All that’s glittering in China isn’t gold; freedom is elusive

The opening ceremonies Friday night of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing lived up to all the pre-event hype — and more. If there’s one thing we can count on every four years, it’s a smashing show put on by the host country. China is spending $40 billion to show the world that it’s no longer the grey tunic country it was once.

The more, on the other hand, is the subtext of the Summer Olympics Games. It was highlighted Thursday by President Bush, who is attending, when he delivered a blunt message to the Chinese Communist leaders: Stop violating the human rights of your people.

While it may seem in poor taste for a guest to criticize his host even before he steps through the door, Bush’s verbal broadside should not have surprised the Chinese government. Indeed, until recently, it appeared that France’s president, Nicolas Sarkozy, was going to boycott the opening ceremonies to protest China’s human rights violations at home and its active support of governments, such as the one in Sudan, that have embarked on a bloody campaign of ethic cleansing in their countries.

It is unfortunate that the Olympic games, which are meant to celebrate the brotherhood of nations, should become embroiled in politics. But such is the nature of the event.

Vocal critic

For President Bush, who has been a consistent and vocal critic of nations that refuse to let their citizens live freely in open societies, the visit to China is an opportunity to “show my respect for the people of China,” as he put it, and to cheer on the United States’ Olympians.

The opening ceremonies last night, which featured 15,000 participants, including athletes from around the globe, and a spectacular display of pageantry and pyrotechnics, was attended by 91,000 people at the beautiful National Stadium. The ceremonies were televised around the world, enabling people everywhere — for a little while, at least — to forget the trials and tribulations faced by millions of Chinese each day despite the country’s economic boom.

The games, which end on Aug. 24, will be aired each day on WFMJ-TV Channel 21, the No. 1 television station in the Mahoning Valley. Each night before NBC’s primetime coverage, Channel 21’s sports team, led by Dana Balash, will provide an inside look at the events.

NBC will provide live coverage of all 32 swimming gold medal finals; four key nights of men’s and women’s gymnastics; beach volleyball and much more.

Without a doubt, nationalist fervor will overcome any trepidation on the part of Americans who have long disagreed with China’s policies, especially with regard to trade. The flood of cheap Chinese goods onto the American market, along with trade barriers erected by the Chinese government that undermine the flow of American goods, have resulted in an unfair economic advantage to China.

Indeed, President Bush, who will be meeting with Chinese Premier Hu Jintao and other leaders is expected to discuss the economic relationship between the United States and China, in addition to raising the issues of human rights and religious freedoms.