FanHouse Steven Spielberg

Tonight is the biggest night of the year in Hollywood, and more than a few celebrities will mix politics into their acceptance speeches. And while cynics will suggest that no one cares what movie stars think about international relations, one star who took a stand recently might actually have made a difference: Steven Spielberg.

Two weeks ago Spielberg pulled out as an artistic adviser to the Olympic opening ceremonies to protest China's support of the government of Sudan, making him the highest-profile person yet to link the Beijing Olympics to the genocide in Darfur. And the New York Times reports that it may be working:

China has begun shifting its position on Darfur, stepping outside its diplomatic comfort zone to quietly push Sudan to accept the world's largest peacekeeping force, diplomats and analysts say.

It has also acted publicly, sending engineers to help peacekeepers in Darfur and appointing a special envoy to the region who has toured refugee camps and pressed the Sudanese government to change its policies.

China's ridiculous claims that Spielberg violated the principle of non-politicization of sports aside, it sounds like the Olympics are so important to the Chinese government that it will bow to the whims of the international community on Darfur if that's what it takes to make sure the Olympics go off without a hitch. That's why more celebrities -- including American athletes -- should put pressure on China.

Steven Spielberg yesterday announced that he would no longer serve as a creative adviser to the Beijing Olympics because of China's support of the government of Sudan. Now the Chinese government has fired back against Spielberg:

"As the Darfur issue is neither an internal issue of China, nor is it caused by China, it is completely unreasonable, irresponsible and unfair for certain organizations and individuals to link the two as one," said a statement issued by the Chinese Embassy. ...

Chinese Embassy spokesman Wang Baodong said efforts to link the conflict in Darfur "contravenes the universally recognized principle of non-politicization of sports, and runs counter to the Olympic spirit."

I've been a sports fan for close to three decades, and this is the first I've heard of any universally recognized principle of non-politicization of sports.

Furthermore, I can think of a few Olympians who weren't aware of that principle, either. Muhammad Ali, the 1960 light-heavyweight boxing gold medalist, certainly wasn't aware of that principle. Neither were 1968 200-meter gold medalist Tommie Smith and bronze medalist John Carlos. Nor were the members of the International Olympic Committee who voted to expel South Africa in 1970, in one of the international community's strongest condemnations of Apartheid.

China can and will spend the next six months glossing over its appalling human-rights record, secure in the knowledge that the Games will go on. But it can't stop people in other countries from speaking out, and Spielberg should be applauded for adding his voice.

Tainted food, crippling pollution, overwhelming traffic ... there's no shortage of non-sports issues for China to deal with during the run-up to the Summer Games. Looming above all of them are global concerns are complaints about the country's human rights record. Among the many concerns that people have about the host nation is their deplorable support of the Sudanese government which is carrying out genocide in Darfur.

That support has been decried by organizations and activists across the globe. Those groups are doing everything they can to take some of the publicity generated by the Olympics and turn it on the unacceptable situation in Darfur. Among their targets has been the film director Steven Spielberg, who had agreed to serve as artistic adviser to the Games. But he pulled out today and cited the situation in Sudan as the reason.

"With this in mind, I find that my conscience will not allow me to continue with business as usual. At this point, my time and energy must be spent not on Olympic ceremonies, but on doing all I can to help bring an end to the unspeakable crimes against humanity that will continue to be committed in Darfur."

Good for Spielberg for finally doing the right thing. His action, overdue as it is, makes the U.K. look even more ridiculous for forcing their athletes to sign a pledge promising not to criticize China during this summer's games. It also makes China's dream of a depoliticized Olympics even more of a pipe dream.