In the name of thousands of cats, PLEASE BOYCOTT THE BEJING OLYMPICS!!

[moosmom]

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADBR_enUS217US264&q=Killing+Cats+Bejing

Bejing is "cleaning up the streets" by killing thousands of cats, in an effort to impress tourists during the Olympics. :mad: :mad: :mad:

After reading this, I've decided to boycott the Olympics altogether. It's just not right. :(

I find this disgusting and repulsive and urge everyone who loves animals to do the same.

[caseysmom]

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADBR_enUS217US264&q=Killing+Cats+Bejing

Bejing is "cleaning up the streets" by killing thousands of cats, in an effort to impress tourists during the Olympics. :mad: :mad: :mad:

After reading this, I've decided to boycott the Olympics altogether. It's just not right. :(

I find this disgusting and repulsive and urge everyone who loves animals to do the same.

I would never boycott an olympics, I am too involved with sports with my daughter, she is a junior olympic and that is who would suffer. There are many ways to make a statement and I don't agree with that one.

[kittycats_delight]

Myself & my husband decided months ago to boycott the games. When all the information first came to light about the child labor being used to get ready for the games and about the extreme measured they were going to with the 'street' animals.

[Husky_mom]

"impress the tourists"..... my...... well ... rear......

if they want to impress do something GOOD!!...

[Lady's Human]

Too little too late. I cringed when I heard the announcement about Beijing getting the games, but nothing was said.....

Now when the spotlight is on, the protesters come out.

Where were they when the selection of Beijing was announced?

[lady_zana]

Where were they when the selection of Beijing was announced?

They may not have know. I personally have no idea how the Olympics chooses which country will host it. I never saw it in the news because I never read the sports section and have little interest in sports so even if it was in the popular section, I probably would have skipped it.

I WILL be boycotting the Olympics. You can count me in, moosmom!!!!

[lizbud]

Too little too late. I cringed when I heard the announcement about Beijing getting the games, but nothing was said.....

Now when the spotlight is on, the protesters come out.

Where were they when the selection of Beijing was announced?


The world had not seen the killing of monks in the strret back then. The
Chinese governmant failed to stop film of the beatings & killing leaking out
to the press.

p.s. With China owning so much capitol invested in the US, we could hardly
object to them hosting.

[kt_luvs_kitties]

Way ahead of you Moosmom ;) The second I heard I knew that I would not support/condone this time around. And, probably never again to be honest....


Shame on the Olympics, and SHAME on the Bejing/Chinese government.

[Jessika]

I believe we need to boycott China, not the olympics... don't buy tickets to visit for the olympics; you can still watch from your own home and they won't gain a dime...

But the Olympics itself its just chance it's in China (ok, not chance, but it isn't like it's a Chinese event or something, you know?).

[Catty1]

Jessika - good point. Buy local/national products, not stuff "made in China".

And beware - China goods include many USA and Canadian tourist items! :eek:

And please check the petition regarding cat killing in China here in the dog house. It's done by Care2, and is an online petition, not an email one - so it is totally legit, like all their others.

And email the link to other pet lovers you know.

[Lady's Human]

By watching from home, you are increasing their market share for whatever time slot they are in. In doing so you increase the ad revenue for the networks who cover the events.


The Olympics site selection comittee is a very well publicized body. The selection process is a competition in and of itself, with the competing cities all showcasing themselves to the selection comittee. When Beijing was selected, it was announced with major fanfare, but nothing was said.......until it was far, far too late to do anything.

[RICHARD]

The chinese governement is screwed....

Check this out.

When you remove an element from the food chain what happens?

In about two months the areas near the sites where the cats are being eradicated will be teeming with......

TONS OF MICE AND RATS!!!! and fleas and all the other funky stuff that goes along with infestations...

Sometimes you just have to let Mother Nature roll up her sleeves to rock and roll.

Remember, you heard it here first!

[kitten645]

I absolutely agree that boycotting everything Chinese is the proper thing to do. You shouldn't watch it on TV either as advertisers pour money into the games to reach their target market. It is naive and unrealistic to say that the sports event and the political/world reality are seperate. China's cruelty towards animals, humans and the Tibeten situation requires economic sanctions. In the end, it's all that makes a difference.

