Chris Andrews calls for Ireland to boycott Olympic ceremony

[Rapisco]

Dublin South East Fianna Fáil TD Chris Andrews has today called on the Olympic Council of Ireland to withdraw from the opening ceremony at this year’s Olympic Games in protest at Chinese policies towards Tibet.

Full Story:

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhojeyidkfsn/

Must be a slow week in DSE!!!

Seriously though, Im sure he feels strong about this owing to the extensive hard work his Father did for international Human rights during his time as MEP for Dublin, and indeed his Uncles work as head of the Irish Red Cross.

[qtman]

Dublin South East Fianna Fáil TD Chris Andrews has today called on the Olympic Council of Ireland to withdraw from the opening ceremony at this year’s Olympic Games in protest at Chinese policies towards Tibet.

Full Story:

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhojeyidkfsn/

Must be a slow week in DSE!!!

Seriously though, Im sure he feels strong about this owing to the extensive hard work his Father did for international Human rights during his time as MEP for Dublin, and indeed his Uncles work as head of the Irish Red Cross.

I'd be sympathetic to this viewpoint, but its hopelessly hypocritical. For as long as the EU trades with China, all of this is just fluff.

That said, I suppose it better to have some minor influence and be hypocritical than just be hypocritical.

[meriwether]

Well done Chris.

Im slow to call for a boycott of the olympics, owing to the hard work and dedication our (all) athletes have put in.

But on the other hand, I really want the Chinese to be given a bloody nose.
They should never have been goven the olympics in the first place. Its an abomination.

[HanleyS]

Nice bit of publicity there for Chris.

[qtman]

Incidently, I think that pompous fool Pat Hickey is out in the Balkans this week carrying the Olympic Torch for a few hundred metres.

I'd say it would take more than a few divisions of the Chinese Army to keep Pat from massaging his continental sized ego.

[Rapisco]

It will be interesting to see if anybody comes out to support him.

I wouldnt hold my breath.

[rockyracoon]

I wonder what Ireland's trade figures with China are? I'm thinking, cynically of course, that they outweigh any moral considerations. We are, afterall, a small open economy who must go with world economic trends whatever the consequences.

[DavidMurphyperson]

Ehhh, the government he supports facilitates extraordinary rendition so forgive me for being a bit cynical about his motives.

[TheBear]

<Mod>Moved to the Culture & Community forum.</Mod>

[adamirer]

I'd be sympathetic to this viewpoint, but its hopelessly hypocritical. For as long as the EU trades with China, all of this is just fluff.

That said, I suppose it better to have some minor influence and be hypocritical than just be hypocritical.

Lol, can I be first to say it... sounds like the lessons of going into Government with FF have been well learnt!!

More seriously, i agree with you on the first part. We're falling over ourselves to get trades deal with China, we've a big Sino community, the colleges have excellent links with China and on a more personal level, lots of Irish couples are adopting from China.

Also, theres better ways than boycotting. The eyes of the world are on China this year and the Nepalise etc will exploit it and highlight their plight.
China will be opened up and exposed in a way it hasn't been subjected to this summer and the fredoms of others and other influences will be there to see.

This is China under a microscope and it'll be very interesting to see what China emerges out of it in a year or two.