Honestly with Bari Weiss Beijing's Genocide Olympics
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Feb 16, 2022 Josh Rogin, a renowned foreign policy columnist for The Washington Post and author of "Chaos Under Heaven," discusses the troubling implications of the Beijing Winter Olympics. He reveals how the Chinese Communist Party uses the Games for propaganda, overshadowing human rights violations against ethnic minorities. Rogin critiques athletes’ silence amidst oppression and highlights the risks they face, including surveillance. The conversation prompts reflection on America’s participation in such a politically charged event and the moral responsibilities athletes hold in the face of tyranny.
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Opening Ceremony Absurdity
- During the opening ceremony, minorities passed a Chinese flag down the line, supposedly showcasing their unity.
- However, this act masked the repression many groups like Tibetans and Uyghurs face.
Torch Lighter Choice
- A Uyghur athlete was chosen to light the Olympic torch, seemingly a gesture of inclusion.
- Rogin argues this was a coercive message to Uyghurs: cooperate or face consequences.
1936 Olympics Parallel
- Rogin and Tapper compared the Uyghur torch lighter to a Jewish athlete in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
- This athlete gave a Nazi salute, later explaining it as an attempt to protect her family.
