Steven Spielberg severed ties today with the Beijing 2008 organisers, citing their reluctance to resolve the issues of Darfur as a reason for pulling out. His Olympics contract, which he has had in his office for one year, remained unsigned.
Mia Farrrow has said Spielberg's actions are "the equivelent of 100 people standing up and taking a stand." It's a courageous act, one that is long overdue.
It's refreshing to see someone of such stance in the international community take a stand as this. I only wish more would do this. There were some concerns when he was first approached to take this job, but in the interim, world opinion has changed dramatically and to the point where looking away is no longer an option for most folks of conscience.
My late dad used to say that "doing the right thing sometimes means not doing the most popular thing." Steven's actions are a stellar example---sometimes moral conscience is more important than all the money in the world he would have been paid to be the 2008 Artistic Director.
Can we get some others to follow in his footsteps?
Please.
It's not too much to ask---especially when lives are at stake.