[moosmom]

Shame on the Olympics, and SHAME on the Bejing/Chinese government

AMEN to that!!!

Not watching crew (rowing) will definitely be hard. It's my favorite sport.

[caseysmom]

Okay everyone go ahead and punish the athletes...will you also boycott products from China? Human rights have been a huge issue in China but nobody has had a problem with the huge amount of imports we get from there, its pretty interesting to me. We invaded a country supposedly because of human rights issue but China has gotten off pretty easy treating their own citizens like dirt, its too bad cats have to be killed to wake folks up.

[elizabethann]

This will be the first time in my life that I won't be watching the Olympics. I have no desire to. I would rather watch my Nieces & Nephews during their soccer and baseball games.

[RICHARD]

To expand on what Lady's Human said about the selection committee..

Each city puts together an organizing committee. Usually it's title goes like this....Salt Lake City Olympic Organizing Committee or SLOOC.

The city then hires people to do a presentation and pick out the venues where the events will take place. A bells and whistles tour of the city usually happens and the selection committee are given a VIP tour of the best that area has to offer. Sometimes the area OC tosses in some money, hookers, tickets and lodging to sweeten the pot. If the city needs to construct any venues that is usually a slide show with some kinds of models that a firm will make for the OC.

I seem to remember that some of the SLC people were caught giving the SC bribes to get the games to Utah.
-------------

Even boycotting the purchase of official Olympic products will help.

Each manufacturer has already paid the licensing fee to the BOOC, but there are roylaties that will be paid for each piece they manufacture-and that will hurt.

-----------

Moosmom.
I got to see the rowing and canoeing at Lake Casitas in 84. IT was neat because an American dude won a bronze medal on the last day of competition, that was the first medal of any kind in a zillion years.


Did you see the Oxford/Cambridge race? That was a blast!

[Lady's Human]

Okay everyone go ahead and punish the athletes...

I fail to see how this is punishing the athletes. They still compete, get their shiny medals from adolph (oops, sorry, wrong facist state), get on TV when they get back, ad nauseum.

All that happens is that the corps don't get ad revenue, official sponsors get a black eye, and the games wind up costing China money.

Anyone notice the FLOOD of PRC propaganda on the web the last few days?
Their netwars unit must be very, very busy running bots.

Find any torch rally protest story that allows comments, and their shameless spamming is obvious.

[caseysmom]

Again I ask why make this boycott of the olympics and import tons of stuff from China? Does that make sense, my coffee cup, my phone, my picture frame, all things within my reach on my desk are made in china but everyone decides to put a dark cloud over the olympics...it makes no sense at all to me.

[Jessika]

Again I ask why make this boycott of the olympics and import tons of stuff from China? Does that make sense, my coffee cup, my phone, my picture frame, all things within my reach on my desk are made in china but everyone decides to put a dark cloud over the olympics...it makes no sense at all to me.
I agree 100%. If you want to really "hit China where it counts", boycott any and all products in China. YES this will be hard to do, and more expensive, but not only will you be hurting their government you will also be promoting your own economy by buying products made in your own country :)

[Lady's Human]

It's impossible to boycott all products made in country "x". The computer you go online with may be made in the USA (Not bloody likely, except for some really high end machines) but even if it has a US flag on it, there are inevitably parts sourced from other countries inside.

Buy a GM car and buy American?

GM makes engines for their midrange SUV's in China.

Ford has various cast iron assemblies made in China, as do most automakers.

The LCD on your "Made in China" laptop? Highly likely that the glass for that display came from upstate NY, as the biggest producer of glass for LCD's is Corning, Inc.

If and product states that it's made in the USA from domestics parts, labor and materials, I'm more likely to think "Prove it" than buy it.

The reason the Olympics draw the protests is that they are a high profile event internationally, with 24/7 television coverage.

[Jessika]

I didn't say it would be easy not to; in fact I even said it would be hard and pretty expensive. But believe it or not there ARE some companies based solely out of the US. Buy from and support those companies /shrug Of course you won't have the convenience of availability or cheaper prices, but if you're really against China I think boycotting the olympics is the wrong way to do it, because once the olympics are done do you think they're going to care? Do something more long-term :(

[Lady's Human]

Companies based solely out of the US? Absolutely.

