The controversy in part surrounds China's persecution of religious minorities, including Christians and Uyghur Muslims in the western part of the country. The latter have been imprisoned, their children have been taken away, and the women have suffered forced abortions and sterilization; many have been killed.
Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) told those at the hearing he fears the situation will worsen if nothing is done now.
"In granting Beijing the host status for the Olympic Games, we are crowning a barbarous regime with laurels while we should be considering their abuse and genocide," he implored. "The U.N. Genocide Convention clearly says a government committing genocide should be – quote – 'punished.'"
And since the United States is a signatory to that convention, the nation has an obligation to take action. Reggie Littlejohn, founder of Women's Rights Without Frontiers, also testified as a signatory that the U.S. must either withdraw its signature or take action to punish.
"I would go further," she declared. "I would say that China should be banned from the Olympics. South Africa was banned from the Olympics from 1964 to 1988 because of its practice of apartheid. Likewise, the International Olympics Committee should express disapproval over the CCP's genocide by banning China from the Olympics."
Littlejohn has previously told One News Now another alternative is to move the 2022 Olympics to another nation that is already equipped to host the games.
