Monday, February 11, 2008
Politics of Entertainment
The ultimate culture jam for my generation was arguably the Black Power Salute by Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. While 300 protesting students were murdered by Mexican army and police ten days earlier, Smith and Carlos reminded the world that white power was built on slavery.
Four decades later, as we approach the Olympics in Beijing, slave labor and human rights is still an issue of world concern. Indeed, while Third World children and virtual slaves labor away in sweatshops to produce such items as Nike athletic wear, Chinese writers are being imprisoned.
Meanwhile, in Vancouver, First Nations are opposing the theft of sacred lands by the government of Canada in order to produce the mindless spectacle of the coming winter Olympics. If sports fans find this disturbing, then maybe we can start talking about the politics of entertainment.
Four decades later, as we approach the Olympics in Beijing, slave labor and human rights is still an issue of world concern. Indeed, while Third World children and virtual slaves labor away in sweatshops to produce such items as Nike athletic wear, Chinese writers are being imprisoned.
Meanwhile, in Vancouver, First Nations are opposing the theft of sacred lands by the government of Canada in order to produce the mindless spectacle of the coming winter Olympics. If sports fans find this disturbing, then maybe we can start talking about the politics of entertainment.
