The International Olympics Committee should not grant the Chinese regime the privilege of hosting the 2008 Olympic Summer Games. He cited China's human rights record as the reason for his opposition. China's abominable human rights record violates the spirit of the games and should disqualify Beijing from consideration. Congressman Lantos drew a comparison with the 1936 Olympics held in Nazi Germany.
History shows that Olympic hosts gain immeasurably in international esteem.
This goes for dictatorships as well as democracies. In 1936, for example, Germany was selected to host the Olympics. A native of Hungary, Mr. Lantos is the first Holocaust survivor ever elected to the United States Congress. Congressman Lantos also praised the Chinese people and expressed his hope that the Olympics would be held in Beijing someday. I look forward to the day when the Olympics will be held in Beijing.