The Chinese have a word for it
I don't know that a boycott of the Beijing Olympics would make any sense, given that the world knew all about the nature of the regime when China was first awarded the Games. Still, Reporters Without Borders, the group which disrupted the lighting of the Olympic flame, is urging competitors and visitors alike to wear a badge bearing the word "Freedom" in Chinese characters. Will any of this make an impression on the country's leadership? In the FT, Christopher Caldwell argues that gestures have no impact: "The West’s assessment of its moral prestige and influence is inflated..." The paper's leader writers, on the other hand, think a boycott of the opening ceremony would be an effective way of getting the message across.