Mum's the word

"British Olympic chiefs are to force athletes to sign a contract promising not to speak out about China's appalling human rights record – or face being banned from travelling to Beijing."

This is interesting on so many levels, let's begin with censorship in the athletic arena. As the Olympics are often a stage of protest- examples abound in this article alone -it is an interesting choice of location for political statements to be dramatized.

For one, how hypocritical of a nation to stand shoulder to shoulder with athletes from different countries, saluting their flags, the rings, and the torch- but then criticize one another for their government's actions? "One World, One Dream" is the official slogan. What is the actual "one dream" to which they refer, though?

World peace? Democracy? Freedom? One religion for all? Athletic gold? Hmmmm.

We know now, thanks to the English, that not everyone is actually agreeing with the "one dream" ideal in participating in China. So why not stay home?

If British athletes stay home from the Summer 2008 Olympics, what message does that send? Flying in the face of white-supremacy and Nazi extremism, a black man won 4 golds in Munich. In your face, Hitler! He didn't go to the Olympics though to send Hitler a message. He went to break Olympic athletic records, to be recognized on an international scale for his talent. Is that not what all athletes compete for?

As far as China's record of civil rights, I by no means am one to defend them. But China won the bid to host. Um, let me remind you, they won it 7 years ago- in 2001. Why an issue only now?

Is anyone else protesting? Yes. Pro-Tibetan groups are protesting for Tibetan independence. Reporters Without Borders will boycott over violations of free speech and human rights in China. Activists against the violence in Darfur are calling for pressure on China because of their connections to Omar al-Bashir, and even Desmond Tutu may protest too. With so much attention on the nation and Beijing, why would the Olympics not attract thousands of people "with a message" to send to the world?

All the world's a stage and the athletes, merely players in it? I dare say, is China right to criticize these groups for trying to negatively politicize the Olympics? There is no right or wrong answer here. If the British athletes feel constricted by this condition of their contracts, they should boycott the Olympics. If they can stomach the "civil rights record of China" and be there merely to compete for their dream of Gold, they should just go and shut up about it.

Or, is this a chance to turn the world's eye on China and pressure it to conform to a higher standard of human rights? Honestly, do you believe China will change it's ways because a few countries bow out of the Olympics? It would take a large group of significant countries to make even a dent...

I do find it appalling that the British government is trying to muzzle their athletes. A clear and blatant disregard for individuals' rights to speech and protest. Can you imagine the United States pulling such a wool sweater over American Athlete's eyes? Oh Boo-hoo. Like I said, I'd think these athletes would forfeit their right to just about anything else to compete in the Olympics. That is an amazing gift and honor. I'm a woman and the Chinese bind little girls' feet and send them down the river (yes, female infanticide)...but if I was competing in the 2008 Olympics, you'd be right I'd do it with a closed mouth, or sit home if I couldn't. Come home after you win your medal and blog away about it. What can they do to you then? Or if you can't handle it, snub 'em and deal with it on a personal level.

Technically Britain is only repeating what is already in Section 51 of the International Olympic Committee charter, which

“provides for no kind of demonstration, or political, religious or racial propaganda in the Olympic sites, venues or other areas”.

And, I might just agree with Simon Cowell's twin brother, Simon Clegg of the BOA who said:

“There are all sorts of organisations who would like athletes to use the Olympic Games as a vehicle to publicise their causes.

“I don't believe that is in the interest of the team performance.

“As a team we are ambassadors of the country and we have to conform to an appropriate code of conduct.”

Finally, I believe the right to speech crap falls on it's face. Not to dumb it down too much, but you can't yell out at the Opera, yell FIRE in a theatre, or sing in the movies. That's a restriction of my right to free-speech. But, it's obnoxious, distracting, and a societal-norm that you just don't do those things. Perhaps that's how the Olympics should be. Let's focus on athleticism and the pretty medals.

I'm done repeating myself.