Olympic protests...

I have been watching the news reports and getting a little discouraged.

I guess humans have a way of politicizing anything. The protests over China holding the Olympic competitions this year are an example of this.

I have seen, in country after country, protestors attacking the runners who are carrying the torch, grabbing at the torch and trying to get it away from the runners.

I agree wholeheartedly that China is a great violator of human rights, that the situation in Tibet is a terrible of example of how a government should govern, and that real change is needed.

This situation has been going on for many, many years. Perhaps the Olympic Committee should have seriously considered this before awarding China as the host site. I realize this decision was made years ago, but the atrocities of Chinese human rights have been going on far longer.

However, the decision has been made. Like it or not, China will be hosting the Olympic events this summer. And young athletes, who have sacrificed everything for this chance, will be gathering to compete on the world stage.

Don’t let your political views spoil this once in a lifetime chance for these young athletes. You can’t protest the games without protesting the athletes, who didn’t make the decisions on where they would meet. You can’t boycott the opening ceremony without boycotting the athletes who sacrificed everything to be involved in this celebration.

They are the best of the best. Let’s support the Olympics. When they’re over, perhaps we can pressure the Olympic Committee to make wiser decisions in the future, and to find peaceful ways to influence these decisions.

But these protests now can only put a stain on the games and mar the medals awarded to gifted athletes all over the world.