When China was awarded the 2008 games seven years ago, the international community expected that this opportunity would help improve China's human rights record. Yet the world has witnessed exactly the opposite. Despite rallying cries around the world, China continues its harsh crackdown on protesters in Tibet and internal dissent, most recently by imprisoning noted human rights activist Hu Jia. But with the blazing tour of the Olympic torch, millions of protesters from Paris to San Francisco have been speaking out passionately for human rights in China, Tibet, Darfur and Burma. President Bush has a unique opportunity to speak out for those who are silenced. By boycotting the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics, President Bush can join other world leaders in urging China to stop its repression of activists and work to improve human rights at home and in Darfur and Burma where China wields great influence.
We signed the “President Bush: Boycott Olympics Opening Ceremony” petition!
# 11,200:
11:08 am PDT, Apr 7,Laurel Hays, Illinois
# 11,199:
7:55 pm PDT, Apr 6,Constant Wanham, Massachusetts
# 11,198:
3:38 pm PDT, Apr 3,Alice Diane Celebre, New Jersey
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3:31 pm PDT, Apr 3,Theodore R. WOZNICK, Colorado
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5:22 pm PDT, Mar 30,Rebecca Stabile, Rhode Island
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5:32 pm PDT, Mar 24,Lynn Jenkins, New Jersey
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1:40 pm PDT, Mar 19,Leah Lefler, Virginia
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10:29 am PDT, Mar 15,Geoffrey Yost, Indiana
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12:46 pm PDT, Mar 12,Therese Ryan, California
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5:31 pm PST, Mar 2,Carrie Weil, California
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12:29 pm PST, Mar 2,Eric Arevalo, New York
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4:16 pm PST, Feb 20,Andrew Russell, New York
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2:01 am PST, Feb 19,Brittany Hoffer, Ohio
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8:06 pm PST, Feb 10,Joyce Barone, Pennsylvania
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8:11 am PST, Feb 4,Paola Castellanos, Mexico
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12:15 am PST, Jan 24,Niki Gianni, Illinois
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10:49 am PST, Jan 23,Eff FiveMando, California
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6:57 pm PST, Jan 15,Catherine González, Mexico
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6:56 pm PST, Jan 15,Karina Martínez, Mexico
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6:55 pm PST, Jan 15,Rubi Martínez, Mexico
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5:32 am PST, Jan 9,Teresita Garza, Florida
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5:30 pm PST, Jan 8,Stephanie Lessard, New Hampshire
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10:00 am PST, Jan 2,Jennifer Gardner, Florida
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11:15 am PST, Dec 7,Kristina Salgado, Arkansas
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7:33 pm PST, Nov 14,Matt Williams, Illinois
I do not think the President should have boycotted the Olympics opening ceremony. However, in typical Bush fashion, he opted out of making any statement that would have positioned the U.S. on the side of all people everywhere int he world. Instead, he chose silence, silence toward basic rights and dignities, silence toward the organized crackdown of free speech, and silence toward the fundamentals of basic human decency. I am counting down the days until this man no longer speaks (or chooses silence) for our nation.
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9:18 pm PDT, Oct 17,Ali Deckoff-Jones, New Mexico
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11:34 am PDT, Oct 17,Sarah Spaulding, California
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6:04 pm PDT, Sep 23,Christina Williams, California
Although the opening ceremonies are over, the cruel suppression of Tibet by China is far from over. I am furious that you did not do everything in your power to call on China to end its abuse of Tibet! You try to pass it off like it's just a sporting event. You are contributing to Tibetans being wrongfully arrested, abused, tortured, and jailed indefinitely by being silent and weak.
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5:41 pm PDT, Sep 7,Amy Brown, Florida
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3:27 pm PDT, Sep 2,Ana Gomes, Portugal
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2:27 pm PDT, Aug 30,Alice Olivo, Italy
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3:18 pm PDT, Aug 28,Danny DeTora, California
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12:24 pm PDT, Aug 26,Doreen Charette, Pennsylvania
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2:15 pm PDT, Aug 25,Rick Blair, California
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12:19 pm PDT, Aug 25,Name not displayed, Tennessee
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1:22 pm PDT, Aug 24,Name not displayed, Georgia
Although China is a "communist country" they are trying to take gradual steps towards a better society- the only true communist country left is North Korea, although close in geography not remotely close in any other category. China cannot just jump to a free nation, it would cause chaos, however, most Americans still feel as if China has it out for us but they simply want the samething as us; it just fifteen years China will have more English speaking citizens that the United States( we will be competing for jobs will Chinese men and women in our future) instead of complaining we need to find solutions to the problem, and the problem isn't china.
# 11,163:
2:58 pm PDT, Aug 21,Marilyn Mick, Texas
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9:02 am PDT, Aug 20,Lillie Van Scoy, Virginia
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1:48 pm PDT, Aug 14,J T Butler, Texas
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7:02 pm PDT, Aug 11,Twyla Sparks, Indiana
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10:23 am PDT, Aug 8,Matt Mansur, Nevada
I am a world class cyclist and coach of the UNR cycling team. I think having the olympics is dumb, cuz no one is really better at cycling than the reno wheelmen and me. There is no freedom in china and none in reno.
# 11,158:
3:19 pm PDT, Aug 7,Felipe Jensen Casado, Spain
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8:18 pm PDT, Aug 6,Jennifer Dallos, New York
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11:26 am PDT, Aug 6,Shelly ., Washington
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7:20 am PDT, Aug 5,Markus Christian Ziebarth, Germany
Dear President Bush,
I am deeply disturbed by China's violent crackdown on activists and journalists in Tibet. I am also outraged at China's recent imprisonment of human rights activist Hu Jia. It is clear to me that instead of improving its human rights record as part of being awarded the 2008 Olympic Games, China is instead using the Games as an opportunity to further repress free speech in China and Tibet.
I urge you to demonstrate the US leadership in protecting human rights by taking this unique opportunity to pressure China to improve its human rights record. Specifically, I call on you to boycott the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing to send a clear message to the Chinese government that we as a freedom-loving nation will not stand by and watch China abuse, repress and imprison citizens, activists and journalists who speak truth to power.
Sincerely,
Markus Christian Ziebarth
