Much of America seems to have caught Olympic fever. Television ratings have been high. An estimated 34.2 million Americans watched the opening ceremonies—the most ever for a non-U.S. Olympics. And the opening wasn’t a one-night anomaly; nightly ratings have been averaging about 31 million viewers. For television these days, that’s fantastic.

In the medal count, an obvious source of national pride, at the time of this writing the United States led in total medals with 46 but China was dominating gold medals with 26. (The U.S. had 14 gold medals.)

The Olympics have had drama with the Michael Phelps medal chase, ageless wonder Dora Torres, and even the unfortunate murder of Todd Bachman, the father-in-law of U.S. men’s volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon.

So why do I consider the 2008 Beijing Olympics a miss? I simply have a distaste for rewarding a country with the human rights record of China by giving it the Olympic Games.

I have no problems with the country of China or the Chinese as a people. I do have major problems with the oppressive and often tyrannical Chinese government.

From the historic Tiananmen Square Massacre to the ongoing occupation of Tibet, the Chinese government has not been hesitant to eliminate whatever stands in its way. Known for its censorship and harsh penalties against those who show dissent toward the government, Chinese leaders have a history of political and religious oppression, racial discrimination, and violations against workers’ rights. Tensions regarding Western journalists and Olympics officials have been rising.

So it is amazing that the world should sanction such a horrible record toward human rights by offering Beijing the 2008 Olympic Games. But the fact is that the Olympics are in China. And no one can deny that 23-year-old American swimmer Michael Phelps is a hit.

Phelps’ performance thus far has been of the once-in-a-generation variety—and perhaps even once in a lifetime. Not only has he won six gold medals to date (with the opportunity for two more before the end of the weekend), but he has set (or helped set, in the case of the relays) world record times in every event he has been in.

Phelps has certainly been a huge draw for television viewers. He has increased the nation’s interest in competitive swimming. And he has become an American hero.

Just yesterday from my home office, I could hear the frolicking of kids in a neighbor’s backyard pool. I didn’t pay much attention to the typical splashing and sqeals until I heard the voice of a little boy shouting, “Michael Phelps! Michael Phelps!” My guess is that the kids were trying to emulate the new hot athlete.

While I cannot endorse the fact that the Olympics are held in a country with an atrocious record of human rights, no one can deny the feats of Phelps must be lauded.

Tim W. Jackson has not watched the Olympic Games but confesses, probably hypocritically, that he checks various results on the Internet.