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A recent protest against the Beijing Winter Games by Tibetan independence groups in New Delhi after India announced it would join the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia in a diplomatic boycott of the Games. Photograph by Rizhwickh.

The game within the Games

February 5, 2022

Like most people, I’m not thrilled to be proven wrong. But here is one instance in which I’m glad: I said in my previous post that I didn’t think the Beijing Winter Games would withstand an actual geopolitical analysis of the host country, China. But I was wrong. NBC tackled the human rights abuse issues on Feb. 3 and Feb. 4, the day of the opening ceremonies.

Beijing National Stadium, known as the Bird’s Nest, site of the Beijing Winter Olympics’ opening and closing ceremonies, Feb. 4 and 20 respectively.. Photograph by Peter23.

To watch or not to watch the Beijing Games

February 2, 2022

The Beijing Winter Games officially launch Friday, Feb. 4, with the opening ceremonies airing on NBC, and for many of us it will be something of a guilty pleasure.

Climate change. Human rights abuses. Restrictions on freedom of expression. Covid outbreaks. Critics charge that the Chinese do not have a great track record here and that a full boycott, such as the one the U.S. instituted in 1980 against the Moscow Summer Games when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, would’ve hit them in their prestige and their wallet.

Chinese doubles player Peng Shuai at the 2016 US Open. Her disappearance and then sudden “happy” reappearance after leveling a #MeToo accusation against a former Chinese official has sparked international outrage. Photograph by si.robi

Challenging the alphas: The cases of Kyle Rittenhouse, Peng Shuai and Ahmaud Arbery

December 3, 2021

When the history of the early decades of this century is written 100 years from now, it will be recorded as a time when those who had power were challenged by those who did not.

The summer of our discontent

September 21, 2021

Winter, it is generally agreed, is the harshest season. But summer may be the cruelest. It offers its promises with soft, welcoming arms only to snatch them away.