In yet another display to impress Chinese leaders with devotion, they proclaim themselves furious at Martin Lee, a pro-democracy campaigner. Writing in a newspaper column, Lee had the audacity to suggest the obvious -- that the international community should use the 2008 Beijing Olympics to pressure China’s authoritarian rulers to improve human rights. Sustained pressure for legitimate democracy in Hong Kong would help too.

In the pro-Beijing style, much name-calling ensued. Phrases like “running dog” and “traitor” flew in Mr Lee’s direction. Such attempts to vilify a prominent Hong Kong resident for expressing views contrary to the Party line stir unpleasant memories of China’s disastrous Cultural Revolution.

In fact, Lee stopped far short of calling for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics. But a boycott would be the best medicine for China’s central government – whose iron-fisted leaders show no desire to enhance human rights or to allow anything resembling democracy anywhere under the Chinese flag.

The much-anticipated Beijing Olympics will be a “false-front” festival at which China’s leadership tries to impress the world. Ideally, the Olympic Games should never be awarded to such an unworthy host city.

But by now, many thousands of athletes from around the world have devoted years of their lives to qualifying and training for the 2008 Olympics. Asking them to surrender their dreams for a boycott would be unfair.

Instead, international travelers and sports fans should boycott Beijing during the Games and beyond. Those inclined to heed their consciences – to do what’s right for the greatest number of people -- will do just that.

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