Going To China

There was a lot of talk leading up the Olympics about President Bush, and should he attend the opening ceremonies in Beijing.

Some argued that because of the horrendous human rights record of the Communist Government of China, that he should protest by not attending the opening. Of course, Bush did go to the ceremony, but should he have done so?

First, I think it's important to remember that it is not the will of the Chinese people that these things be done. In fact, it is the Chinese people who bear the the lion share of the oppressive policies and atrocities of the Government. I think that this kind of recommended protest would have merely annoyed he Government of China, but it would have insulted the people, who are largely good people, and who have no control over the policies of their country. Could this even have created some solidarity of the people with their Government?

Second, I think it's important to remember that most of the people who wanted Bush not to go, wanted to protest the treatment of Tibet, which is a place that China has no business being to begin with. What they fail to mention is that this is nothing new, it has been going on for decades. Hillary Clinton was one of those who said that Bush needed to stay home in protest, but giving no indication that her own husband, Bill Clinton, did nothing about it during his Presidency, and the atrocities were in full swing then.

Personally, I think we owe the support to the Chinese people, since we really haven't done much to help them over all these decades of oppression. Further, I think that what this really boils down to was something to make Bush look bad. Knowing that it would have been ultimately worse for him not to go, and so, if he hadn't they could have pointed fingers at him if anything bad had come of it, and since he did go, they get to point their fingers at him and claim he doesn't care. So, a purely political move, and a disgusting one at that.

What troubles me is that Chuck Colson also was calling for him not to go. I really thought that someone like Colson, whom I respect a lot, would have seen what was really going on, and that boycotting the Olympics, or even just the opening ceremonies, would have accomplished nothing at all.

For better or for worse, China is very important to the future of the world. What happens in there in the next few years, or even a couple of decades, will have enormous repercussions on how world history unfolds. If their hybrid of Communistic Tyrannical rule, and semi-capitalistic economic system proves successful, the effect on the rest of the world will be terrifying. However, with the drastic rise in Christianity that is taking root there, and the infusion of what Western Culture was at is pinnacle, we could see China transform to the new Global center of freedom and liberty. Now wouldn't that be something?