinning cats alive, and poaching endangered species. It’s also due to their environmental destruction, including air, water, toxins, toys and tools, and evictions and destruction of homes, all leaving many Olympic athletes destitute, among other assorted and depraved acts.”

“I WILL NOT BE WATCHING THE OLYMPICS on TV. I am angry at the committee that picked China, and ashamed at the athletes that go there, but I applaud the few who did not.”

“I’M NOT GOING TO WATCH THE Olympics. I’m a very sports person, but I’m not watching them at all.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 9, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/080908.pdf?ref=smdp.com)