Shame on you Mr. Spielberg!
Just in case you were somewhere without power this week (like south China) and missed it, Steven Spielberg has not only backed out from his role in the Beijing Olympics, but rubbed it in China’s face. He has announced that his conscience will not allow him to support a country that continues to play a role in a genocide.
An article in The China Daily discussed the reaction in China at the film maker’s decision:
Responding to recent remarks by some Westerners linking China to Darfur, Liu said China has “noticed these or those discussions and moves on China’s stance on Darfur”.
“It is understandable if some people do not understand the Chinese government’s policy on Darfur,” he said. “But we can’t accept that some people want to use this as an opportunity to link Darfur to China’s Africa and Sudan policies, and even to the [Beijing] Olympic Games.”
Liu said China has been working with the United Nations to resolve the Darfur crisis.
“China is also concerned about the humanitarian crisis there, but we have been playing a positive and constructive role in promoting peace in Darfur.”
China has so far offered $11.1 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan, Liu said. Chinese firms have also offered aid.
One Chinese official was quick to point out that the country was ideally situated to provide assistance to the area as a result of “the huge amount of money we make from selling arms in Sudan. I mean seriously, if we weren’t selling guns there, how could we possibly have provided them with funds so quickly. It’s not like they have a good banking system, so it’s important that militants give us cash and we give them guns.”
He went on to argue that “the irony is that Mr. Spielberg’s efforts to stop us from selling weapons in a war zone, if successful, would actually hinder us from providing humanitarian aid. Shame on you Mr. Spielberg.”
Asked to clarify his remarks the official added that China’s was “the sister program of America’s blood for oil initiative.”
In an AP article Bush is depicted as reaction this way to the Spielberg announcement:
”That’s up to him. I’m going to the Olympics. I view the Olympics as a sporting event,” Bush said in an interview with British Broadcasting Corp. television.
”On the other hand, I have a little different platform than Steven Spielberg, so I get to talk to President Hu Jintao,” Bush said. ”I do remind him that he can do more to relieve the suffering in Darfur.”
When asked what he had done to pressure Mr. Hu to change policies Mr. Bush responded, “Shoooot! I told him the best thing to do during a crisis is stay on the ranch and hope the media can’t find you. I like Mr. Hu. He told you about our sister initiatives, right?”
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nanheyangrouchuan responds:
Posted: February 16th, 2008 at 12:46 am →
Can’t argue that Chinese logic, and shame on Mr. Bush. I applaud Steven Spielberg, now let’s put China back into its box!
CAPITALIST responds:
Posted: February 16th, 2008 at 4:23 am →
China is true capitalistic country now! It is about making money whatever way you can. Why all of sudden people want China back to left side of ideology again. You all like a true communist China which only care about absolute equality not money?
You all should join communist party and start another revolution.
Glen responds:
Posted: February 16th, 2008 at 8:28 am →
Josh: I agree with you! Why don’t we as Americans focus on our problems with what we’re doing in Iraq? Talk about casting the first stone and all that.
Pappi responds:
Posted: February 16th, 2008 at 8:55 am →
@ Glen,
Wait, what? That’s what he’s saying? That America shouldn’t worry about the bad things China is doing?
That’s not how I’m reading it. It looks to me like a pretty harsh criticism of the US and China. That “quote” about selling guns was pretty scathing, wasn’t it?
China and I responds:
Posted: February 16th, 2008 at 1:25 pm →
Well Spielberg should have thought twice before accepting the task to organize with Zhang Yi Mou the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. The Darfur crisis was already there when he accepted the top job. No matter what I am not sure we will see anything clearly on TV during the Olympics if the pollution is still so high in the Beijing sky.
Janus responds:
Posted: February 16th, 2008 at 2:14 pm →
Would anyone ever have argued that America didn’t have the moral authority to stop Hitler and Tojo because we had ourselves engaged in a bloody occupation of the Philippines?
This moral relativism has gotten insane. Plato and Gorgias were right, rhetoric in the hands of amateurs is a dangerous thing indeed
Josh responds:
Posted: February 16th, 2008 at 3:05 pm →
@Janus
Was that directed at me or Glen? I do not endorse his interpretation of this post.
I think that what China is doing in Sudan and what the US decided to do in Iraq are both terrible (I’m not comparing the two). The title, as you may imagine, is more than a little tongue in cheek.
However, imagine if Bush had said he wasn’t going because of the Sudan policy. Don’t you think the horrible decisions that he has made would open those types of comments to ridicule?
Jana responds:
Posted: February 18th, 2008 at 2:48 pm →
What Steven Spielberg did was a righteous action and one that he can of course afford to do. Put on the spot by Mia Farrow 6 months ago who called him no better than Hitler or words to that effect he then tried to engage the Chinese communist regime into becoming a responsible international player. The Ccp has shown and will continue to show its true colours to the world and this will definably sort out the righteous from the evil in this dharma ending period in the world today.
It’s the Ccp who has politicised these Olympic games by jailing, persecuting and removing the basic human rights of the Chinese especially the Human rights activists and human rights defenders and the people of faith while spewing forth massive amounts’ of propoganda to brainwash all Chinese citizens.
My statement to the media and everyone VIP I talk to goes like this “ Why would the international community expect the Chinese communist regime to stop Genocide in Darfur or anywhere else in the world when they are committing their very own Genocide on the peaceful practitioners of F-lun Gong in China.
Read the report about the Chinese communist regime committing live forced organ harvesting to the F-lun Gong and selling their organs for large money to the rich foreigners.
http://organharvestinvestigation.net/
Crimes Against Humanity and the Olympics cannot co-exist in China.
Our Governments know about it
Our media know about it
Human Rights organisations know about it
Now you know about it
PLease do something now!!
BTW the Chinese communist regime is now called an Autocratic Carnivore Capitalistic State .
Meaning it’s a highly dangerous country to keep silent about.
K responds:
Posted: February 25th, 2008 at 4:49 am →
”peaceful practitioners of F-lun Gong”
This is the funniest thing I have ever heard. A good one, Jana.
Jana responds:
Posted: February 26th, 2008 at 5:08 pm →
Re K
Why do you say that K? Where do you live and what has been your direct experiance of F-lun Gong?