digg

Join DiggAbout

Call for questions
Submit and vote up questions you'd like to see answered by Kevin & Jay at the next Digg Townhall on 11/18.

See the original image at news.bbc.co.uk —

PM Gordon Brown not attending opening ceremony of Olympics

news.bbc.co.uk — It comes as the Olympic torch arrives in San Francisco under tight security for the sixth leg of its round-the-world relay.

show profanity settings
expand all
  • tucanofulano, on 04/10/2008, -17/+15Good for you, Mr. Brown. Perhaps Mr. Rudd, Mr. Bush, and others, will follow your lead. They should.
    • weeeezzll, on 04/10/2008, -2/+17Second paragraph:
      "A spokeswoman said Mr Brown had never planned to attend the opening ceremony and was not boycotting the Games."

      RTFA before you comment please...
    • oldhick, on 04/10/2008, -0/+4Moron... Follow what lead? Read, understand, think, then comment.
  • webefools, on 04/10/2008, -18/+13if it's true that PM Brown will boycott the opening ceremonies... I applaud him!
    • weeeezzll, on 04/10/2008, -3/+14If you bothered to read the article before you commented then you would not be applauding.

      "A spokeswoman said Mr Brown had never planned to attend the opening ceremony and was not boycotting the Games."
    • ricepudd, on 04/10/2008, -4/+7Sadly it's not true. He isn't "boycotting" the opening ceremony. He was never planning on going in the first place. He was only ever going to attend the closing ceremony.
      If he announces that he isn't attending the closing ceremony, THEN it will become newsworthy...
  • bosssmiley, on 04/10/2008, -4/+5At this rate the Chinese minders won't let the torch attend the opening ceremonies. Too much of a security risk...
  • Slagtits, on 04/10/2008, -9/+3I think he's being one eyed about it.
  • racco, on 04/10/2008, -3/+24read the article people, he never was going in the first place. this isn't a boycott. hes going to the closing ceremony instead

    • Jabertsohn, on 04/10/2008, -8/+1He has to go to the closing ceremony. London is receiving the Olympic Games for 2012.
      He made sure not to touch the Olympic torch and is boycotting the most important ceremony of the Olympic Games this year. I applaud him for this.
      • weeeezzll, on 04/10/2008, -3/+6Stop talking out of your ass and RTFA. Second paragraph:
        "A spokeswoman said Mr Brown had never planned to attend the opening ceremony and was not boycotting the Games."
        • Jabertsohn, on 04/10/2008, -3/+3Do you know how long the Tibet conflict has been going on? Or China's generally awful human rights record?
          Long before Gordon Brown would have had to buy his plane tickets.
          It would be unreasonable to assume his decision not to go, however long ago it was made, was not based partly on this.
        • weeeezzll, on 04/10/2008, -1/+4Jabertsohn: Yes it would since he his spokewoman said "[He] was not boycotting the Games."

          I think we all know the saying about assumptions...
        • oldhick, on 04/10/2008, -1/+3Some people can never handle the truth. For some people out there every story, every fact, every occurrence will be used to further their deluded world view and the actual truth, even once learned, can some how be twisted to fit.
  • momsshizzle, on 04/10/2008, -5/+2So?
  • Scotty87, on 04/10/2008, -4/+15"A spokeswoman said Mr Brown had never planned to attend the opening ceremony and was not boycotting the Games."
    • Jabertsohn, on 04/10/2008, -3/+2Never planned to go? Since before the conflict started...?
    • Slagtits, on 04/10/2008, -0/+6Could you repeat that?
    • weeeezzll, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2Jabertsohn: I think you are missing the important part of that quote "was not boycotting the Games."
  • Scotty87, on 04/10/2008, -6/+3A spokeswoman said Mr Brown had never planned to attend the opening ceremony and was not boycotting the Games.
  • macmangb, on 04/10/2008, -9/+5Fantastic! I can't believe that there are those that would support a regime that is committing genocide in Tibet, Brown is showing true leadership and I hope many others will follow!
    • weeeezzll, on 04/10/2008, -3/+5RTFA:
      "A spokeswoman said Mr Brown had never planned to attend the opening ceremony and was not boycotting the Games."
    • Marlic, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2You should get your facts straight before you support or not support certain agenda. What happened in Tibet was a f**king riot. China was doing what other governments would've done.. Innocent ppl die b/c crazy Tibet ppl burning ppl alive and destroying businesses. What did you expect local authority to do?
  • Craga89, on 04/10/2008, -3/+5He's not attending the opening ceremony of the Olympics, but he did show up on American Idol the other night. Way to prioritise Gordan ;)

