Germany Warns China Olympics at Risk (Update: France Considering Boycott)

reply to post by 27jd


Look buddy, stop being low and stop accusing people of being agents.

1) Did you read my post at all? It is showing a rather neutral Times' article, including MY comments and MY personal opinions. Have you even bothered to read the article or read my post.

2) The CIA/NED involvement are just some RECENT analysis written by some analysts archived in the Globalresearch website, which nobody in here have raised it up. I felt complied to share it with interested ones to show extra information of potential influences. If you are not interested or believe it is another propaganda piece of anti-Tibet article, then you can feel free to NOT read it. Have you even bothered to read those articles, then you might start to think more than only jumping in the boat trying to protect "his holiness".

3) That Wiki article is in my opinion ALSO ONLY part of the truths, only mentioning the Chinese, Russians, and even polish but neglecting to give a bigger picture you really think you should believe it as for it and that Americans or Europeans won't have any "internet brigade" (if such a thing is true)?? (sarcasm mode on) And for your sake, if such a team does exist, I'm fine for it if the Chinese government decides to recruit me, at least I don't need to attend those boring traning for those marxism, keynes, stalinist, or whatever other economic system classes and I would even get paid for my hobby of attending these forums. (sacarsm mode off) I tell you what, in MY opinion the CCP doesn't care about ATS at all, if they did, then it was blocked, they would rather care more about "infecting" Chinese boards.

4) If you don't even bother to read my posts or the sources I provide, then why you don't simply press that IGNORE button.

For one more time:
- Since there is so many PRO-Tibet articles I have tried to avoid any Chinese sourced articles (which are PLENTY, and even in those pieces there are some truth in it, no matter how much), and only posted Westerned sourced articles showing extra background information and other potential influences. I always read anything which topic's interest me, Western MSM, World's alternative sources, Chinese MSM (Hong Kong, Taiwan, China), but will make up MY own opinion on it and simply post what I want to post. If you don't share MY opinion, you are free to reply (to debate) or IGNORE it, but for god's sake stop being so low and trying TO INFLUENCE OTHER BY DISCREDITING all Chinese members of ATS for being propaganda/disinfo agents.



[edit on 2/4/08 by IchiNiSan]

reply to post by IchiNiSan


Great links you give in that post, Ichi, I'll take time to study them closer. I too think that CIA more than likely has something to do with the riots, and that's an angel I would like to explore further than any boycot and CCP bashing.

That would be in another thread though, as this one is about the impact of the Tibetan/human rights issue on the Olympics.

Please stay on topic, and NO personal attacks, please.

reply to post by khunmoon


Khunmoon, except for my last post, I think I am still on topic.

The Times' article analyzed why democratic politicians are starting to consider boycotts, EVEN though the supposed human rights problems in China were anything but new.

The CIA/NED connection could have been one of the many factors fueling the recent social unrest, riots in China. These riots are also a turning point in many people's awareness of the Tibet problem, which are totally linked to a potential boycot of the Olympics. And besides some of the Free Tibetan organization having close ties with the NED, many of you also know how much ties there are between the MSM and certain groups. That's why I am also a bit surprised how many MSM articles are now being posted as evidence that "justify" the Olympics boycotting. For example, Hu Jintao Chinese version of his pep-talk to the PAP are definitely slightly different from how it is now being translated in the NY Times making it out of context. Playing with words can certainly help the message which are more intended by the writer to get through his readers, isn't it? One can wonder if maybe certain parties are aiming at fueling and creating an anti-China sentiment in the Western world by one-sided reporting from the Western MSM. I don't see the last three CIA articles are going into any MSM channel at all anytime soon. How many people would be able to read it then?

I understand people who have human rights value very high tend to think less in a political way, and certainly won't think in the way that maybe they are being used as a tool for whatever reasons. However, obviously the Olympics is now being used by people more as a political weapon/tool either we want it or not instead of seeing it as an opportunity for different cultures to understand each other more.

This different culture aspect I tried to inform you guys in my broken English what the Chinese common people will generally feel about a boycot and how the Chinese leaders will be taking that as an opportunity instead of a threat.

