Spielberg Does the Right Thing!
It took me a second to process the information I was hearing when Tenzing, one of SFT’s board members, called me this evening to say that Spielberg just resigned from his role as artistic advisor for the Olympics because of Darfur.
We so rarely hear this kind of good news. The kind where someone of Spielberg’s stature actually does the right thing, especially when it comes to China. And while I know Spielberg is mostly a good guy who does work on important issues, I promise you, when it comes to China people change. From what I’ve seen, people will do pretty much anything Beijing asks them to.
But now we can see that Spielberg is not one of them after all.
In a statement sent to the U.S. Chinese Ambassador and the Beijing Olympic Committee Spielberg said that his “conscience” would not allow him to “continue with business as usual” and he feels China “should be doing more to end the continuing human suffering.”
And now the Chinese authorities have got to be freaking out!
The New York Times is reporting a spokesman at the Chinese embassy as saying that “the Darfur issue is neither an internal issue of China nor is it caused by China, it is completely unreasonable, irresponsible and unfair to link the two as one.”
Well, Mr. Spokesman, this might not stop be the worst of it. Imagine if others, like politicians, athletes and even corporations took the same road as Spielberg. In fact, this is exactly what some very influential people and groups are calling for.
In a press release that applauds Spielberg for using his influence, Human Rights Watch calls on Olympic corporate sponsors to “work to convince the Chinese government to uphold the human rights pledges it made to bring the Games to Beijing” saying that “human rights are under attack in China, and Olympic sponsors should use their considerable leverage to persuade Beijing to change policy.”
Finally. The Chinese leadership is seeing that their actions and abuses around the world have real costs. And if more people do the right thing, and take a stand for the people of Darfur, Tibet, and even China itself, these Olympics might actually be a force for good overall…although probably not exactly as the IOC imagined.
Posted: February 12th, 2008 under News.
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Comments: 8
Comments
Comment from sburris
Time: February 13, 2008, 8:37 am
Gandhi would have applauded Spielberg’s actions, a moment of heightened consciousness played out on the world stage against one of the world’s largest powers. That Spielberg’s press release mentions only Darfur is beside the point for Tibet supporters. Human rights violations are human rights violations, and when they are coming at the hands of the Chinese, those who draw attention to abuses in Darfur are also drawing attention to those in Tibet. The non-violent approach to this problem of multi-national oppression urges that the evidence be accumulated gradually and broadly, privileging no one’s suffering over another’s. Now let’s hope that Spielberg gets the ball rolling.
Comment from Peruviangold
Time: February 16, 2008, 10:27 pm
A perfect example of Western hypocrisy…where is Speilberg’s consciousness when hundreds of Palestanians children are being killed by Israeli army with MADE IN U.S.A weapons, what about the occupation and killing of innocen Palestanians. He should also know that his country is the biggest arms dealer in Africa and in the world, selling billions of dollars worth weapons to murderous African and Arab regimes. People should find out who really started the Darfur conflict….. American selling weapons to rebels to attack govt troops and killing Arabs.. U Tibetan activists are nothing but dogs for western politicians…
Comment from tibetano
Time: February 19, 2008, 2:58 pm
Peruviangold is an agent of the CCP. the CCP is the epitome of hypocrisy. you should know better..
Comment from Vanessa Hutcheson
Time: February 20, 2008, 3:13 pm
I love how Mr. Spokesperson says Darfur is not an internal issue, and therefore not China’s fault. Because when China says something IS an internal issue, they mean “none of the international community’s business”. So basically, nobody has any business commenting whatsoever on anything concerning China, internal or otherwise.
Ludicrous.
And, Peruviangold?
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3182751,00.html
That’s what Israel thinks of Spielberg.
Comment from Sangay
Time: February 25, 2008, 5:15 pm
Joining the Spielberg bangwagon?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7262942.stm
Comment from KingJames
Time: March 2, 2008, 11:56 am
So whoever supports Beijing Olympics is an agent of CCP? Then I guess Mr. Bush is also an agent of CCP based on your logic. Today’s world, and 90% of the wars, violence etc, are exactly caused by the west. Why the middle east is in such an turmoil? Because of the west wants the natural gas. Why Africa is in such poverty? Because the Europeans stripped away the good hundreds years of ago. Wherever there is a conflict, you see the involvement of US or Britain. Why don’t we resolve those issues first, which are far more important and urgent. Look at Iraq, the country and its innocent people. Look at the glorious history and magnificent civilization once it had. But now, it’s all lost. Saddam was bad, but Bush is even worse. You think Iraq now is better than when Saddam was at the helm?
Comment from Rich
Time: March 3, 2008, 11:06 pm
KingJames, most of what you said is true but utterly irrelevant to your argument and to this blog. Two wrongs do not make a right; other people’s bad behavior is no excuse for your own.
Also you might try to learn some basic logic if you’re going to go around defending your country and its wrongdoing. Your post lacks any degree of logic whatsoever…
Comment from H20
Time: March 4, 2008, 2:58 pm
Rich, KingJames didn’t say what China is doing is right, nor did he say the westerner’s wrongdoings are excuse for China’s. You need some logic lessons too.
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