By Ryan Johnson

In ancient Greece , men used to gather in a great stadium to pay homage to the human spirit and, of course, the human physique. Throngs of strong young Grecians valiantly sought the recognition of the others and a cherished olive branch. Now, as the nations of the world prepare for the Beijing Olympics this summer, China is also jockeying for a place on the top of the world’s podium, but the country stands to gain or lose much more than a piece of greenery.

Hosting the summer games is, to China , the final leg of a race they have been running for decades. As one of the world’s oldest countries, China has experienced an array of positive and negative splits against the rest of the world. Sometimes they were on top, a place the Chinese government has been thirsting for again for the last several years. The official Web site for the games carries the slogan, “one world, one dream.” It is clear China dreams mostly of walking out of the closing ceremonies as a bona fide superpower and sporting a medal of global admiration and respect.

Recently, as the famed Olympic torch makes its way around the planet, human rights protesters are stepping up their defense and assailing the host country’s human rights record, which is definitely below .500. They say these games are the way to take a stance on China ’s past (and present) activities. They are right.
When China was vying for the bid a few years ago, the government made promises to improve its human rights record and work to open up more media freedoms. Under the communist regime, which was born out of the success of the Soviet Union some decades ago, the country could be classified as a chronic offender of basic human rights, notably restricting association, expression and religious practice. Here in the United States , we have enjoyed these freedoms since our inception.

Even in preparations for the games, which are supposed to embody the best human qualities, the government’s offenses have been documented by the organization Human Rights Watch. Contrary to their promise, government leaders have further cracked down on media freedoms. Migrant workers who are brought in for the purpose of building Beijing ’s new stadiums are suffering abuses. Citizens criticizing the games are being held prisoner in their own houses.

The government is also cleaning up the city, but their efforts are not focused on improving poor air quality or reducing the smog of
chemical pollutants that hover over the city’s skyscrapers. No, instead they are cleaning up the population by sweeping people the government does not want to be seen in the world’s eye under the rug. Beijing’s poorest residents are being removed from the city so visitors do not get such an impression of the city; rather, when the world comes to visit only China’s best and brightest will be accessible. Clearly, the government is trying to force the Chinese people into a cookie-cutter version of what they assume the western world wants to see. Unfortunately, they do not seem to realize that we want to see a citizenry free of governmental persecution.

And domestic issues are not even close to half of it. The world must show a common distaste toward China ’s flawed foreign policy. This, indeed, is an even more important message for us to get across.

If China wants to be a world leader, it must first be an accepted member of the world. If we are to accept China , why does their government still fail to recognize the rightful existence of what they believe to be “rogue states,” or separatist regions that will eventually be forced to return and accept the government? The current regime’s repeated oppression of the Tibetan minority and continued cold-shouldering of the Dalai Lama should not be accepted if China is to become a world leader. Also, the government’s refusal to accept the state of Taiwan is outdated. Lastly, the government’s actions, or lack thereof, in Sudan are proving counter-productive to the rest of the world’s leaders as they attempt to solve the ongoing genocide in Darfur .

Chinese sympathizers argue that the games are no place for political activity. This is not true. The history of the games is rooted in politics and steeped in the rise and fall of political states. In fact, the now beloved torch relay was the brainchild of Adolf Hitler, who selected an Aryan runner to bring the flame into the stadium as the final leg. Despite the protests, the games will probably go on as planned. Now, will China step up to the challenge, repair its fractured human rights record and become a true winner?

Ryan Johnson is a senior at Eden Prairie High School and editor-in-chief of the Eyrie newspaper.