HOWEVER.....

Do we count products made in the US from foreign parts as US made? What about products made in Malaysia from US materials and parts? Boycott either one and the US job market suffers as a result.

Where do they get their raw materials?

source chips? (Hitachi and Samsung control most of the memory chip production)

subassemblies?

Tracing where what comes from becomes a near impossibility.

Embarrassing China during the Olympics brings many, many ugly things into the daylight, and will cause them to lose face. The Free Tibet movement has been ongoing for years, but has gotten more attention lately because of the noise about the olympics.

[Jessika]

Embarrassing China during the Olympics brings many, many ugly things into the daylight, and will cause them to lose face. The Free Tibet movement has been ongoing for years, but has gotten more attention lately because of the noise about the olympics.
OK Now we're getting to something that I do agree with. Bringing things to light DURING the olympics... OK that is another right way to go. Not necessarily boycotting the olympics but using the media coverage to shed light on important issues. This I do agree with :)

[RICHARD]

Projecting into the future?

What is going to happen when a bunch of protestors show up at a venue?
Outside the Olympic village?
In front of the media centers at the different venues?
In Tianneman Square?

That is where the rubber will meet the road.

You'll have international networks, the protestors and tons of tourists....all armed with the latest video and cell phones.

That is going to be an interesting two weeks. How will the Chinese gov't. react?

Beating the crap outta citizens in front of the world ain't a good idea!
If they let the demonstrators march, there may be heck to pay afterwards.
The world wide coverage lends some sort of protection for them after, but you can never tell with that country.

It's a disaster no matter for China no matter what. The only question is how will the Chinese citizens suffer in the aftermath? :eek: :mad:

[caseysmom]

It's impossible to boycott all products made in country "x". The computer you go online with may be made in the USA (Not bloody likely, except for some really high end machines) but even if it has a US flag on it, there are inevitably parts sourced from other countries inside.

Buy a GM car and buy American?

GM makes engines for their midrange SUV's in China.

Ford has various cast iron assemblies made in China, as do most automakers.

The LCD on your "Made in China" laptop? Highly likely that the glass for that display came from upstate NY, as the biggest producer of glass for LCD's is Corning, Inc.

If and product states that it's made in the USA from domestics parts, labor and materials, I'm more likely to think "Prove it" than buy it.

The reason the Olympics draw the protests is that they are a high profile event internationally, with 24/7 television coverage.

The Chinese own so many United States government securities that they could bankrupt the US if they called them in, they have us by the balls basically. Why doesn't anyone protest that?

[moosmom]

Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Bejing a COMMUNIST country???? WHY are we holding the UNITED STATES SUMMER OLYMPICS in a communist country?

[jackie]

Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Bejing a COMMUNIST country???? WHY are we holding the UNITED STATES SUMMER OLYMPICS in a communist country?

Beijing is a city, not a country.

It is not the UNITED STATES SUMMER OLYMPICS, The US do not own the Olympics, it is an international event. The host cities are elected by the International Olympic Committee.

[caseysmom]

Beijing is a city, not a country.

It is not the UNITED STATES SUMMER OLYMPICS, The US do not own the Olympics, it is an international event. The host cities are elected by the International Olympic Committee.

My thoughts exactly! This is an international event, nothing american about it!

[Vela]

Like the two above, the Olympics has never been a US event....it's a worldwide event and that's the reason it's held in many different countries....=x

[moosmom]

Oops..I guess I was wrong...HOWEVER, Bejing IS communistic, right?? That and the killing of those poor innocent animals has me truly pissed off.

[caseysmom]

Oops..I guess I was wrong...HOWEVER, Bejing IS communistic, right?? That and the killing of those poor innocent animals has me truly pissed off.

Donna, Nobody advocates the killing of animals, it is done here everyday though as I know you are aware. Last olympics there was the same outcry if you remember about the killing of the stray dogs in Italy.

What does communism have to do with this? The Olympics were started to bring the athletes of the world together and the countries would forget their differences for the sake of the sporting events and the athletes, it is really none of our business if they are communist is it? Can you explain what you mean by that?

