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Spielberg walks out on Olympics

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Steven Spielberg has resigned as artistic adviser to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, in protest at China's failure to distance itself from genocide and human rights abuses in Darfur.

"At this point, my time and energy must be spent not on Olympic ceremonies but on doing all I can to help bring an end to the unspeakable crimes against humanity that continue to be committed in Darfur."

This is AWESOME. Why don't we see this more often? I remember an episode of The Boondocks when all the NBA players went on strike until minority concerns were addressed in America. That was a TV show...Spielberg is the first person I can think of who did it in real life.
Mulcahey

18 responses // Spielberg walks out on Olympics

  • It's really pleasing to see people making a stand against what is happening in Darfur. I can't help but think that he may have agreed to take on the role so that he could later pull out to make his point.
    phillyharper
  • THANK YOU!!
    phukna
  • Thank you, Steven Spielberg. Now all athletes who believe in human rights must do the same.
    JanforGore
  • Mr. Spielberg has earned a gold medal for human rights.
    iamforchange
  • How is china involved with Darfur?
    mj_fortunato
  • Speilberg could have easily included Tibet in his rationale. This is an honorable move on his part. http://www.tibetanphotoproject.com
    TibetVideo
  • ....and let's not forget about Tibet. I hope to see more public boycotting of the Olympics in China
    SusanB
  • Taking a stand? Last time I checked he was still grossly rich and has donated about 0 % of his time actually speaking to world leaders in person about this. It's hilarious we kiss a celebrities ass just because they state the obvious... He wasn't even getting paid for his role in the Olympics, which is the real reason in my opinion he dropped out... Why would he take flack from the global community for participating in the Olympics when China has vested interests in Darfur when he's not even getting paid for it. Let's stop kissing celebrity ass and realize they make these statements and stances to look good and for public image or to save face, not because they truly care. Read my post on this topic and I'm sure you will agree.


    P.S.
    The Boondocks is funny because it is true. Ironically it would be a show taking a light hearted stance on atrocious topics that would make us realize how unfortunate things really are.
    Mafioso
  • It's a beginning... but to make a stronger point he needs to do more... that's an easy feat; to walk away from something he's doing pro bono...
    Halon_X
  • I see a spike in pirated Dreamworks films in your future...
    joebrilliant
  • This is great. I hope to see more people from all walks of life stepping up to boycott the Beijing olympics and demand that China stop supporting human rights abuses. Burma/Myanmar is another country that China is heavily involved in. In the peaceful monk protest last year in September where thousands of monks were killed -either by having their heads smashed in against the brick walls of their monestaries in the middle of the night or later, shoved into incinerators and burned to hide evidence of mass killings. China blocked any UN action being taken and continues to back the military junta.
    HellaDelicious
  • What Spielberg brings to the issue is his name gets the headline for the issue and headlines generate the first step in education and education leads to change.
    TibetVideo
  • I'm not connected myself, but I see Mafioso's point... it's pretty easy to make a stand if it doesn't affect your ability to put food on the table, let alone the ability to buy and sell the everyday lives of thousands of very-talented-in-their-own-right people...

    but hey, if he gives a platform to an idea that no one else is giving much attention to.. you can't fault the action
    jogglef
  • http://www.archive.org/details/RedChine1964
    re:mulcahey

    yeah, that's real awesome?

    chapter 7, scene 23:

    ...big shot director makes political stand on highly complicated issue he believes to be important.

    ... helps narrate larger story of escalating tensions between rival nations.

    ...anticipation sizzles for upcoming action blockbuster.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ60n9DiAEM

    http://current.com/items/87358941_justicia_now_screenin...

    ...sounds familiar
    smorrisey
  • darfur is at the tip of the global warming iceberg. ain't goin' to be pretty. attaguy!
    CyberCitizen
  • Olymics is about the worlds greatest athelets competting against one another, it is not about China and its situation with Tibet. I don't agree with what China is doing but harassing the games just because they are there is a bad reason. If you really care about it , you should not wait for a huge event to be held there to have a reason to protest. In 2010 the World Cup will be held in South Africa, a racist and segregated nation, i wonder if people will protest that?
    Bennyfical
  • Bennyficial, if the Olympics is a politics-free gathering, why did China want to host it in the first place, and why were they ultimately granted host nation status? Because of politics, politics, (economics) and politics. They are viewing this Olympics as a chance to whitewash history and blur over our memories of what happened in Tienamen Square, and given their past and present record on human rights, it is tantamount that we boycott them and let them know why. I have no intention of watching one bloody minute of this, their biggest pr commercial yet. I am glad Steven Spielberg walked out of the postion, and I am glad he accepted it and then walked out, rather than refusing the postion in the first place. His actions really sting the Chinese government bastards, and if you think they aren't sensitive to world opinion, look at their reaction to Mia Farrow's op-ed piece in the New York Times, where she called this the Genocide Olympics. Only after that piece (and the attention it attracted worldwide) did the Chinese-the biggest suppliers of arms to Sudan and the biggest investors in Sudan-go to the Sudanese government and pressure them to allow the peace keeping forces into the Darfur area. We acted too late in Darfur. We are acting as if we are going to allow this to happen again in Burma. China (and Russia) is the biggest impediment to gathering world pressure and resolutions in the UN to apply economic and political pressure in these oppressive regiemes. If anyone can empathise with oppressive regiemes, it is China, to be sure. Spielberg, Clooney, Damon, Farrow, and now all the celebrities lined up against the Burmese Junta are lending their celebrity and the exposure that comes with it to causes that deserve the spotlight, and I applaud them for it.
    nyingma13
  • It's good to see celebrities making people aware of the horrible atrocities in Darfur. American people send to care alot about what celebrities have to say. I recently learned about Darfur and to learn that genocide has been happening since 2003 is scary. I never got enough exposer to the topic. I've researched the crisis quite a bit and it's interesting to learn the details of this civil war. More people need to be aware and more people need to take action.

    www.savedarfur.com
    joekangiser

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