    But that said, I'd rather to go the drab fest that is American Idol than any of the Olympic events, but maybe that's just me...
  • bumcheekcity, on 04/10/2008, -1/+4Sheesh, about a week after the Lib Dems asked him to. Well, at least he's not going. Fair play on him. I dont get why people are talking about "Sport and Politics" mixing. Really, we should be talking about "Sport and Brutal Torture and Oppression". Which is subtly different.
  • wackazz, on 04/10/2008, -7/+0The world should boycott the olympic altogether on 2012... If we are deeply believe in human rights... Unless the west believe the lives of Iraqis woman and kids are not as important to the Lamas and Serf Owners of exile Tibetans.
    • wackazz, on 04/10/2008, -6/+0well... this is how digg works?.... when truth is told.. you get digg down.... I might as well jump on the bash China and Hillary! Sad diggers..
      • decadence, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2I think it's more likely that you're being dugg down for implying that Brown is boycotting anything. Also for your excessive use of ellipses.
        • weeeezzll, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Let's not forget that both of their post contain such poor grammar that they make little sense.
    • oldhick, on 04/10/2008, -2/+3Don't worry wackazz, most people know nothing about Tibet or its history and its relationship with China. Many of the Diggers pushing for Tibetan independence were the ones condemning the US' recognition of Kosovo's independence. But because the Beastie Boys and some other celebrities naively brought the issue to the public, its the cause of the day!
      Second, what does boycotting the Olympics do? Nothing, but ruin an event that thousands of athletes have waited their lives to participate in. Nothing but ruin a chance for countries to come together. Nothing, but make us look like hypocritical, uneducated jackasses (or maybe thats just me)!
  • xekko, on 04/10/2008, -1/+4This is not a boycott, he never intended to go to the opening ceremony.
  • bossm4n, on 04/10/2008, -1/+8Just saw a news report a few minutes ago from a US reporter who is in Beijing. She said the Chinese people have no clue about all the protests going on during the torch run as the state controlled media are only reporting positive stories regarding the olympics. And people say the MSM here is bad.
    • waydee, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2Thats not entirely true however the media in China have, on the whole, played off the protests as westerners who have jumped on the Tibet cause for no reason other than their jealousy for how well China is doing economically. Probably somewhat true in a few cases but you'd be right to assume the majority of Chinese people have very little idea of what's really happening.
      The Chinese rarely pass up an opportunity to drum up nationalist feeling, they're having a field day with this.


      • WikiEasy, on 04/11/2008, -0/+1I'd add that, they're strongly insinuating that all the protestors are separatists following the Dalai Lama's orders.
  • insobox, on 04/10/2008, -2/+6He was never planning on attending anyways is what he said. He just used this crap as a publicity stunt for 'better' backing and support for him and his constituents.
    • waydee, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Spot on, Brown was never going to miss this opportunity to make an announcement in an attempt to secure a few more votes/improve public opinion.

  • barc0de, on 04/10/2008, -3/+4He never planned to go to the olympics in the same way as he never planned to call an election last year.
  • LunaticFringe, on 04/10/2008, -0/+6I vote that we of the United States send a freight container of blow-up dolls in place of our athletes.
    • weeeezzll, on 04/10/2008, -2/+2But how will you get laid then?
    • FeargusMcDuff, on 04/10/2008, -1/+1Yeah i reckon the athletes that have been training for 4+ YEARS will be completely happy to have their entire careers destroyed in a spectacular anti-climax.
      • LunaticFringe, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2Heh. If they go to China they're likely to die from airborne toxins in the air. Is a medal really worth X types of cancer?

        Also note: China is the one country to have the balls to openly threaten to use nuclear aggression against the United States.
  • oldhick, on 04/10/2008, -3/+4A spokeswoman said Mr Brown had never planned to attend the opening ceremony and was not boycotting the Games.
    • FeargusMcDuff, on 04/10/2008, -1/+3Why you're being dugg down I'll never know, you're talking fact.
      • oldhick, on 04/10/2008, -1/+3Maybe because I just repeated what everyone above was commenting. I just thought certain people needed to read it over and over again.
    • pigfister, on 04/10/2008, -1/+2read the dam link ffs. do you actually dig topics without reading the article?

      this is why our leaders are allowed to destroy our civil rights, because ppl like you are too dam ignorant to read books and know history.
  • wackazz, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1I wasn't implying that we should boycott olympic in 2012 'cos of Brown is not going to be at opening ceremony of 2008. IMO, any country that have abused the human rights, such as China or so called Alliance who had invaded other country w/o the approval of U.N. SHOULD not be allowed to host OLYMPIC GAMES going forward. It's a lesson that ALL MUST learnt. BTW, I was once a Tibetan Supporter just like many of the diggers here. However, after I've done intensive researches on Tibet issues (http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html) I'd came to a conclusion that; what China did was right to liberate Tibetans from Serf Owner of Exile Tibetans.
    • Marlic, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1You should shelve these facts at those Tibetan supporters around world. They have no clue what they're protesting against. It's like Iraqi protesting against the US and want Saddam Hussien back.
      • wackazz, on 04/11/2008, -0/+0We in the west need more people like you to think for themselves; rather than jumping on bandwagon on issues that they have no clue about.
  • solid12345, on 04/10/2008, -1/+6Wow, after 50 years of civil rights violations now all of a sudden these "world leaders" want to punish China on the eve of the Olympics. Where were you suits after Tianamen? Oh right over in Beijing looking to sign big trading contracts with Red China.

