In case you haven’t been paying much attention to the news lately, a few people have a problem with the 2008 Summer Olympics and its symbol -- the Olympic Torch.

On March 25, the torch began its relay to Beijing from the birthplace of the Olympics: Athens, Greece. Immediately, the relay was met by protesters calling for a boycott of the Olympics because of China’s human-rights record—mainly in Tibet and its support of the government in Darfur as genocide has stricken the region.

I enjoy the Summer Olympics. First off, being a big sports fan, it's rewarding when sports are on TV 24/7 (as they will be this summer because of the time change). It's also fun to see athletes compete in events that require extreme skill, speed, or other things that I don't have. As a fan of the Olympics and its tradition, I haven't enjoyed seeing the torch be the target of protesters. But, as a fan of human rights and someone who particularly doesn't enjoy genocide, I cannot comprehend why the Olympics were ever put in Beijing.

The protests have not stopped and Olympic organizers have scrambled to save the torch from being extinguished. Routes have been changed or kept secret and some places have canceled portions of the relay. Runners who received the tremendous honor of holding the torch have dropped out due to concerns regarding their safety.

The protests and chaos surrounding the flame exploded in London and Paris. In London, the torch was, for a second, stolen by a protester. In Paris, protesters scaled the Eiffel Tower in protest of the games being held in Beijing.

Little changed as the torch made its first and only stop in North America: San Francisco.

On the eve of the torch arriving in San Fran, protesters made their points by climbing the Golden Gate Bridge. The relay route was then altered the next day. Amidst protest, secrecy by the Mayor, and fear for the safety of the runners, it wasn’t easy for people in the area to get a glimpse at the flame. All of the bizarre events of the day even inspired ESPN.com to make a game that, while it may trivialize free speech, is quite addicting. The torch traveled to Argentina after its crazy day in the States, and is now in India.

Who in their right mind decided that China would be a suitable country to host the Summer Olympics? Why would the International Olympic Committee (IOC) let such a controversial site host such a monumental and international event? Thanks to wonderful internet archives, I found that In 2001, the IOC chose Beijing over Toronto as the host by a vote of 56-34. And, guess what, lots of people had a problem with China receiving the bid.

Almost seven years since the decision, attitudes about China hosting the Olympics haven’t improved. Tensions have gotten most hostile in regards to China’s relationship with Darfur. Tibetan human rights was a huge issue in 2001, and clearly hasn’t been resolved. What made anyone on the IOC think that China was going to fix their problems? Suddenly, because they are receiving this gift of the Olympics, a gold mine for its economy, will China fix their human rights record and stop supporting Darfur?

Absolutely not.

If anyone on the IOC made this decision as a way to help China, they were sorely wrong. If anyone thinks that being in the international spotlight will erase the reasons people hate China, they are wrong. Looking back and seeing the same issues surrounding China’s human rights record when the decision was made in 2001 makes me wonder what it takes to be on the IOC. Maybe the next Olympic Games should be in Iran.

A lot of protesters are asking for countries to boycott the Games. That is the wrong request from the protesters and something I cannot agree with. Competitors from the 1980 boycott still are angry over losing what, for many, was their only chance to compete in the games. There are other ways to deal with a country’s political faults other than keeping athletes who have been training their entire lives from accomplishing their dreams. If President Bush wants to boycott the Opening Ceremonies, fine, but boycotting the entire games is sending the wrong message.

The protesters have reason for speaking their mind as China does not deserve to host the 2008 Summer Olympics. But attempting to extinguish the torch is the wrong way to go about it. Go hold up posters and grab media attention during the torch relay, but do not interfere with a time-honored tradition of carrying the torch from Athens, Greece to the host of the Games. We all have to suffer from the idiotic decision by the IOC in 2001 that looks worse and worse as the days go on. But it is not right to try and take opportunities -- whether it be carrying the torch or competing for a gold medal -- away from the athletes.