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This is my protest.

Posted on 2008.04.09 at 13:37
Abiding: Work
Emote: pensive
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You won't see me near the torch procession today (I guess its already going on.) You won't see me there protesting it either and I'll tell ya why.

Ever since I was a kid I not only wanted to see the torch, I wanted to carry the torch. It kills me to boycott this event because the Olympics have always meant more to me than just mere sport. They brought people from around the world together in friendly competition, show the beauty and diversity of all the nations around the world and show the power of the human spirit fighting against the premise that man cannot be more.

However, China was a horrible choice for the Olympics. If we boycotted Moscow in 1980, we have even more of a reason to boycott China now. But China is the lesser of the communist evils I guess. Because we do trade with them. Questionable trade. We sanction other countries for lesser things than China does on a daily basis to our fellow man. Tibet is only the visible arm of China's human rights abuses and even without the recent events of Tibet I'd still boycott this Olympics.

Why am I not protesting at the waterfront today? Because I'd feel guilty having part of a childhood dream come true under the pretense that I'm against what it stands for this year. I would rather take my chances that I'll never have this opportunity to see it again because this is how strongly I feel.

I wish the protestors well. Keep up the fight. Make everyone understand why China should not be hosting the games.
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Comments:

ascension_day
Rapped [info]ascension_day at 2008-04-09 21:08 (UTC) (Link)
Oi oi.

Looks like everyone survived.
(Oh really?) (Thread)
Rapped [info]teessidedazza at 2008-04-09 22:12 (UTC) (Link)
China also boycotted the 1980 Olympics! That's the greatest fact in the world.

By the way, the US was trading with the Soviet Union at this period - powerful farming interests in the US made sure! Didn't stop the boycott...though China has bought up loads of the US national debt...far more powerful than the USSR!
(Oh really?) (Thread)
Rayn Drahps
Rapped [info]acydrayn at 2008-04-09 22:16 (UTC) (Link)
Oh yeah. Of course we still trade in ways with almost everyone who is technically embargoed..

And while they may have bought up the debt, we're now in debt to them. And at their mercy.

To be honest though, I think I'd boycott a US games right now as well. I have to be fair in my condemnation of human rights abuses and what we're doing to Iraq is not that far off the China/Tibet issue. Different reasons but the outcome is the same. We're just deluded that we're doing it for a good cause. Where China tells people internally its for their own good.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
ascension_day
Rapped [info]ascension_day at 2008-04-09 23:23 (UTC) (Link)
Think of it this way though, and I agree to a point with some of the people interviewed, that with China hosting the Olympics they are under greater international pressure and scrutiny than ever before.

You want to change things? Now is the time. Without this kind of platform the majority of the abuses of China are pet on the head and slung into the river never to be heard from again.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Rayn Drahps
Rapped [info]acydrayn at 2008-04-09 23:45 (UTC) (Link)
And I agree with that to a point as well. My hopes were that since China was under more pressure they'd feel forced into behaving as such when the inverse seems to be happening. Governments are still treading lightly with China meanwhile they get to have a big to do and in their mindset may feel vindicated that they've overcome the naysayer's and aren't so bad after all, just like they knew already. By state mandate.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
johnchrist
Rapped [info]johnchrist at 2008-04-10 03:57 (UTC) (Link)
Buuuut, we could've exploited the riots for Cyker yo!

Oh, and I once saw the torch while gambling in North Lake Tahoe, was pretty cool, me and the dealer took a break from the roulette table to go outside and watch.
(Oh really?) (Thread)
Alita
Rapped [info]angelachibayuy at 2008-04-10 11:46 (UTC) (Link)
Isn't it kinda racist to boycott the Olympics just because of what a government is doing? Sorry China's a wonderful country and it was damn near time they got the Olympics on their soil. If I was only over in Japan sooner I might've gotten to actually go to one of the games as well.

China's just another country, what it does politically in one section shouldn't change people wanting to visit it.
(Oh really?) (Thread)
Rayn Drahps
Rapped [info]acydrayn at 2008-04-10 15:46 (UTC) (Link)
I don't think racist would be the right word. I have nothing against the people of China, but I have everything against the way China treats its people and its neighbor's. I'm not going to explain why I'm not racist because that is such an easy trap to fall in to and even easier to just keep digging.