Overall for the Chinese people I as a Chinese patriot personally still don't think it would be such a bad thing if for once in the history it could unite and strengthen the determination of the Chinese people (take note the opportunity of the government). However I still prefer that different cultures can come together and trying to understand each other more in an open way, this would be the best for the whole world and eventually for my people too.




[edit on 2/4/08 by IchiNiSan]

Please read the following article. This one exactly expressed what I posted a few days ago.

kommentare.zeit.de...

This time Dalai Lama's Tibetan supporters were actually rioters. They should not be supported this time otherwise they might well be encouraged to do the same in the future.

There have been so much prejudices in the media and in our posts, and many of us just automatically accuse the Chinese goverment for covering their suppressing the "peaceful protest" and "the Chinese Army killed hundreds of monks", blah blah. And we even use this as a major reason to boycott the Olympic Games.

Obviously there have been too much misunderstanding and a lot of prejudices. We should not automatically accuse the Chinese governmnet just because they had a bad reputation in the past.

However, I still think that the Chinese goverment should let Dalai Lama go back to Tibet because he advocates peaceful resolutions. After all, Tibet is his homeland.

There should not be and there will not be boycott to the Beijing Olympic Games.


[edit on 3-4-2008 by fuelcell]

reply to post by fuelcell


Nice article in German, hah, had been a while since I used it. Unfortunately it seems like that many people are not looking at what actually happened and do not brainstorm (or even willing to listen) to understand why the events are occuring at this right moment and even more important why the MSM is jumping in the bandwagon so quickly with (sometimes false) reports. What are their motives? Or what are their "controllers" motives? (evidence of biased/wrong reporting: www.youtube.com...://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSQnK5FcKas).
I have the feeling that when people started hearing "protest", and very often adding "peaceful protest", then "Tibet" and then "China", "Police", then many people will immediately scream "human rights violation", "suppression", "communists", "propaganda", "crackdown" and so on. Anyone trying to show another side of the story or bringing evidence on the table will be called "propagandist", "disinfo agent", or "paid" like one of the Western eyewitness tourist. And already closed their ears for that it is nothing more than a violent riot, or how many victims are really fallen, and that maybe these victims are mostly non-Tibetans? However, by posting this very post I will be acvcused of "derailing the topic", after all, many people will not want to discuss anything else than how to organize a boycott or what the Chinese human rights violations are in this thread. So I would rather go on in U2U or in other threads. Anyhow, I have a thread compiled of NON-Chinese sources for eyewitnesses, and only tried to post the Western eyewitnesses accounts and records if you are interested. (The Chinese accounts and records are even more horrific to hear, but decided not to post because that would not be trusted in ATS) www.abovetopsecret.com...







[edit on 3/4/08 by IchiNiSan]

Originally posted by IchiNiSan
Look buddy, stop being low and stop accusing people of being agents.

Hey guy, where did I accuse you of being an agent? You're the one who voluntarily admitted to it on this thread....

Why so worried? Actually "worried" is not the right term, we are more or less feeling that we should enlighten some of these brainwashed sould who (aka You and Witness etc) has only one-sided story access, biased stories from lying media. You know, we are very compassionate folks here, and would jump into the fire to try saving you.

Fortunately my superior also know that he is paying me too less to continue trying to convince people who would never listen to the other side of the story, refusing to listen or trying to understand that life is more complex and not always black and white. And will only stubbornly hold on their beliefs, their religions.

So I'm a free man now, well yeah, you do get certain privilege if you are like. You know, I am allowed even to unlimitedly access ATS, not so special though , heard that the other 1.35b (my guesses more) here can also do that, grrrr
www.abovetopsecret.com...

1) Did you read my post at all? It is showing a rather neutral Times' article, including MY comments and MY personal opinions. Have you even bothered to read the article or read my post.

Yes, I did read it.

2) Have you even bothered to read those articles, then you might start to think more than only jumping in the boat trying to protect "his holiness".

