An Open Invitation to President Bush
Please Join Our “Olympic Freedom Run” to Clarify Your Moral Standing and Solidarity with Freedom Loving People in China
September 5, 2007 by Kai Chen
Dear President Bush:
As the 2008 Beijing Olympics fast approaches, we as freedom-loving people, realize as that time comes, we are standing at the threshold between human freedom in our future and human despotism from our past. Having learned that you had accepted an invitation from Mr. Hu Jintao to attend the opening ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I like to extend my invitation to you to join our “Olympic Freedom Run” in Washington DC on September 30, 2007 from the Memorial of Communism’s Victims to the Lincoln Memorial.
As a former Chinese National Basketball Team player, I feel compelled by my conscience to speak out, not just to speak out against oppression, slavery and human degradation, but to speak out for human freedom, for hope, for a better tomorrow. I am speaking out not just for those innocent lives perished under the communist regime, not just for those who still suffer under the same oppressive regime of the Chinese communist government, but also for those who are suffering under all kinds of despotism, old and new, in the world.
The 1936 Berlin Olympics is the lesson we ought to heed. As the world indulged itself in the illusion of Olympic grandeur under the Nazi propaganda, millions were suffering unspeakable cruelty under the murderous Nazi regime. History should not repeat itself, and we as free people will make sure that Olympic spirit is nothing but the spirit of human freedom, not opium to induce illusions for despotism and tyranny. Any government that wants to use the Olympics for its own oppressive and reactionary policies against human freedom should be put into the spotlight and have its evil exposed. The 2008 Beijing Olympics should be an example of how the cause of human freedom is pushed forward by the Olympic movement, not pushed backward.
As an athlete with a conscience, I call upon all athletes, all coaches, all people in the athletic establishment in the world, all sports fans and all tourists who will participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympics to awaken your conscience, pluck up your courage and listen to the call from the deepest recess of your soul to join our “Olympic Freedom T Shirt” global movement:
When you participate in the competition, please wear our “Olympic Freedom T Shirt”.
When you interact with the Chinese people, wear our “Olympic Freedom T Shirt”.
When you peruse the artifacts in the Forbidden City, wear our “Olympic Freedom T Shirt”.
When you walk in the gardens of the Summer Palace, wear our “Olympic Freedom T Shirt”.
When you climb the Great Wall, wear our “Olympic Freedom T Shirt”
When you stroll on the Tiananmen Square, under the stare of the giant portrait of Mao – the biggest mass murderer in human history, when you remember those who died in the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, wear our “Olympic Freedom T Shirt”.
Mr. President:
We do not advocate boycotting the Beijing Summer Olympics. We hope that you to use your presence in the 2008 Beijing Olympics to spread the message of Truth, Justice, Liberty and Dignity to all human beings on the planet earth. We want to see you use your moral conviction, your appreciation of the human yearning for the eternal values of mankind to spread the message of hope and human freedom.
I, as a Chinese athlete with a conscience, call upon the voice in your conscience; call upon your moral courage, your action and your prayer for freedom for the Chinese people, for freedom for all the people in the world. In wearing our “Olympic Freedom T Shirt” and joining our “Olympic Freedom Run”, you are expressing your solidarity and your support for the freedom-loving people in China. You are indeed building a better tomorrow for the world.
Let Freedom Ring!
Hereby I cordially extend my invitation to you to join our Washington DC “Olympic Freedom Run”.
Sincerely,
Kai Chen
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给布什总统的公开邀请信
请加入我们的奥运自由长跑以示你与热爱自由的人们在一起
陈凯 7/1/2007
布什总统先生：
当2008年北京奥运会即将到来之际，我们作为热爱自由的人们意识到我们正站在人类自由的未来与人类专制奴役的过去的门槛上。当我得知你已接受胡锦涛的邀请参加北京奥运会开幕式的时候，我愿在此呈上我诚恳的邀请，希望你在九月三十日参加我们在华盛顿举行的“奥运自由长跑”以示你去北京是与热爱自由的人们站在一起，而不是与专制的共产政权站在一起。
作为一个前中国国家男篮队员，我基于我的良知在此时此地向世界倾吐几句肺腑之言。 我不光要用我良知的声音反抗专制压迫与其对人类灵魂的奴役，我也要用我良知的声音唱赞人对自由，希望与美好未来的向往。 我不光要用我良知的声音为那些尚在中共政权压迫下受难的中国的人们表达他们自由的愿望，我也要用我良知的声音为所有的、全世界的尚在新的与传统的专制奴役下受煎熬的人们表达他们对自由的向往。
我们应该从1936年的柏林奥运会上汲取教训。 那时当全世界的人们都处在由纳粹的宣传机器而引起的幻觉之中时，千千万万的无辜的人们正在纳粹的罪恶统治下受着煎熬与虐杀。 历史绝不应重现。 我们热爱自由的人们应对此做出不懈的努力。 奥运会的精神只能是自由的精神，而绝不是对专制奴役纵容妥协的鸦片。 任何妄图利用奥运会达到压抑自由，持续专制的政府都应该被抛到光天化日之下，暴露它们的邪恶的本质。 2008年的北京奥运会应将是奥运精神推动人类自由事业的榜样，而不是奥运精神助长专制奴役的典范。
在这里我作为一个有良知的运动员，呼吁全世界的运动员、教练员、体育界人士、运动爱好者、旅游者们：当你们在2008年去北京参加、观看奥运会的时候，拿出你们灵魂中的良知与勇气，加入我们的北京“奥运自由衫”的全球运动。
在你参加比赛的运动场上，请穿上我们的“奥运自由衫”。
在你与中国的人们交往的时候，请穿上我们的“奥运自由衫”。
当你在故宫观赏古董古迹的时候，请穿上我们的“奥运自由衫”。
当你在颐和园漫游的时候，请穿上我们的“奥运自由衫”。
当你登上长城的时候，请穿上我们的“奥运自由衫”。
当你走入天安门广场，面对着世界历史上最大的屠夫罪犯毛泽东的注视的时候，当你想起1989天安门大屠杀中死难的人们的时候，请穿上我们的“奥运自由衫”。
总统先生：
我们并不主张抵制北京奥运会。 我们希望你能去北京并用你的参与去表达你的良知，去表达你对真理、正义、自由、尊严的人类的普世价值的推崇。 我们希望你能用你的道德感、正义感、和人类对自由的渴望与向往将希望的火炬带到北京。
我作为一个有灵魂的前中国运动员再次向你呼吁： 用你的良知、勇气与行动为那些热爱自由的中国的和世界的人们祈祷。 用你穿上“奥运自由衫”的行动表达你对人类普世价值的憧憬与推崇。 是的，你正在用你的所作所为创造着一个更美好的人类的明天。
让真理、正义、自由、尊严的声音传遍世界每一个角落！
我愿在这里诚恳地邀请你加入我们的华盛顿“奥运自由长跑”。
一个有良知的前中国国家男篮运动员
陈凯
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