The Case Against a Boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympics
Boycotts have never worked because human nature in its majority has the tendency to do the forbidden. When Carter boycotted the Moscow Olympics of 1980 in response to the Russian [Soviet] Invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the opposite ocurred. People went to the Moscow Olympics in 1980. People in the United States of America defied the boycott by crossing the border into Canada and buying souvenirs of the Moscow Olympics in 1980. Others defied the boycott by crossing the border between the United States of America and Canada and going to Russia [at that time The Union of Soviet Socialist Republic] after purchasing their tickets from authorized representatives of Intourist [which was the authorized tourist agency of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics] and Aeroflot [which was the Soviet now Russian Airline].
Since Jesus Christ once said: “He who is without sin cast the first stone”, I myself disobeyed the Carter Boycott of the Moscow Olympics of 1980. I am also proud that I disobeyed the Carter boycott of 1980. I did it by writing to my family in Cuba [who I have yet to know] and asked for stamps of the Moscow Olympics in 1980. My stamps arrived in one of my letters from my Cuban relatives. I was also a listener of Shortwave Radio Stations and used to practice the hobby called DXing [sending reception reports in order to obtain post cards, stamps, pennants, and even Long Play/Extended Play/45 RPM Records]. I wrote to Radio Bucharest [now Radio Romania International], Radio Budapest, Radio Prague, Radio Polonia, and Radio Berlin International [the defunct Shortwave Radio Station of the now defunct East Germany]. I explained to these radio stations my dilemna and they sent me stamps and other souvenirs of the Moscow Olympics in 1980.
After explaining about how I circumvented a boycott, it reinforces why a boycott will never work. As long as people in authority prohibit a certain action, there will be people who will find a way to circumvent a boycott or even violate a law in order to do what is prohibited. The reason is the challenge.
Open Letter to Nancy Pelosi
Dear Ms. Pelosi: You and the rest of the Washington Elite have no right in criticizing another country for human rights “violations” and have no right to demand an inquiry into what is an internal affair of another country without taking a look inside our home.
1. Bush and Company committed abuses that are impeachable and you do nothing.
2. You used Cindy Sheehan as toilet paper but discarded her when she rightfully talked about the sins of the Republicans and Democrats.
3. The Republicans and Democrats [you included] are nothing more than hypocrites without morals when you proclaim freedom but deny the rights of Libertarians and Greens to present candidates using discriminatory laws and requirements to prevent greater citizen participation.
4. What about the lack of confidence in the White House, the Judicial System, and Congress?The American People demand more and receive less.
You do not have to answer. I am not a constituent and I am a Libertarian. I am proud of being a Libertarian and their message of freedom, responsibility, less government, and not enslaved to the so called “Moral” Liberals and Conservatives who are using the politics of old in a new century.
Football Teams Hire On The Basis of Merit
With all due respect to the people who think that soccer teams limit their success by appointing ex players, appointing ex players have their pros and cons. It all boils down to the individual. For example, no team would ever appoint someone like Diego Maradona who has excess baggage in spite of his professional victories. Examples worth mentioning have been China, the Kurd Stars FC, Africa, and Iran.
China appointed Bora Multinovic as their national coach taking into account the experience he had. Multinovic may not have won the 2002 World Cup for China but he was able to help China take football [soccer] to a new level. We should also take into consideration that China has been a success in itself by surprising the Football [Soccer] World with its victories in the 2007 Asian Cup. What Multinovic did was construct the bases for a better football [soccer] in China, what China did was improve itself and became known as a Football [Soccer] Powerhouse.
The Kurd Stars FC who is the only Kurdish Team to play in an English League has Kinan Midhad Kadir as their coach and Sarkhell Nawroly as its Chairman and Player. Kinan Midhad Kadir and Sarkhell Nawroly have brought the Kurd Stars FC to higher levels in football [soccer] as well as promoting Kurdish Football [Soccer] to the Kurdistan Olympic Committee, Kurdistan Football Association, and The Ministry of Sports and Youth of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Kurdistan of Iraq. Kinan Midhad Kadir and Sarkhell Nawroly have been able to promote Kurdish Football [Soccer] through their years of experience as ex player, player, as well as manager and coach. The Kurd Stars FC has managed to advance to the leagues in England, Kurdistan, and the remote areas of the world. They even gained a supporter in Miami Florida.
