Serving Two Masters
Serving Two Masters
Serving Two Masters
August 5, 2008
I am not going to blog every day. Firstly, I am working, covering games and since it takes an hour to get to the basketball venue, I tend to just be away all day onsite, so it just isn’t practical. Also, I am an old fashioned sort - I write my thoughts out long hand on paper and then transcribe it to the computer. It’s a ridiculous system, but I feel more creative that way, but it does add a step and reduce the number of posts I will get done.
Moving on, I had my BBC briefing today, covering the logistics and manner for coverage of the actual contests themselves. It went smoothly and I had a discussion with the BBC folk regarding my dual roles as I see them - and as they see them.
Although I am an Olympic Ambassador for Amnesty International, I am not here at their behest. I am here to work for the BBC, but from the moment I decided to accept, I knew I would have the opportunity and the obligation to flex my mouth and mind regarding the human rights issues and controversies in China.
Hopefully, it is abundantly clear that I am not speaking as a mouthpiece for the BBC, and although many of my thoughts are congruent with those expressed by Amnesty International and indeed informed by the research for that outfit and many other human rights organisations, I am not “working” for them either. I think trying to enhance the lives of others, highlight oppression and illuminate issues that some would have swept under the red carpet is important.
In the BBC briefing, I also saw my schedule for the games - if you watch basketball on the BBC’s channels in the UK or worldwide, you will be sick of me. Sorry. I promise I have done a bit of homework, looking up the teams and players, since I haven’t really watched a game for a while! I do think that these games will be a big opportunity to expose British fans and players to quality basketball - the kind of basketball we should be aspiring to play. My role on the broadcasts will be to highlight important plays, skills and technical aspects - my broadcast partner Ron Macintosh - will be providing the play-by-play….
So today, after my briefing I went outside and saw a man high up on a street light. Underneath him, he had a banner unfurled, saying “One world, One dream, Free Tibet.” I have to admit, I was surprised. The security around the venues and the official hotels is remarkable. Even my accreditation contains a chip that I have to swipe to get in (it also serves to make me feel like I am constantly under surveillance,) so the idea that someone could get so close to the water cube and birds nest, within the security cordon and then scale a pole seems unlikely. Apparently, this protester was a Scot, one of four Britons who were swiftly arrested the moment they were coaxed down. Subsequently, I heard they were briefly detained before being expelled from the country.
I didn’t watch the whole incident. I think it is important to have sane, sensible conversation around these issues, but people - especially us westerners - need to appreciate what decades of control will do to a people. On the faces of the volunteers, I saw only embarrassment...I know the actions of those Britons will help create dialogue...I know their actions are appreciated by many of the dissidents who were removed from Beijing before the games began (and won’t be allowed back until they are over) but these actions do need to be accompanied by some reasoned, direct and mature dialogue.
After all, this incident will be used as propaganda by the Chinese authorities to say that protesters are intent on disrespecting the Chinese people - I want to make sure that criticism can’t be honestly levelled at me.
Today, I also took a trip to the basketball venue. Awesome. A combination of the Hawks place in Atlanta and maybe the Miami arena - but smaller…. I walked in to do my sound check (I am such a professional!) and after pretending to commentate on a non-existent game for that - which is harder than it sounds - I was done...then I saw huge numbers of security folks walking around and was told that the President was coming to watch the first games I am covering - USA China women, then the men. That should hype up those first contests to an incendiary level...can’t wait….
Speaking of the President. It almost sounded like we were on the same page for a second today. I know, that should signal the four horsemen to usher in the apocalypse, but luckily, he was in Thailand and although he was “boldly” speaking out on China’s poor human right’s record, he soon came true to old (regular) form, by doing the equivalent of that infamous day when he spoke about the horrors and dangers of terrorism from a golf cart, then grinned inanely and instructed us “...now watch this drive!”
The President said that he is coming to China just to watch sports and admonished us all to keep sports and the games apolitical. Didn’t America and 58 other countries boycott the games in 1980? That probably wasn’t political. The three countries that were not invited by the IOC that year - Iran, Mozambique and Qatar, probably no political iron in that fire either. The IOC’s ban on Iraq was lifted so late (July 29th 2008) that only two track & field athletes will make it from that country, The decision came too late for five other hopefuls in archery, judo, rowing and weightlifting. The deadline to submit names for those sports expired in mid-July. Can someone tell me a country that is more in need of the boost to non-ethnic national pride the Olympics can provide at it’s best?
The Presidents perspective makes it seem that it’s appropriate to suspend empathy for the duration of a sporting event. Let’s all pretend that the terrible oppression of everyday folk somehow stops and the local and central authorities and their agents hold hands with incarcerated dissidents, displaced citizens and oppressed masses and watch the games on 72 inch flat screens with national pride while drinking tea. Yes, that seems right….
If you can vote in America, please vote. Please.
We met up with a number of locals as well as two American teachers who were out on their last night out before returning home. The locals spoke about their happiness that the Chinese government now acknowledged that gay people existed in China - 2% of the population is the official figure, apparently. The key in China according to the locals and the ex-pats both was that invisibility of this community is maintained, and whilst the number of gay bars has increased, there will be no “pride celebrations.”
And for a community that is large even if taking the governments 2% figure - 25 million people in China today - it is unrecognisable on the streets, in the Olympic village and even around the venues. The one recognisable out and proud figure is the choreographer for much of the opening and closing ceremonies. He was interviewed on CCTV - the Chinese official broadcaster - which the local’s said was unusual, but welcome and was asked about his sexuality (equally unusual,) he was asked why he was so “obvious in his sexuality.” To which he said “...if I am not honest with who I am, I can not be creative….”
I did not see these news casts and I relied upon the collective comments of about three or four Chinese men from the bar who corroborated each other. The invisibility the felt and believed was deliberate is even backed up by the adverts for the gay bars online on Chinese sites - talking about a bars “for young men” - no mention of gay….
I will say this, although this bar is a cool space and has really polite and pleasant staff. The air of urgency that hits men in straight and gay bars alike towards the end of the night when punters realise they may end up going home alone, permeated the place from the start. Inside, and outside the front door, there appeared to be a fervour to hook up, like once you left this place, your chance for comfort and human contact expired for another week. In fairness, I do know of straight and gay bars in London and LA that give off a similar vibe, so maybe progress is being made - if that’s progress….
As I said, the bar was relatively empty today, I am going back on Friday to see what it’s like on a weekend!
At the bar, I also met a competing Olympian, he is not one of the six athletes listed as out on various web sites, and as a football player from a football crazy country, I was a little surprised to see him out and about. He looked relaxed - was drinking water - and didn’t stay long (or at least as long as I did!) I will definitely be writing more about the GLBT athletes at the games and in a totally partisan way, I wish them the best of luck.