Jake Tapper had some harsh words for Hollywood, Wall Street, Silicon Valley, the NBA, and anyone else who has willfully turned a blind eye to the many human rights atrocities that have taken place under Xi Jinping’s reign all in the name of the almighty dollar. As The Wrap reports, Tapper praised the Women’s Tennis Association for doing “something that few other athletic organizations or corporations in general have been willing to do: Criticize the Chinese government and take serious steps to protest its brutality.”
On December 1, the WTA announced that would will no longer take part in any tournaments in China following tennis star Peng Shuai’s allegations that she was sexually assaulted 10 years ago by China’s former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli.
On November 2, Shuai shared the details of her alleged assault via a social media post on Weibo. Within 30 minutes, the post was removed as was Shuai’s account and any mentions of her on social media. Shortly after that, Shuai herself vanished—a situation that has many, including fellow players like Serena Williams—worried for her safety.
I am devastated and shocked to hear about the news of my peer, Peng Shuai. I hope she is safe and found as soon as possible. This must be investigated and we must not stay silent. Sending love to her and her family during this incredibly difficult time. #whereispengshuai pic.twitter.com/GZG3zLTSC6
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) November 18, 2021
While Shuai has been seen in videos released by Chinese state media, it’s unclear whether she is actually safe. The situation is drawing international attention, particularly given that we’re less than two months away from the Winter 2022 Olympics in Beijing. “Not only is the [International Olympic Committee] not raising its voice in solidarity in protest, the IOC is helping the Chinese government by providing cover,” says Tapper.
The IOC claims that it has had two video calls with Shuai over the past two weeks, yet has not provided any footage from these calls or the transcripts. “The IOC has not mentioned her allegations of sexual assault,” Tapper said, “nor would the IOC explain who set up these calls. The IOC is behaving like a mob lawyer.”
The human rights atrocities in China, of course, go back much further than Shuai. “This year both the Trump and the Biden administrations have asserted that China is committing ‘genocide’ and crimes against humanity.”
Tapper mentioned companies like Apple and Nike by name, saying that the companies “publicly claim to decry slave labor, but to be clear: the behavior we are seeing from U.S. corporations, it’s not about a company surviving. It’s about discontent with just hundreds of millions of dollars, desiring instead billions of dollars.”
The way Tapper sees it, Shuai’s disappearance is akin to “the consciences of 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. There is no amount of money that can buy enough soap to wash that blood off their hands.”
(Via The Wrap)