African Countries like Cameroon, Nigeria, Angola, and even Rwanda have had ex players from other countries as managers and coaches secondary to their experience in the field. Africa in the end has advanced in the World Cups and is expected to make a strong impression in the 2010 World Cup to be held in South Africa. For example, the coach of Cameroon who was an ex player for various German Teams whose name is Winfried Schafer took Cameroon to the near top of the African League. Winfried Schafer also managed to help instill discipline, tactics, continuity, and a pro active play into Cameroon that was instrumental in converting Cameroon into an African Powerhouse in Football [Soccer]. Winfried Schafer also asked Germany’s Coach Rudi Volli to respect Cameroon as a team in a show of defiance against his country and in defence of the country that accepted him. This show of defence occurred in the preparations for the 2002 World Cup.
Cameroon was such a success that Press TV reported that Iran offered Winfried Schafer but what transpired was that nothing came to fruit and Iran finally offered the job of coach and manager to a trainer for Persepolis Tehran with experience as a player in Iranian Football [Soccer] named Afshin Qotbi. Whether Iran can progress to the 2010 World Cup is another matter. I think Iran will progress since Iran has chosen experienced players and trainers in the past to coach and manage its national team. Football [Soccer] teams do not limit their success by restricting appointments of managers to ex players. Football [Soccer] teams appoint what they think is the best person who can help a team win or at least take a team to “higher levels” [using the quote by Joel Osteen].
REFERENCE:
Kurd Stars FC Website
http://www.kurdstars.com/index.html
Assessed on the 18th of March 2008
BBC Sport: “Eto’o sees Schafer as World Cup ‘key’ Wednesday, 26 December, 2001, 13:52 GMT
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/1729264.stm
Assessed on the 18th of March 2008
BBC Sport: “Schafer warns Germany”; Tuesday, 4 December, 2001, 11:55 GMT
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2002/1691467.stm
Assessed on the 18th of March 2008
Press TV: “Iran finally introduces new coach”
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail.aspx?id=37281§ionid=3510211
Press TV: “Reid will not coach Iran soccer team”
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail.aspx?id=32038§ionid=3510211
Press TV: “Schafer may coach Iran soccer team”
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail.aspx?id=31091§ionid=3510211
Press TV: “Qotbi Iran’s new football coach”
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail.aspx?id=45350§ionid=3510211
Iran & 2010 [EN] [ES]
IRAN AND GROUP FIVE
According to Press TV, Iran is in Group 5 of the World Cup 2010 Qualifiers with Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, and Syria. This is good news for the Iranian Team with a possibility of advancing to the next rounds of the Asian Qualifications.
Group 1 or the Group of Death is Australia, China, Iraq, and Qatar. Group 2 is Japan, Bahrain, Oman, and Thailand. Group 3 will be South Korea, North Korea, Jordan, and Turkmenistan. It would be interesting see South Korea and North Korea play against each other. Group 4 will be Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Lebanon, and Singapore.
I am willing to predict that Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea will be the ones going to the next round of classifications towards the World Cup 2010.
Segun Press TV, Iran esta clasificado en Grupo 5 junto con Kuwait, los Emiratos Arabes Unidos, y Siria.
Grupo 1 o el Grupo de la Muerte es Australia, China, Irak, y Katar. Grupo 2 es Japon, Bahrein, Oman, y Tailandia. Grupo 3 son las dos Coreas, Jordania, y Turkmenistan. Seria interesante ver el juego entre las dos Coreas. Grupo 4 es Arabia Saudita, Uzbekistan, Libano, y Singapur.
Me atrevo prognostic que los siguientes iran a la proxima vuelta en la clasificacion para la Copa Mundial 2010: Iran, China, Arabia Saudita, y Corea del Sur
REFERENCE/REFERENCIA:
Press TV: “Iran in WC2010 qualifiers Group 5”
El Ganador de Mejor Organizador de Un Futuro Evento Deportivo Premios AG 2007: Radio Internacional de China/Winner of the Best Organizer of Future Sporting Events for 2007: CRI
El Ganador de Mejor Organizador de Un Futuro Evento Deportivo
Radio Internacional de China
The Winner of the Best Organizer of Future Sporting Events:
CRI
Mis mejores deseos para Radio Internacional de China. My Best Wishes for CRI.
