China Censors Steven Spielberg From Its Oscars Broadcast

 

You know how Steven Spielberg announced the nominees for Best Picture? Not on Chinese television, he didn't. And that was no accident. You see, Spielberg was supposed to be an "artistic adviser" to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but pulled out because of the Chinese Government's Darfur policy - which is to continue to financially and diplomatically support a Sudanese government that's essentially engaging in genocide. (China is Sudan's biggest oil customer.) This was Spielberg's statement at the time:

 

I find that my conscience will not allow me to continue business as usual. At this point, my time and energy must be spent not on Olympic ceremonies, but on doing all I can to help bring an end to the unspeakable crimes against humanity that continue to be committed in Darfur...Sudan's government bears the bulk of the responsibility for these ongoing crimes, but the international community, and particularly China, should be doing more to end the continuing suffering there. China's economic, military and diplomatic ties to the government of Sudan continue to provide it with the opportunity and obligation to press for change.

The Chinese Government wasn't too fond of Spielberg humiliating them on the international stage like that - and consequently, Spielberg was cut from their broadcasts. Wow, that's not petty or vindictive at all.

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