Yes, I have read those articles. And like I said, the CIA may very well be trying to embarrass the PRC, but in MY personal opinion, it's more in the PRC's interest to stage violent protests to save face. But both of us would just be speculating, just as those who write articles speculating that the CIA is involved. Without concrete proof, ALL we have is opinions. Here's a concept, maybe no outside force is behind this, and the Tibetans are just legitimately fed up, and some of the younger hot heads got a little out of hand despite the Dalai Lama's call for peace. That's still no justification for deadly force to be used...

As for protecting "his holiness", if you ever bothered to venture outside of threads that don't have to do with China, you'd see that my beliefs on religion are more in line with your government, in that I am against organized religion personally but would never force my belief on others. And of ALL the organized religions out there, Buddhism seems to me to be one of the most easy to get along with if you know what I mean. Deal with Islamic or Christian fundamentalists sometime, get some real problems. If you can't make peace with Buddhists, I believe you just aren't trying. Also, as has been pointed out several times, "his holiness" just wants autonomy, not independence from China. You guys can still claim them on your taxes.

Americans or Europeans won't have any "internet brigade" (if such a thing is true)??

I never said they didn't. They are probably just less brazen about it, not to mention they put less priority on face saving then China does. I NEVER said our government is all good, and China's is all bad. They are ALL bad for the most part, IMO, and don't think I wouldn't point it out if I believed American internet brigades were flooding threads and spreading US propaganda. Again, venture outside of Chinese threads, read some anti-American threads and tell me if you see countless new members joining, posting long and obvious pro-US government posts, then disappearing. You simply won't see it. There are a few die hards, but they are usually long standing members and are almost always outnumbered by anti-US government posts, with many Americans doing the posting. That's not the case here. I've NEVER seen a Chinese member post anything genuinely critical of the PRC's actions, especially their actions regarding human rights.

4) If you don't even bother to read my posts or the sources I provide, then why you don't simply press that IGNORE button.

Wishful thinking.

If you don't share MY opinion, you are free to reply (to debate) or IGNORE it, but for god's sake stop being so low and trying TO INFLUENCE OTHER BY DISCREDITING all Chinese members of ATS for being propaganda/disinfo agents.

Well, that's MY opinion. And I never said ALL Chinese posters were disinfo agents, but I personally believe a good majority of those we've seen on these Tibet threads may very well be. Am I certain? No. But I believe the PRC is the most likely to launch a widespread disinfo campaign given their history and their desire to save face before the Olympics, and given the fact that most western sites are said to be blocked in China, it's hard to personally believe regular Chinese folks have access to ATS...

The Chinese government’s effort is the clearest sign yet of its concern that the Tibet unrest, as well as antigovernment protests over Darfur, could disrupt the Olympic Games this summer in Beijing.

The government appears to be blocking foreign Web sites inside China and censoring foreign television broadcasts here about Tibet. Youtube.com was blocked after the riots began, and CNN and BBC broadcasts regularly go black after mention of riots in Tibet. The New York Times Web site appears to have been blocked or censored in recent days.

www.nytimes.com...

Alongside the ramped-up security, the region's top officials have ordered boosted ideological education and ramped-up propaganda in Tibet to build anti-separatist sentiment and to vilify the Dalai Lama after the protests, another official newspaper said Thursday.

*snip*

Zhang ordered officials to boost ideological education among young people, focusing on negative portrayals of Tibet prior to the communist invasion in 1950 and continued vilification of the Dalai Lama's political agenda.

"Unceasingly build up the foundation of the masses to oppose separatism," Zhang was quoted as saying.

*snip*

In an even more revealing statement, Zhang appeared to indicate at least some local officials had shown themselves as insufficiently loyal during the recent unrest.


"We absolutely will not condone violations of political and organizational discipline and will definitely find those responsible and meet out harsh punishment," said Zhang, a protege of president and party chief Hu Jintao, who was the communist boss of Tibet during the last major protests there in 1989.

www.ctv.ca...

www.iht.com...

