‘All so eager for Chinese cash’: CNN anchor slams Apple, Nike, IOC for ‘blind eye’ to human rights abuses
CNN’s “State of the Union” anchor Jake Tapper denounced the IOC, large corporations and Hollywood for chasing “Chinese cash” while ignoring the nation’s human rights abuses on air.
Profit over ethics: During the segment, Tapper called out Hollywood, the NBA, Silicon Valley and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for valuing their industries’ profit while turning a blind eye to the Chinese government’s human rights abuses during CNN’s “State of the Union” on Dec 5.
- He first acknowledged the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for suspending future events in China out of concern for the safety of tennis star Peng Shuai. Peng allegedly went missing after accusing former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual coercion.
- Tapper then contrasted this action against the IOC’s decision to move forward with the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. He stated, “Not only is the IOC not raising its voice in solidarity in protests, the IOC is helping the Chinese government by providing them cover.”
- “The IOC told the world that they had held video calls with Peng Shuai. For either call did the IOC release the video or even a transcript?” Tapper posed. “The IOC has not mentioned her allegations of sexual assault nor would they explain who set up these calls. The IOC is behaving like a mob lawyer.”
- Tapper also noted that the allegations against the Chinese government go beyond Peng’s case, drawing attention to concerns surrounding China’s alleged crimes against humanity such as the cultural genocide of Uyghurs and human rights abuses in Chinese detainment camps.
- The journalist also slammed American corporations such as Nike and Apple for profiting off of Chinese slave labor. “Of course, Apple and Nike publicly claim to decry slave labor,” he said. “But to be clear, the behavior we are seeing from U.S. corporations is not about a company surviving. It’s about discontent with just hundreds of millions of dollars, desiring instead billions of dollars.”
“Whitewashing for gold”: Tapper went on to list occasions wherein Hollywood conciliated China.
- One of those instances included the effort of Marvel Studios’ “Doctor Strange” to replace a Tibetan monk character with a character of Celtic descent to steer clear of offending China.
- Furthermore, Tom Cruise’s iconic bomber jacket with an affixed Taiwan flag patch from the 1986 film “Top Gun” was removed by Paramount for next year’s sequel.
- Tapper also referenced the credits of the 2020 live remake of “Mulan,” in which Disney expressed gratitude to the publicity department of the Chinese Communist Party in Xinjiang.
- Disney also recently censored an episode from “The Simpsons” in Hong Kong due in part to its jokes about Tiananmen Square.
- “The millionaires and billionaires of Hollywood and the NBA and the IOC and Wall Street are all so eager for Chinese cash, they’re pretending none of this is happening,” Tapper stated.
- “There is no amount of money that can buy enough soap to wash that blood off their hands,” he added.
Featured Image via @CNNSotu
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