Let's say you had a friend, you'd known this friend for a while. You're both adults now, both have kids and they have a few step-kids. One day while you're hanging out you notice some odd behavior in how they treat their kids and step-kids. You're not sure yet if it was a joke or if it was a hint at abuse. Eventually after a while you find out that your friend habitually abuses their children. You also find out this gets worse after they drink and a lot of times when you visited you'd bring a 6 pack of beer along. Would you continue to remain friends with them, would you try to work with them on getting help or would you call the cops. As a common citizen I feel like we're somewhere between the latter two.

Now what if this guy was a business partner, heavily invested in your company. You find out how bad they are but you can't do anything about it to jeopardize them withdrawing all their money and crippling your business. That is how the US government and the Chinese government are poised right now. We can only make subtle comments which go ignored and if we do anything more we risk China collapsing our economy.

Now say that friend threw a big event. Everyone was invited. But you know that by going you're helping them abuse their children by supporting the even since it brings in lots of money. You see the children out and about but the step-kids are locked indoors in their rooms. You see your friend being a gracious host, taking care of all their visitors but every once in a while you see them slip away into the house. One time you follow them and see them abusing their step-kids while they can hear all the fun going on outside without them.

That is how I feel about China currently. Also, given our current political policy over the past 8 (and arguably the last 60 years) in the US I would most likely boycott an Olympic games here because we have been very unhumanitarian. There are some good things we do for the world and then there's some things which negate almost any good we're doing.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Alita
Rapped [info]angelachibayuy at 2008-04-10 17:32 (UTC) (Link)
I can see your point, and I agree what's going in Tibet (and the talks of taking over Taiwan again) is wrong, but I still plan to visit China within the next couple of years. I just see it as I can't help what their government does, just as I don't matter to the American government. And Beijing is a beautiful city, so we can hope that having such publicity in China might urge the government to rethink its policy.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Rayn Drahps
Rapped [info]acydrayn at 2008-04-10 18:02 (UTC) (Link)
Thats what some of the hope is and I'd love to go to China as well but I'd like to be able to go with people who can help me find places off the beaten path or ways around buying products that they'll have to pay taxes to the government on. And Tibet and Taiwan are only two of many many wrong things they are doing. I'd love to be able to travel to there and support the people with as little support of my tourism dollar going to their government coffers if possible.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Karma Singdruktsho
Rapped [info]kunde_yidang at 2008-04-23 00:50 (UTC) (Link)
I actually just returned from Tibet and China. I think your comparison with thestep children is a very accurate one. I hpoe you get the chance in the near future to visit China and Tibet (I would love to show off the beaten path! It's fun!) as it is both an exciting and at times a depressing experience, especially if you speak Tibetan or Chinese. There are ways to travel while supporting the locals over the govt. visit www.studentsforafreetibet.org as they have a section on "travelling in Tibet" and I think you can apply many of the tips to China as wel
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
QS
Rapped [info]qs15 at 2008-04-10 18:33 (UTC) (Link)
I suggest you read this: http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html
Aside from everything we see in media here's another perception, with reliable sources.
(Oh really?) (Thread)
Rayn Drahps
Rapped [info]acydrayn at 2008-04-10 19:52 (UTC) (Link)
My comments are not solely based on the the Tibetan issue though, but that article did bring up a lot of history of that region that I hadn't known before and did change my viewpoint on how they came about. Regardless of Tibet's history, almost every nation in the past is guilty of these sorts of crimes. I'd still love to find a way to truly make things right for the Native American's that lived here and mend all the ties with the few remaining survivors of a rich history, but not all Native American's were pascifists either so the violence down the line always progresses. I'm more concerned with going forward, history helps so thankyou for that article and I'll definitely read up more on that particular situation.

Please read the latest report from the Human Rights Watch though on all the internal conflicts that by nature a communist government always downplays, hides or trivializes. Its part of the Communism works, keep certain people uninformed, keep others really less informed, always talk up how great the nation is and crush any dissent.

http://hrw.org/englishwr2k8/docs/2008/01/31/china17604.htm
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Rapped (Anonymous) at 2008-04-11 17:35 (UTC) (Link)
It could be true but this doesn't give china the authority to abuse Tibet for what it use to do. At some point or another every nation has done wrong. Why do we see what Tibet has done (past) and not see what U.S is doin now. The past can't be changed but we can contribute to change now.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Karma Singdruktsho
Rapped [info]kunde_yidang at 2008-04-23 00:52 (UTC) (Link)
Michael Parenti is an interesting characters. He recites virtually party line on pre-1959 Tibet. pre 1959 was by no means a wonderful place to live, but it also was not nearly as bad as he makes it out. I am curious to know if he speaks tibetan at all....
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Rapped [info]braschno at 2008-04-12 21:52 (UTC) (Link)
you have virtually no idea what you are talking about. A little more well-researched information for you:

For starters, the protesters in Tibet are not peaceful. I went there myself on a trip once and I got rocks thrown at me.