Beijing claims that the Dalai Lama's status as a "Western pawn" is proved by CIA funding to the Tibetan resistance fighters in the 1950s and '60s. Former CIA agents Kenneth Knaus and Tom Laird have both written books on the CIA's involvement in the Tibetan guerilla resistance movement, which movement was never controlled by the pacifistic Dalai Lama. These books and other historical documents and testimony show that the Tibetan resistance was very much an indigenous reaction by Tibetans to China's invasion of their homeland. Tibetans were willing to take any help against so large an occupying force, and the CIA's view of Tibet's utility in a global war against communism doesn't detract from the legitimacy of the Tibetan cause. The elites of the US and other liberal democracies now prioritize trade with China, and much of their pressure to act on Tibet comes from grassroots public sympathy.

www.studentsforafreetibet.org...

What exactly, would the CIA have to gain by stirring up riots? Of what interest is Olympics to them really? You say because they are jealous of Chinese economic prosperity? BS. The prosperity of BOTH of our countries is intertwined, and you know it. The PRC, however, and their obsession with image, that you've even acknowledged, has far more to gain by making the Tibetans look violent than the CIA.




[edit on 3-4-2008 by 27jd]

Originally posted by mobydog
I'm confused, isnt buddhism about emptiness ? yet we have monks who goes to war with each other for centuries in tibet, dalai lamas as head of state, owns slaves, serfs, sex slaves, administers torture. Something is really wrong here.

Ah yes, apparently a classic argument....

"Old Tibet was a backwards, feudal society and the Dalai Lama was an evil slaveholder"

Beijing (as well as sympathetic Western scholars such as Michael Parenti, Tom Grunfeld and Anna Louise Strong) asserts that "pre-liberation" Tibet was a medieval, oppressive society consisting of "landowners, serfs and slaves." Tashi Rabgay, a Tibetan scholar at Harvard, points out that these three alleged social classes are arbitrary and revisionist classifications that have no basis in reality. There were indeed indentured farmers in old Tibet. There were also merchants, nomads, traders, non-indentured farmers, hunters, bandits, monks, nuns, musicians, aristocrats and artists. Tibetan society was a vast, multifaceted affair, as real societies tend to be. To try to reduce it to three base experiences (and non-representative experiences at that) is to engage in the worst kind of revisionism.

No country is perfect and many Tibetans (including the Dalai Lama) admit that old Tibet had its flaws and inequities (setting aside whether things are better under Chinese occupation). But taking every real or imagined shortcoming that happened in a country over a 600-year period and labeling it the "way it was" is hardly legitimate history. Any society seen through this blurry lens would come up short. And in many ways, such as the elimination of the death penalty, Tibet was perhaps ahead of its time. The young 14th Dalai Lama had begun to promote land reform laws and other improvements, but China's take-over halted these advances. It is instructive to note that today the Tibetan government-in-exile is a democracy while China and Tibet are under communist dictatorship.

The crucial subtext of Beijing's condemnation of Tibet's "feudal" past is a classic colonialist argument that the target's alleged backwardness serves as a justification for invasion and occupation. These are the politics of the colonist, in which the "native" is dehumanized, robbed of agency, and debased in order to make occupation more palatable or even necessary and "civilizing." China has no more right to occupy a "backward" Tibet than Britain had to carry the "white man's burden" in India or Hong Kong.

www.studentsforafreetibet.org...

reply to post by 27jd


dude, look at your wiki-post, and you should start understanding that certain things are written in the context of certain heated discussions and sometimes sarcasm is being used in certain posts to emphasize how ridiculous an argument of your opposition is, who stubbornly keep on insisting that Chinese in ATS with a different viewpoints are agents and that normal Chinese people supposedly are not allowed in ATS. It's called sarcasm, something that I have noted in your posts that you are fully aware of what it is, but decided only to selectively use that sense to read someone else post.

It's pointless to copy/paste one or two sentence or one or two words that someone else had written somewhere else, it only show that you are again trying to take things out of the context, that game is only done with the sole purpose of misleading readers, and the Western MSM is a master in it. You are certainly a good student though.

reply to post by IchiNiSan


Bro, I asked you in my next post if you were being sarcastic. Yes, I did suspect that, but since Asians aren't usually well versed in the ancient art of dry humor, and since you never answered me, I was left to draw my own conclusions, lol.

me:

Was that sarcasm, or an actual confession? Hard to tell sometimes.

