Olympic President Offers Rare Rebuke to China - New York Times

China literally begged the international community to let them host the Olympics.  But now they're pissed that the coming out party is exposing warts and all.  The Communist Party is learning the hard way that we are long, long past the day [1]when image can be constructed through media manipulation.  We are who we are and it's good to see someone at the IOC growing the tiniest bit of spine:

BEIJING — The president of the International Olympic Committee [2], Jacques Rogge [3], offered a rare rebuke to the Chinese government on Thursday, calling on authorities to respect its “moral engagement” to improve human rights and to provide the media with greater access to the country ahead of the Beijing games.

Well, more simpering than rebuff I grant, but given the IOC's fairly untenable position at this point, I suppose it is more than we could expect.  Well, with their usual Napoleon-Complex, China hit back and hit back hard:

The Chinese government immediately rejected Mr. Rogge’s remarks, saying they amounted to an unwelcome meddling in the country’s domestic affairs. “I believe I.O.C. officials support the Beijing Olympics and adherence to the Olympic charter of not bringing in any irrelevant political factors,” Jiang Yu, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, told reporters.

A far cry from China's conciliatory tone and far-reaching promises [4] during the [5]bidding process.  The Chinese Party leaders may be wearing nicer suits these  days, but they're the same oppressive, murderous thugs they've always been.   Well documented and brutal human rights violations [6] do not qualify as a "domestic affair" in the modern age.  Rank Censorship [7] is not an "irrelevant political factor".  Not even close.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the Olympics.  I find the entire affair overly-commercialized and often trite.  But I have tremendous respect for the athletes who worked hard to get there, as for the spirit of global unity that forms the Olympic ideal.  I'm also not ignorant of the tremendous boost this event gives China in both monetary intake and global stature.  As such, the IOC has a responsibility, nay - a moral imperative - to wield their influence in such a way as to ensure the event is not permanently marred by an oppressive regime.  But instead, we walk on eggshells so as not to offend the would-be dictatorship:

“China will close itself off from the rest of the world, which, don’t forget, it has done for some 2,000 years,” [Rogge] said in an interview broadcast Wednesday in his native Belgium.

This entire argument is specious.  China today has nothing to do with China of yester-millenium.  Without Soviet power to back them up, the Party depends upon international commerce to maintain its grasp on power.  They aren't going anywhere.  Besides, isn't anyone else tired of having to tiptoe around their fragile ego and idle threats?