WHEN I was a child, the Olympics were never about politics. They were only about athletic prowess and national pride. Now, I am old enough to know better. Today, with China assuming its controversial role as the host of the 2008 Summer Olympics, the games now bring to mind displays of nationalist propaganda and political misconduct more than anything else. It is time that people recognize exactly how dangerous the Olympics can be. More importantly, it is time for University students and officials to take stock of the recent outcries for Tibetan independence and to see the events as an educational opportunity rather than just a tourist attraction.
In light of the Chinese government's recent crackdown on protesters demanding Tibet's freedom from Chinese rule, as well as other human rights violations committed by the host country, this year's games are no longer about feats of athleticism or keeping track of the medal count. Instead of relaxing on the couch switching back and forth between the many channels that broadcast the Games, I will be avoiding the Olympics at all costs. Gymnastics routines be damned.
According to the Associated Press, the recent riots in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa are the most violent in two decades, perfectly timed during the lead up to the games as a way to call attention to China's continued rule over Tibet despite the desire of Tibetans for political freedom. Yet as people in Tibet and other locations participate in often violent demonstrations and protests, it seems too easy for me to simply turn off the television and believe that I am doing my part. So, as an American university student, what else can I do?
According to University graduate student Jann Ronis, who has been traveling to Tibet since 2000 and is an instructor for the International Studies Office's UVa in Tibet: Eastern Tibetan Buddhist Culture program, boycotting the Olympics will likely not improve the situation a great deal. "The best thing," he said, "is to educate ourselves," using tools such as teach-ins and dialogue with other students. Study abroad programs, such as the one Ronis leads to Tibet each summer, are another way to enhance our own knowledge of the complicated history between Tibet and China.
Yet not everyone has heeded this advice, and those who are planning trips to the Olympics this summer may very well avoid these issues altogether. Cavalier Travels, a travel program designed specifically for University alumni and their friends, is currently advertising a Summer 2008 trip to China that will occur during the Olympics. The company's Web site claims that the trip will focus on the games, and it makes no mention of visiting Tibet. Conversely, the study-abroad program to Tibet that Ronis is involved in has just canceled its planned trip to Tibet this summer due to what Ronis calls the "martial-law conditions" instated in the region.
Therefore, while some Cavaliers will be planning a sight-seeing trip to China in hopes of watching the next great American athlete or of cheering on a former Wahoo, students interested in studying the culture of Tibet and understanding the nuances of the current unrest will not have the opportunity to do so. Ronis notes, "Tourists don't get the same out of their trips, nor do the Tibetans they meet have such mutually illuminating interactions" as those that take place in a study abroad program like his, which is equipped with knowledgeable University professors and Tibetan staff.
The International Olympic Committee made the mistake of thinking that by selecting China to host the Olympics, somehow the conditions in Tibet would improve and the Chinese government would become more open. Instead, the situation has only grown more volatile, and foreign journalists and students are increasingly being denied the opportunity to travel to the region.
It seems to me that instead of taking the easy road and merely viewing China as a tourist destination, the University could do more to emphasize the educational aspect of travel. Similarly, students can take a more active role in educating themselves through study and dialogue about China's history and its relations with Tibet. Maybe instead of merely refusing to watch night after night of athletic competition, we could all attend a teach-in about Sino-Tibet relations, one of which is already in the works at the University. Maybe we could write letters to University administrators urging them to support educational endeavors to the region or even to boycott Olympic sponsors such as Coca-Cola and McDonald's. Together, through dialogue and awareness, maybe we can help open up those borders and continue to work towards something greater than a gold medal.
Amelia Meyer's column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at ameyer@cavalierdaily.com.
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