Maybe then would have been a good time to proclaim your sarcasm, since it wasn't as obvious as mine is.

In response to this....

normal Chinese people supposedly are not allowed in ATS

I offer this article...

Popular sites which assimilate news from different sources - such as Google News - have been subject to what is known as 'keyword filtering', where a Chinese internet user attempting to load a page which contains words such as 'Tibet' or 'Dalai Lama' will see the site stall.

technology.timesonline.co.uk...

from a site you yourself have linked.

Oh yeah, and how are you able to read wiki? Hmmmm?

Flickr, the photo-sharing website, Wikipedia, and the LA Times, the US newspaper, are among the other sites to which access has been cut off.

[edit on 3-4-2008 by 27jd]

reply to post by 27jd


we are becoming very off topic, i will bite again anyhow

you can come to Shenzhen (China) and log on an internet connection, feel free to test out my claims, I have nothing to hide. I use Firefox (ever since I was in Europe, back in HK, and now here) and simple windows XP or Vista, depended on which machine at home or in office. In U2U I have sent you what kind of websites I visit most often and without troubles. (I think I have explained that in another thread too somewhere)

reply to post by IchiNiSan


Well, thanks for addressing my concerns. I honestly think, as with just about all of these polarizing issues, the truth is in the middle. I have no position on whether Tibet is part of China. I just think at least a few of the posters that sprang up, pretended to be Americans with pro-PRC positions and a little too much hatred for the Dalai Lama (when most of us know very little about him) and then disappeared, had specific agendas. I pointed it out because it offended me that they thought we were that stupid. At least you don't try to be someone else. Like I've said, my problem with China's government is human and animal rights. I have many similar problems with my own government, and I hope we the people of ALL nations will one day stand up, make things change, and stop being puppets of greedy men.

Another update in the realm of the Olympics:

Anti-China protest targets Olympic torch ceremony

The police detained at least six Uighur Muslims on Thursday at an anti-China protest during the Olympic torch ceremony near one of Turkey's most famous tourist destinations.

The demonstrators were detained after they broke away from a larger group of protesters and shouted slogans just feet away from Tugba Karademir, a Turkish figure skater and Olympic athlete who had just started to run with the torch through the city.

"Turkey, stand by your brothers," read a banner at the protest in Istanbul.

"We don't want a country like China, with a bad human rights record, to hold the Olympics, which symbolize humanity, peace and brotherhood," protester Hayrullah Efendigil said.

The world needs to step in and stop this madness. The Chinese have a despicable human rights record, arguably worse than the US government, and yet they're allowed to hold the Olympics?

I'm sorry...But the Chinese don't seem to care. They're only worried about their facade as a "progressive" nation.

Want to see how "free" they are?

Chinese dissident gets 3½ years for essays

A Chinese court Thursday sentenced an outspoken human rights advocate to three and a half years in prison after ruling that his critical essays and comments about Communist Party rule amounted to inciting subversion, his lawyer said.

The conviction of Hu Jia, 34, quickly brought outside criticism of China at a time when the government is already facing international concern over its handling of the Tibetan crisis. Hu's case has been followed closely, especially in Europe, and critics say his conviction is part of a government crackdown to silence dissidents before Beijing plays host to the Olympics in August.

Diane Sovereign, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, described the U.S. government's reaction to the verdict as "dismayed."

"Mr. Hu has consistently worked within China's legal system to protect the rights of his fellow citizens," Sovereign said. "These types of activities support China's efforts to institute the rule of law and should be applauded, not suppressed or punished."

The Hus are being used as a scapegoat for the Chinese. I recently posted in a thread I authored about this a while back:

Before Olympic Games, China quells dissent (more human rights travesties)

The last post in that thread mentions the dissident story...

