The Games begin with the traditional throwing out of our last scruple

The International Olympic Committee doesn't think that China's treatment of Tibet warrants a boycott. The IOC believes that human rights is a political issue, and international competition should be unsullied by politics. Krupp and Ford felt the same way. Anyway, they say, this event will be transformative- a catalyst for change. Like Berlin in 1936. Still, some people might stay away on their own; some athletes are hesitant to perform in Beijing on the grounds that the air might be bad for their lungs. But that's sort of like refusing to consume human flesh out of concern for your digestion.