    I feel for the Tibetans, but 120 Tibetans were killed, compare this to the millions who perished under Mao's Cultural Revolution yet this is what cast outrage on the world spot, a few monks being beaten and killed?
    • ortucis, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1Everyone just hates China. Majority of this 'outrage' is just using Tibetan issue as a cover-up. Most people would love nothing more than to see China humiliated in every possible way (which China is pretty good at doing itself).

      Oh and everyone from West hates everything Asian anyway (just look at Digg comments).
      • JointVenture, on 04/10/2008, -0/+4Are you out of your mind? People on Digg love most things Asian, they just dont Digg the fact that China has become a slave state.
  • wackazz, on 04/10/2008, -3/+0Thanks Oldchik, I thought Diggers are mostly mature self thinkers, who would do research before condemning any nation of wrong doing! But, I guess I'm wrong! BTW Why do pro-tibetans just digged ppl's comments down w/o leaving logical reason?
    • JointVenture, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2I could give ***** all about Tibet, its as much about the slaves that are fueling Chinas economy.

      But I have no doubt that in a few years time they will start to make their case for fare wages and we will witness the crumbling of Chinas economic boom.

      It will level out, as all things do, enjoy the ride while you can. Just be prepared for the bubble to pop, they always do.
      • wackazz, on 04/10/2008, -0/+0I agree with you buble will pop one day! Just like Web 1.0. However, what chinese are doing now (cheap labor just like the INDIAN) were exactly a common practice that were enforced by the westerns in the late century. I do believe that is wrong! But before anyone condemning any country of cheap labors, please do some researches on the history. Once an African in Australia told me a story about life in Africa. He said Africans are so grateful that Chinese are helping them out with their debts and he also said, before the chinese came to help the African, most of them were dinning with their hands, they could not afford cutlery. Now majority of them are using cutlery to enjoy their meals.
        • JointVenture, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Ive done research on History, I understand that the USA had slaves over 150 years ago.

          Does that justify China's position just because we did something 150 years ago?

          That's whats great about this country, we fixed the slavery issue, we had a women's right movement and a civil rights movement 40 years ago.

          Dismissing the problems in china by bringing up Americas history (150 years ago) is just about as silly as me not going to see the Pyramids or the Great Wall of China because they were built by slaves.

          The slave labor issue in China is NOT a recent or new, it has plagued the country since its creation.

          Don't get me wrong, I love China and have many, many Chinese friends in Bangkok.
  • mliving, on 04/10/2008, -1/+1GOOD ***** JOB...

    It's like a 1932 Berlin games da-ja-va... all over again.

    Way to show them FREE WORLD!
    • Marlic, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1No it's not!! China doesn't owe billions of $$ to any county like the German did after WW1. In the nutshell, Hitler gone crazy starting WW2 to revenge of WW1. China is NOT running its country under these circumstances. In fact, they're in a path of economical super power. Why in the world they want to tick off anyone when they're going strong?
    • LunaticFringe, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Nah. China's already claiming extended territory. They're at least at 1939 on the scale repeating history.

      Yes, I'm saying China crushing down Tibet and Taiwan is eerily similar to Germany invading Poland.
      • Marlic, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1Just to be fair, they are reclaiming it.. not invade. The US is INVADING Iraq. There's a difference.
    • jn35, on 04/10/2008, -0/+01932 games are in Berlin? ? Wow digg's such a wonderful place! always telling me something new!
  • JointVenture, on 04/10/2008, -0/+1A billion people trying to save face at the same time, should be fun to watch.
  • FeargusMcDuff, on 04/10/2008, -0/+2He never was going to the opening ceremony in the first place. In a conference with the French president he urged other countries not to boycott.
  • pigfister, on 04/10/2008, -2/+1Brown is a complete ***** him and Blair have taken this country to the point where civil liberties are totally destroyed so why should he care about china!

    FTA: A spokeswoman said Mr Brown had never planned to attend the opening ceremony and was not boycotting the Games.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Interesting video on how the labour Gov have systamatically destroyed our rights over the last 10 years.

    FTA: TAKING LIBERTIES is a shocking but hilarious polemic documentary that charts the destruction of all your Basic Liberties under 10 Years of ... all ยป New Labour. Released to coincide with Tony Blair's departure, the film and the book follow the stories of normal people who's lives have been turned upside down by injustice - from being arrested for holding a placard outside parliament to being tortured in Guantanamo Bay.

    THIS IS WHAT YOU DON'T READ IN THE PAPERS! THIS IS WHAT YOU DON'T SEE ON TV! AND IT'S HAPPENING TO YOU!

    http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-3351275 ...

  • Beijing08Facade, on 04/11/2008, -0/+2China is using this Olympic to Forever put away Tibetan and Human rights issue away.
    China says "Don't politicize", Well, Human Rights is not politicizing.
    The core of the Olympic is at Best respecting Human rights and China has Failed OVER AND OVER again!

    in anycase, How can we "NOT" bring Human rights issue in the Olympic.
  • patelgrisma11, on 08/07/2008, -0/+0
    http://download-movie-songs.blogspot.com/2008/08/o ...


    Beijing olympics 2008 opening ceremony | china olympics games | opening ceremony


    http://download-movie-songs.blogspot.com/2008/08/o ...
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.