Secondly, if I told you that I was the reincarnation of God or Jesus, and that we should commence with the overthrow of the nearest strong, centralized government would you listen? The Dalai Lama is an insane old man who was taught to think that he was the reincarnation of Buddha since he was born. And we're supporting him?!

Thirdly, Tibet and China are just as diverse as the USA, Canada, UK, or any other western country for that matter, but they have far more legacy and history than any of the western world.

Fourthly, the only reason why the western world governments are supporting the independence of Tibet is so that they can get a huge marketing opportunity out of China, as well as turning it in to a much bigger, much more hazardous modern-day Jugo-Slavia. This is also provoking world war III to happen.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=x9QNKB34cJo

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uSQnK5FcKas&feature=related
(Oh really?) (Thread)
murrquan
Rapped [info]murrquan at 2008-04-15 01:07 (UTC) (Link)
It seems to me that the Olympics are the marketing opportunity.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
"AUSTIN" .. according to the hard of hearing folk
Rapped [info]pure_perception at 2008-04-22 18:23 (UTC) (Link)
duhh
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Victoria
Rapped [info]stilettov at 2008-05-01 04:44 (UTC) (Link)
Yeah, that makes sense. If you're crazy.It's just like those darn ol terrorists down in the Niger Delta. You know, the ones with the starving children and mothers.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
metalhero
Rapped [info]metalhero at 2008-04-13 09:42 (UTC) (Link)
What about the guy whose dream of carrying the torch did come true? We're just supposed to dump on him, not to mention everyone else who's been training their asses off for these games, because of the venue that was chosen for the games?

Look, I am in no way supporting China's government or their obviously atrocious human rights practices, but I really think that boycotting the Olympics is a mistake. It was a mistake when we boycotted it in Moscow and it would be a mistake now. Politics shouldn't be involved in the Olympic Games. I mean, for Christ's sake, we participated in the Berlin games in the late 30s when we KNEW what the Nazis were up to.

What exactly is protesting the Olympics going to do for the people of Tibet? I'm all for protesting the human rights violations, but the games and the athletes and everyone outside of the Chinese government that is involved is caught up in a bunch of crap they never asked to be a part of. What about THEIR childhood dreams of representing their country, or more importantly, of proving to themselves and the world that they were capable of great things?

That's all being tainted by all this political crap. My point is, this is NOT the forum in which to make China's government answer for their crimes. It would be like protesting the Miss USA pageant if it were held in Florida because Florida's regional government screwed over its own people by pushing the elections up and making it so none of their votes counted.

Trying to put the torch out and hanging flags from the Golden Gate Bridge of the Olympic rings replaced with handcuffs isn't going to do a damn thing to help those being oppressed. And stop to ask yourself why this issue is getting to much attention right now. The American people sure didn't seem to mind waving all of those American flags made by Chinese prison labor after 9/11. Like you said, we trade with China. Why isn't anyone boycotting that?

So if you went or didn't go to the procession, it didn't make a lick of difference either way. In fact, you effectively screwed yourself TWICE by:

A) Cheating yourself out of your childhood dream and
B) If you REALLY thought protesting mattered that much, you would have gone there and shown solidarity with the others and you would have stood up for what you believed in.

You should have chosen a side and stuck with it. You chose to sit at home and make a post on your blog. Awesome.
(Oh really?) (Thread)
murrquan
Rapped [info]murrquan at 2008-04-15 01:10 (UTC) (Link)
You could have decided to do something to help other people. Instead you chose to sit at home and diss someone for standing up for what he believes in. Not awesome.

Maybe he's not out there protesting, but he's sure as heck protesting in here. I think he's raised some awareness levels.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
metalhero
Rapped [info]metalhero at 2008-04-15 04:55 (UTC) (Link)
As a matter of fact, I recently held a charity show at the University of North Florida for mentally and physically disabled kids. No lie. Check out Angelwoodjax.org, shoot them an e-mail, and ask about Brian's stand-up comedy shows.

