Ever since Bejing was announced as the host of the 2008 Summer Olympics there have been calls to boycott the games due to the violence in Tibet. In recent weeks, those calls for boycott have grown louder and louder — even briefly encompassing my views.

However, as horrible as the situation in Tibet is, boycotting the Games will not change anything. The nations of the world should embrace the games for what they’ve been for over a century (and for a long period a couple of millennia before that); an event that promotes peace and shared joy and sorrow through sports.

You’re probably thinking I’m either ignorant of the true situation in Tibet, or possibly, I’m just an arrogant American who wants to watch us dominate the world in most sports yet again. Actually, it’s neither. I think in order to bring change to Tibet, and a lesser extent Taiwan, the opposite of a boycott should occur; we should overrun the country with every form of media and expose the closed and corrupt Chinese government for what they really are.

Recently, the Chinese government announced that it would not allow foreign media to shoot live shots or broadcasts of Tiananmen Square during the Olympic Games.

The Chinese Communist Party anticipates protests of their government during the games, and likely fears a second Tiananmen Square Massacre, this time shown to the world in the era of the 24 hour news networks.

The action of closing down foreign media proves the CCP’s absolute fear of free media and free-thinking individuals (i.e. the student protesters, the Tibetan monks, etc.). By boycotting the games, we’re limiting the access that our journalists have even further.

Instead of a boycott, we should send every willing journalist to China during the Olympics. Not only to cover the Games themselves, but to uncover the lies of the CCP and expose their fraud to the world. Break every rule and ignore every threat that the Chinese government places on the media.

The Chinese government would be well within their rights to jail journalists. But, would they? Especially when the entire world is watching and judging their every move? I’m not sure they would.

The result would be a wealth of information available to the world that would rally every nation to demand Tibet’s freedom, or at the very least, their protection.

Boycotting the Games only turns a blind eye. Embracing the Olympics (not China), could be the catalyst that brings the change.

This post is tagged 2008 Olympics, China, Politics, Sports