[kittycats_delight]

Donna, Nobody advocates the killing of animals, it is done here everyday though as I know you are aware. Last olympics there was the same outcry if you remember about the killing of the stray dogs in Italy.

What does communism have to do with this? The Olympics were started to bring the athletes of the world together and the countries would forget their differences for the sake of the sporting events and the athletes, it is really none of our business if they are communist is it? Can you explain what you mean by that?

I do have to interject here about the killing of stray dogs in Italy. There is no such thing as a kill shelter in Italy. It is completely illegal to do what you suggest here in Italy. This is the first I have heard of this.


According to Dr. Enrico Moriconi, president of the newly formed AVDA, or Veterinari per i Diritti degli Animali (Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights), Italy is a world leader in animal rights law. Since 1991 it has been illegal to kill healthy dogs and cats living in shelters.

Turin, the prosperous industrial city in northern Italy that will play host to the 2006 Winter Olympics, has passed strict animal protection laws, dating back to the time of Guisseppe Garibaldi, the political activist who founded the first animal protection society in Italy, the Ente Nazionale Protezione Animali (Society for the Protection and Care of Animals), in 1871.
If you want to see the link for this check here (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8219384/) it is the last 2 paragraphs of page 1. The article is called 'The Pope & The Pussycats'.

I think you are 100% mistaken as the scandal was about the Athens 2004 games and the slaughter of stray dogs. The numbers were never confirmed but it is speculated between 1500 and 4000 we poisoned to clean up the streets of Athens for the games.

[caseysmom]

I do have to interject here about the killing of stray dogs in Italy. There is no such thing as a kill shelter in Italy. It is completely illegal to do what you suggest here in Italy. This is the first I have heard of this.


If you want to see the link for this check here (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8219384/) it is the last 2 paragraphs of page 1. The article is called 'The Pope & The Pussycats'.

I think you are 100% mistaken as the scandal was about the Athens 2004 games and the slaughter of stray dogs. The numbers were never confirmed but it is speculated between 1500 and 4000 we poisoned to clean up the streets of Athens for the games.

I stand corrected ...sorry about that I didn't think it was that long ago and kudos to Italy.

[moosmom]

Communism, something that breaks people apart, is alive and active in Bejing. I find it bizarre that a city that promotes communisim was asked to sponosor games that is supposed to bring people together.

I am also OUTRAGED that China is going to have the torch brought to the summit of Everest and a communist Chinese flag placed at the top of Everest. THAT is a slap in the face of every single life lost on that mountain.

[caseysmom]

Communism, something that breaks people apart, is alive and active in Bejing. I find it bizarre that a city that promotes communisim was asked to sponosor games that is supposed to bring people together.

I am also OUTRAGED that China is going to have the torch brought to the summit of Everest and a communist Chinese flag placed at the top of Everest. THAT is a slap in the face of every single life lost on that mountain.

In that vein why have we allowed a communist country to buy United States Government securities, shouldn't you be more worried about that?

[K9soul]

Communism is just a form of government and philosophy. It's not inherently evil in itself, it is the people in power that can make any type of government or philosophy "bad" or corrupt. The same could be said for monarchy, socialism, republics and democracy. Do you really understand what the original idea of communist structure entails? It seeks to eliminate classes so that everyone is equal, so that there is no wealthy, middle class, lower class, and poverty. Not that China's communistic government achieves this, but it has nothing to do with the Olympics, the Olympics being a time, as mentioned before, when the differences in governments, faiths, cultures, etc. are to be set aside and they come together in the games in a celebration that is supposed to somewhat reenact the original Olympic games that began in Ancient Greece.

More about communism and its ideals can be found in some summarizing here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism

A lot of people consider our capitalist economy and government to be evil and corrupt too.

[moosmom]

Okay, maybe I'm a little confused. Okay, so I'm ALOT confused. But it DOES burn my a$$ that they are planting a Chinese flag on Mount Everest, a ground which I consider sacred, afterall the people who died trying to summit to the top of the world.

[caseysmom]

Okay, maybe I'm a little confused. Okay, so I'm ALOT confused. But it DOES burn my a$$ that they are planting a Chinese flag on Mount Everest, a ground which I consider sacred, afterall the people who died trying to summit to the top of the world.