And WHOSE awareness levels did he raise? What, like, 0.0000000000001 percent of the population? Damn, I retract my entire argument. Actually, I take that back. I assume you mean that he's raised awareness about the protest and China's human rights abuse record. That means that the people who read this blog, I.E., people with INTERNET ACCESS, were somehow COMPLETELY unaware of the Olympic Games protests before reading this post. I found this post via a link on Livejournal's home page that essentially said, "Check out what this guy has to say about the Olympic Protest." So no, I don't think he's raised ANYONE'S awareness level, and me dissing him wasn't really the point. My point, though mean-spirited and probably admittedly hard to see through the sarcasm, was that angry posts on blogs do NOTHING to help "the cause" whatever "the cause" may be. He should have either gone to see the torch run and cheered as per his childhood dream's dictation, or he should have gone to protest and stood up for his beliefs and shown solidarity with the other protestors.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Rayn Drahps
Rapped [info]acydrayn at 2008-04-15 05:17 (UTC) (Link)
Wait what? Home page? I wondered why so many people chimed in.

And if you're thinking my post was in anger, it was definitely more somber. Nor was I strictly talking about Tibet. And I also agree with you that protests pretty much don't do jack shit, especially San Francisco ones because no one listens to us anymore. Reading the news from around the country they made it sound like San Francisco was in total chaos. It was nothing like that here at all. All the headlines hyped it up to attract readers and make way more of a big deal out of it than it was.

Also, now that I was enlightened about the origins of the torch run and that the original lighting of the flame was symbolizing the cleansing of the Earth for the Aryan's I'm even more glad I didn't go see it. Not that I could've anyway since it took a completely different route than planned.

Also, I am not in solidarity with the protesters that were outside because most of the time I am not in agreement with them. A few paragraphs in my personal journal said more about how I feel than spouting off the same three line chant always trying to drown out the other protesters around you.

Am I trying to raise the awareness of the whole world? Not really. If I were a serious blogger I'd be using Blogspot or something. If I were a serious activist I wouldn't be working doing what I do and I'd be in the Peace Corps or in China right now getting arrested taking pictures of things we take for granted being able to do over here. I was just making a personal statement because I feel it is important to put into words, regardless of what I do or don't do beyond that. If I try to raise awareness of something I do go out and do it.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
metalhero
Rapped [info]metalhero at 2008-04-15 05:58 (UTC) (Link)
You mean you didn't know that Livejournal posted a link to your blog on its home page?

Okay, if your blog is public, I guess that's allowed but... JESUS, that seems shady. I thought you knew.

I too was unaware of the torch run's origins. How many people do you think have done that run who had no idea what it was originally associated with?

I hear you about protests. I will admit that this particular wave of protests has certainly garnered a lot of ill will towards China, and maybe this has truly sparked something. I think what I'm mainly angry about is the fact that the best athletes in the world who just want a chance to show the world what they've got are being attacked (for lack of a better word) and associated with tyrannists. But since its inception, I think these games have been used, in part, for nationalist propaganda. I'm sure the city-states of Ancient Greece did some form of what our world is doing now.

That said, I still think we should pull all the flags out of the Games, and permanently move them to Mt. Olympus. No one will compete for the American Team, the Chinese team, etc. They shouldn't be sponsored by any country. They should only be sponsored by themselves.

And Nike.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Rayn Drahps
Rapped [info]acydrayn at 2008-04-15 06:12 (UTC) (Link)
That is a cool idea about the flags. As long as nationalism exists there will be no truly unpolitical games.

And yeah, I had no idea these things post on the front page. I've been an LJ member for so long now (April 2001) I never even look at the main page. Its bookmarked to go to my logged in section and I usually just read my friends pages. I haven't been posting much these past 2 years.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Rapped [info]orkneylad at 2008-04-13 17:14 (UTC) (Link)

the Olympic torch

I can understand your dream of wanting to carry the torch. Perhaps you might do not know that torch carrying was introduced by Adolf Hitler at the 1936 Olympics and that the games that year were intended to give Nazi Germany a propaganda coup. Their goal was partly thwarted by the success of the American athlete Jesse Owens, an Afro-American, who captured several (cannot remember how many) gold medals. The Chinese are said to hope that the Beijing games will legitimize their policies in Tibet. The torch carrying protests are such a minor irritant that they will be soon forgotten. If one wants to embarrass the Chinese, the thing to do is to boycott the games. One may regret the athletes' loss of opportunity to compete, but in reality the games have long been politicized.
(Oh really?) (Thread)
Rayn Drahps
Rapped [info]acydrayn at 2008-04-13 18:14 (UTC) (Link)