WE WANT HUMAN RIGHTS NOT THE OLYMPICS

[edit on 4/4/2008 by biggie smalls]

reply to post by khunmoon


Olympic torch relay overshadowed by protests

The parade was brought to a temporary halt five times in its first few miles as anti-China protesters made repeated attempts to breach security, including one man who tried to extinguish the flame with a fire extinguisher.

Vast crowds of peaceful pro-Tibet protesters – calling for independence from China – also lined the streets, chanting "Free Tibet" and booing the torch bearers.

Nice, they stopped the "parade" 5 times. Keep it up, this may raise some awareness!







Arrests mar London Olympic torch relay

Police repeatedly scuffled with protesters as Olympians and dignitaries carried the Olympic torch through snowy London during a chaotic relay Sunday.

Demonstrators tried to board a relay bus after five-time Olympic gold medalist rower Steve Redgrave launched procession at Wembley Stadium - presaging a number of clashes with police along the torch's 31-mile journey.

There have been 30 arrests, Metropolitan Police said.

In west London, a protester tried to grab the torch out of the hands of a TV presenter, forcing police to briefly stop the procession as officers detained the man. Another demonstrator tried to snuff out the flame with what appeared to be a fire extinguisher. Others in the crowd threw themselves at torchbearers running past in official Beijing 2010 Olympics tracksuits.

A police officer pushes away human rights activist Peter Tatchell, center, along the route of the torch relay in London, Sunday April 6, 2008. Police scuffled with protesters as Olympians and celebrities carried the Olympic torch through snowy London during a chaotic relay Sunday. (AP Photo/Ian Walton, Pool)








Police restrain a Free Tibet demonstrator as the 2008 Beijing Olympic torch pass in Whitehall, London, Sunday April, 6, 2008. Police repeatedly scuffled with protesters as Olympians and celebrities carried the Olympic torch through snowy London during a chaotic relay Sunday. Demonstrators tried to board a relay bus after five-time Olympic gold medalist rower Steve Redgrave launched the 31-mile (50-kilometer) procession at Wembley Stadium. It presaged a number of incidents along the planned 8-hour journey. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)






Protests mar torch run

THOUSANDS of human rights protesters today disrupted the Olympic Torch Relay through London, billed as a journey of harmony and peace.

Scuffles broke out as the organised units of campaigners broke through the police and security cordons in a bid to snatch or even extinguish the flame.

So what happens if the flame is extinguished? Does the torch relay have to start over or is there some consequences? Would China just feel disgraced?

That would be awesome.

“Like many people in the UK we feel that China has no right parading the Olympic torch through London,” they said.

“Our protest is not directed at the Chinese people whatsoever but instead at the brutal Chinese regime that rules them.”

I think the Chinese, like many Americans, cannot separate their national pride and their government.

The US government does not represent the majority of Americans, and I would assume the same is true in China (although the propaganda ministers would like to tell us otherwise).




[edit on 4/6/2008 by biggie smalls]

The Beijing Olympics should be boycotted. Pure and simple. The new Chinese capitalist dictatorship (that is what it is) is corrupt. Those well-connected to the party get richer while land is stolen from peasants to give to rich factory owners.

The very least the West can do is boycott the games. But we are not. What have we become? Toothless? Corrupt?

Let's see what will happen in Paris on Monday when the torch will be there.

Sarkozy seems to have a hard time making up his mind what to mean, boycott or not. The popular opinion of boycott most likely don't go well with his corporate masters.

Sarkozy aide 'misquoted' on Games

France's human rights minister has denied setting conditions for President Nicolas Sarkozy's attendance at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.

Rama Yade said Le Monde newspaper had misquoted her as listing "conditions" for Mr Sarkozy's presence at the event.

"The word 'conditions' was never used," she said. Le Monde stood by its story.

Ms Yade had been quoted as saying Mr Sarkozy would miss the event unless China freed political prisoners and agreed to talk to the Dalai Lama.

Le Monde had quoted Ms Yade as saying: "Three conditions are essential for him to attend: an end to violence against the population and the liberation of political prisoners; light shed on the events in Tibet; and the opening of a dialogue with the Dalai Lama."

