What a ridiculously loaded question.

First, you only think there are flagrant abuses of human rights if you believe everything you read in the newspapers -- which get their stories from naive reporters based in Beijing or from human rights activists organizations who pathetically rant and rave about relatively isolated examples or pet causes.

Second, the modern-day Olympics is a sporting event designed to bring nations and cultures together.

Third, China's hosting of the Games will bring it further into the international community, and it ought to be applauded and encouraged.

Hooligans marching with placards are making fools of themselves. They are the ones who ought to be criticized.

No ; look at the credibility that Hitler assumed, from the 1936 Berlin Olympics

First, China didn't bully into hosting the Olympics, it rightly earned its place. People voted for it!

To isolate or punish a country is not the way to help them solve problems. The Chinese has worked hard to organize a good game for everyone.

I also firmly agree with Martijn Sjoorda's response to the question. International shame is perhaps the best approach.

I agree with Martijn Sjoorda's response. The eyes of the entire world will be on China leading up to the Olympics. This could do more harm than good as far as perception goes. Also, where do you draw the line? Colonialism, slavery, genocide, too many countries have blood on their hands.

No. Rule number one: NEVER reward bad behavior! Those that say (and there are some posts in this thread) that they will be encouraged to change, are naive and do not understand how deeply the communist dogma has been burned into the Chinese leadership. The only what that China will change is by blood. There is too much money; too much power for it to change by any other means. It makes me sad to think of all those that will die when China's civil war comes but it will.
Perhaps the problems in Tibet under the magnifying glass of the Olympics will be the spark.

There would be a shortage of host countries then. Consider a country that does not even provide health coverage for its citizens! How about a country that monitors telephone conversations without an order from even a FISA court? Seriously, who gets to define "flagrant disregard for fundamental human rights"? Remember when the UN was supposedly only for "free" countries?

We are a country that flagrantly disregards its own constitution and has done so since it was written with slavery then and with torture in Iraq. I don't believe America in it's present state is above China in regards to hosting events like the Olympics.

Now is not the time to be asking this question. Pressure should have been brought to bear six years ago before the IOC awarded the games to Beijing. The cities bid, not the countries. Toronto, Canada had submitted an excellent bid but the prevailing opinion back in 2002 was that an emerging economy in Asia would be more reflective of the Olympic Spirit. I seem to recall comments about giving China the impetus to change its' views with regard to human rights, a carrot rather than a stick approach. Ignorance trumps logic once again!

a bright flame braving the overcast haze;
from a torch whose embers have remained unfazed;
eons ago a run that none foresaw;
would be the harbinger of the greatest sporting event one ever saw;

over the eras the bright Olympic torch flared;
overcoming many a trial,over riding many a strife,
spanning different lands and garbs,
spanning different colours and races,

the spirit of the game always held at great heights,
is becoming one of force and might,
the dragon is raging fury with all strength,
taking its cruelty and dominance to new lengths;

sport has never been a prisoner of times,
preferring to be freedom's alter ego at all times;
can one honour and celebrate the walk of life?
when you crush freedom and humanity in your stride;

dragon has always been a symbol mythical;
symbolising a vast form of being flying regal;
an injured wing span will the same impact on the flight;
as what China is doing, if it feels, is doing right

cheers
sriky