propaganda!

Last week, even though I mentioned to a friend that I was boycotting the olympics, I ended up watching bits and pieces of the Opening Ceremony. It was pretty impressive at times with the choreographed dancing and light displays. But there were a few times when it made me sick to my stomach. At the end Sarah Brightman and Liu Han sang "One World, One dream / we are family" while hundreds of people opened up umbrellas showing ethnically diverse children/people with smiling faces.

I was appalled by this. Sure, it's nice thought, and I guess it probably would apply if all of those people belonged to the Communist Party. But how many people were being beaten and tortured in prison while Sarah Brightman sang in harmony with Liu Han? How many organs were being harvested?

Of course few countries actually have a perfect record of torture & just practices in war, engaging with civil society etc. Canada, maybe we haven't done it ourselves, but we have participated knowingly and given questions to the countries actually doing the torture. I think that counts. The US, well, the US "doesn't" torture like I "don't" like chocolate.

Anyways, the ceremony still made me want to vomit at times. That's all I'm saying.