A presidential spokesman declined to comment on Ms Yade's interview, but Mr Sarkozy himself has not ruled out boycotting the opening ceremony.

Today the torch relay show is in Paris, and it seems to be the hottest leg so far. At three occasions the torch had to be put out an evacuated from the crowds.

Paris protests mar Olympic relay

French security officials have been forced to extinguish the Olympic torch three times as it passes through Paris ahead of the Beijing Games in August.

Officials extinguished and put the torch on a bus for safety reasons, in the face of anti-China protests.

The mayor of Paris cancelled a ceremony due to mark the torch relay after activists hung a Tibetan flag from the city hall.

Police have made several arrests as protesters try to disrupt the relay.

The French protests came after 37 people were arrested during pro-Tibet protests which disrupted Sunday's relay in London.

Earlier on Monday, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge, expressed concern over unrest in Tibet and the torch protests.

Symbolic, putting out the torch, is the worst kind of publicity IOC can suffer, and Jacques Rogge has started to express concern.

The show is turning into a farce.

Unfortunately, once again the world sees how people with totally different norms and values try to press their beliefs into some other people's norm and values without any respect and with violence. Protest with respect, protest with peace, protest without being ignorant. However, protesting without respect, protesting without peace, protesting by being ignorant are only going to widen the gap between different cultures and people with different norms and values. The Chinese people will never understand these protesters ignorance, so will many other cultures also not understand.

Protest the torch all you want, but peacefully. We can protest without assaulting the torchbearers. Stand on the curb, and as the torch passes, turn your back, line the streets and a block before it gets to you, walk away. No need to attempt to douse the torch, it only makes you look like a thug or bully.

I believe the torch is due next in San Francisco? OK, folks, do it up right. Protest it, but don't assault them.

I'm beginning to support the notion of an Olympic boycott, and this pains me greatly...I love the Olympics. The stories, the events, everything to do with them. But...

...real life issues have to take priority. Some form of boycott would seem appropriate. My main concern is, who does an angry China take it out on? The Tibetans, I'm afraid. In our zeal to express our anger, and frustration, we may be forgetting that China will punish someone for this.

reply to post by seagull


You would need to define China is this case.

So many hypocrits are saying that they are against the policies of the CCP. Well, guess what, the Chinese common people are growing even angrier than whoever is in charge in Beijing.

To everyone else:
So where were the links and news articles when the torch was in Kazahkstan, Turkey and Russia?
So where are the reports of how many pro-Chinese supporters were in London and Paris?

It amazes me that people who so fiercely discount anything what these MSM says, will so easily use the same MSM for their cause and take it for granted. Guess stories that is not contradicting with someone's viewpoint are easier to accept, so we can be less skeptical about it.

The Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, reiterated Tuesday he was against any boycott of the Beijing Olympics, saying Chinese people should not be blamed for the situation in his homeland.

Source

Good work by the Government.
Boycott the Olympics and ruin the lives of those who worked to represent your Nation at the highest level. Many of these people only get 1 shot, maybe 2 if they are lucky. Who do these people get punished?

It's a joke to boycott something that punishes people who have no say in what happens. They did not decide the Olympic Committee did.

Furthermore it is a sporting event, they are represents of your Nation as athletes and nothing to do with politics. I am sure many of those that take part in the games do not agree with their own Government on many issues.

Also; who sees a Political Opinion during the games? I see people doing what they do best, what they have been trained to do. The adverts we will see of course will be dictated by our own Nation. The things written in Chinese many of us won't understand - so they can say whatever they want to say.

Boycott it and you do more harm than good.

A boycott won't change what's happening, it's too late now.

So at least let those who worked so hard to be able to compete, compete.

Because it'll make a tragady into an even bigger one if we don't.

Furthermore, if 1/2 Nation's step out it is heavily unfair on those that don't. Think how bad is it to be the athlete who won because the "US wasn't there" even though he might have put in a performance that on the day would have won.

Stop brining Politics into Sport. You are ruining sport.