Recently this has been a very hot issue in the media as protests have followed the Olympic torch in several countries as it makes its way from Greece to China. While I have very little interest in the Olympics as a sporting event, being Greek I do value it as a part of my cultural heritage and I feel like the fact a nation like China is being given the gift of the Olympics is pure hypocrisy. Let me try and put my education to use (for once in my life) and try to explain why China should not be hosting the 2008 Olympic games. In no particular order:

1. Tibet

For the past 50 years Tibetans in China have been imprisoned, expelled, or executed. What the civilized world considers cultural genocide, China refers to as reform, which has more recently been coined the "Strike Hard" campaign. The Dalai Lama is an advocate for the rights of Tibetan people to maintain their religion and heritage while under the rule of the PRC. He is not a freedom fighter, though the Chinese have deemed him as such. Tibetan monasteries are used by the PRC to "re-educate" the Tibetan population while Chinese immigration to the region have all but eliminated the Tibetan autonomy. According to the Human Rights Watch, China views Tibet's centuries old Buddhist religion as "illegal" and "separatist" and therefore punishable by imprisonment which lead to unjust trials where individuals are denied any rights and are often tortured or even executed.

2. Burma and Sudan

In two of the most unstable parts of the world, where human rights atrocities have been at the height of global security concerns, China provides considerable economic support. In Sudan, civilians in Darfur suffer rape, torture, and death from government forces. And in Burma decades of military rule have resulted in child labor, drug trafficking, disease, and an outflow of refugees.

3. North Korea

Speaking of refugees, China's policy of sending North Korean refugees back to North Korea as "illegal immigrants" is clearly opposed to the UNHCR mandate. As a UN nation and member of the global community China should be obligated to treat these people justly and allow them to escape to a better life, not send them back to famine, torture, and execution that the Kim regime has become infamous for. What a coincidence that the Olympic torch passed through North Korea for the first time ever this year. And what a surprise that there wasn't a single protest to be seen.

4. Made in China

Sadly, we as Americans are as much to blame for China's human rights record. We buy buy buy with disregard to origin, just as long as the price is right. In fact, we are funding China's mistreatment of its own people. Sweat shops, child labor, and unsafe workplaces are all funded by US companies in the name of capitalism. Simply put, if we don't buy it they'll stop selling it. So far toys made in China have given our children lead poisoning and corrupted food has killed our pets. What more evidence do we need to spend our money elsewhere? Buying Chinese products is cheap, but you get what you pay for. I know it's almost impossible nowadays to avoid Chinese products, but if I'm presented with the option, I gladly spend a little more to get something made here. I also don't shop at Walmart.

The ironic thing is that getting the Olympics has been more bad for the Chinese people than good. The Chinese government has placed so much importance on the Olympics that they have thrown all of its own laws out of the books for the sake of a smooth Olympic experience. Illegal evictions of thousands of citizens to make way for new facilities have occured, and on top of that the actual workers constructing the facilities have no health benefits, frequently go unpaid for the work they do, and do not receive proper safety equipment to perform their duties.

5. Olympic Movement

According to the official Olympic Charter, Fundamental principles, paragraphs 1-2, "Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles. The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity."

If the IOC weren't so corrupt, maybe someone there would've taken a second to read their very own charter and think about if China really fits this description. Have they ever? It's a shame that in this day and age the world is to suffer yet another Soviet or Nazi games, games that are reduced to a tool for propaganda.

Finally, I can best conclude my argument with Paragraph 5 of the Olympic Charter's Fundamental principles which states, "Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement."

That is why we should all say no to China.