Mt. Everest is in Nepal and much closer to China than to us, why would you care? Actually China borders mt. everest.....

[moosmom]

I know all about Mt. Everest. It's the PRINCIPLE of the thing that gets my gord, that's all. I'll shut up now. :p

[caseysmom]

I know all about Mt. Everest. It's the PRINCIPLE of the thing that gets my gord, that's all. I'll shut up now. :p

You don't need to shut up now Donna, I am just interested in how you feel, it sounds like you know more about mt. everest than I do, I thought anyone reaching the top puts a flag up there, not sure why they are doing it now except maybe in honor of the olympics.

I am not defending china, they have lots of human rights issues that are horrible, one of them being Tibet. I just don't see the olympics as a venue to protest and thats just my personal opinion.

[kittycats_delight]

not sure why they are doing it now except maybe in honor of the olympics.


IMHO I don't think it has the least to do with with 'in honor of the olymics'. I think it is more a political statement to Tibet afterall Nepal is in Tibet. I think they are using something as 'powerful' as the coverage of the Olympics to say to Tibet 'We own you and we have the world's support too. So what are you gonna do about it?' The fact that the chinese flag would be places is a slap in the face and a kind of 'F You' to Tibet.

Just my personal opinion.

[RICHARD]

Mt. Everest is in Nepal and much closer to China than to us, why would you care? Actually China borders mt. everest.....


On one of the ridges you can technically have one leg in Nepal and the other in China. And depending how a man 'dresses' he can split his manhood between either.

Climbing to the summit from the north requires a 'passport' and that has to be purchased from the Chinese government. They have been very AH-ish to outsiders wanting to make that trip and the climb.

[jackie]

IMHO I don't think it has the least to do with with 'in honor of the olymics'. I think it is more a political statement to Tibet afterall Nepal is in Tibet. I think they are using something as 'powerful' as the coverage of the Olympics to say to Tibet 'We own you and we have the world's support too. So what are you gonna do about it?' The fact that the chinese flag would be places is a slap in the face and a kind of 'F You' to Tibet.

Just my personal opinion.

Nepal and Tibet are two countries. Nepal is not in Tibet.

[caseysmom]

Thanks for clarifying that Jackie, that is what I thought.

[kittycats_delight]

Nepal and Tibet are two countries. Nepal is not in Tibet.

Ooops...I need a kick in the pants for that error. Sorry guys.

[jackie]

Ooops...I need a kick in the pants for that error. Sorry guys.

I had to google it to be honest. :p


OK, I understand why everyone is outraged about the killing of all those poor kitties, but I can't understand why that seems to bother some people more then human rights abuse. I wont be watching the Olympics, partly because I rarely do anyway and partly because I don't agree with China's lack of human rights. The slaughter of cats is lower on my list then the slaughter of human beings.

I think it is a shame that China is hosting the Olympics, but it is by far too late to do anything about it. All these people with who are doing the whole mass protests, I wonder where they were when China was only a contender as an Olympic host. It seems to be a lot of people just hopping on a bandwagon (I am not referring to this thread, but to the people who are sabotaging the torch relay, etc).

It is a sad situation overall, but if one good thing can come out of it, it is the awareness of what is happening over there.

[Catty1]

The slaughter of living beings is the slaughter of living beings. I think a stand against unnecessary killing in any circumstance is needed...picking particular classes of beings is pointless.

Besides, the way a person or a society treats animals is a pretty good indication of how they treat helpless human beings.

[caseysmom]

Well this country euthanizes millions of animals too but thankfully we do not slaughter a segment of our society that is different.

[moosmom]

It is a sad situation overall, but if one good thing can come out of it, it is the awareness of what is happening over there

Well said, Jackie!

[Catty1]

caseysmom...I was actually thinking more about the studies that have shown that humans who abuse animals as kids or a older often wind up hurting humans as well.

Euthanasia is horrible - but it beats China's spreading lies about cats causing SARS, etc, cramming cats in cages and just leaving them to die...or people beating cats and dogs to death with sticks.

I think the intent of the animal killers in China is a bit different than the vast majority of places who have to euthanise homeless pets...