At their core, the Olympics have always been about presenting the best that human determination and perseverance can achieve, creating ever so briefly a stage on which people from countries around the world can compete on a level playing field.
As the Beijing Winter Olympics get underway, the games will again be a showcase for athletes who have dedicated years to honing their minds and bodies. They should also, however, put the host country in the spotlight — and not a flattering one.
As the Chinese government strives to project strength and international cooperation, the very same state will be busying itself with appalling human rights abuses, particularly against the majority-Muslim Uyghur population in the Xinjiang region, where Chinese officials have engaged in an unprecedented campaign of surveillance, detention and genocide under the guise of anti-terror efforts.
President Xi Jinping has attempted a wholesale gutting of Hong Kong’s traditions of democratic self-rule and freedom of expression, reneging on promises to respect the region’s autonomy while suffocating the free expression that made that a great global city.
Outside its own borders, Xi’s China continues to recklessly insinuate military action against Taiwan, a small nation that has battled enormous headwinds to become a global manufacturing giant with a vibrant civic life and culture.
Turn on the TV and enjoy the speed, strength, acumen and artistry; who can resist a perfect double axel or slapshot? But don’t dare let China skate.