Re: the Olympic torch

I found that out a few days ago actually and have been too busy to reply to all the comments I've gotten so far. It really changed my view of the torch. If it had just been a cool idea for a ceremony and not treated as a true ritual with the lighting of the Brazier symbolizing cleansing the world for the Aryan race I might've been able to continue to like the torch procession but man, that's just messed up. I am for sure boycotting the games not just the flag. And people keep seeming on on the pro-Tibet side like everyone else. After reading about the history of the dispute I'm quasi-neutral on it right now and Tibet was never my main reason to feel that China should not have been chosen. Silencing of protestors, arresting journalists, controlling the flow of information, their policies on children and many other things are why I'm not happy with China getting the Olympics.

I'll state it again, I'm only anti-Communist China and the way communist governments are run. Not the people in China or elsewhere who are under dictatorial rule. It always pains me to see populations subjected to the kind of treatment even prisoner's of war shouldn't get, especially when it is their own government.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
k. sifr.
Rapped [info]zenostortoise at 2008-04-21 12:17 (UTC) (Link)
I found this post through LJ's front page, and I'm curious: do you boycott Chinese products (or, at least, the products not made under fair and safe conditions)? I've noticed that a lot of people who protest China's human rights violations continue to buy Chinese imports, and it's always confused me.

I'd like to see more Olympics games taking place in non-Japan Asia and South America, though I agree China was a very bad choice.
(Oh really?) (Thread)
Rayn Drahps
Rapped [info]acydrayn at 2008-04-21 14:16 (UTC) (Link)
I do my best to boycott Chinese products but am also open to supporting ones that can be proved to have been made in safe and fair conditions since I believe they can progress. The same can be said for most everything I buy. I like to know where my stuff comes and that the people who made it are treated fairly. I am however not perfect and as much as I'd like to be 100% on this it takes a lot of work to keep up on every aspect of the manufacturing process of the things you buy.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Albert Zoupenheimer
Rapped [info]smellyfroggy at 2008-04-22 11:33 (UTC) (Link)
Here's to you, Mr. Political Activist Protester man! Because you standing there saying "I have nothing better to do than stand here and say 'I don't like it!'" is making a difference!

Were it not for your selfless and highly visible standing in a large group, nobody would ever think about the alternatives to political bombshells. Because when someone is on their way home from work after a long day and has to take a detour due to the large group of people standing in the road, they think to themselves "Wow...China shouldn't host the 2008 Olympic games! Those commie bastards!" and not the more sensible "Stupid fucking hippies get out of the damn street!"

So crack open a nice cold Bud Light Mr. Political Activist Protester man, because without you, police brutality just wouldn't make sense.
(Oh really?) (Thread)
Albert Zoupenheimer
Rapped [info]smellyfroggy at 2008-04-22 11:37 (UTC) (Link)
Whats cool about China...is at riots they don't believe in pepper spray or beanbag shotguns...they go right to the good stuff. Killing the hippies.
(Oh really?) (Thread)
Billy Shears
Rapped [info]_bowles_ at 2008-04-24 04:57 (UTC) (Link)
I don't agree with China's policy towards Tibet, but I don't think the US has a right to protest it, as we're not standing on any higher ground. I'm not just talking about the Middle East (Iraq, Palestine, etc). There's been intervention in Egypt, attacks in Eastern Europe (forget the country names, forgive me - I'm terrible with names, although there's one city that springs to mind... I'll get back to you on that), not to mention numerous ways we've completely screwed over countries such as Nicaragua and Haiti (and tried to screw with Venezuela in 2002, albeit with much less success). You can even argue Iran's case. When it comes to Darfur and Tibet, there's a lot I wish the US could do, but in the present climate we have no moral higher ground. If we were to scale back our own aggression, then I'd fully expect our leaders to pressure China more than they have, but until we clean up our own messes, it seems somewhat hypocritical.
(Oh really?) (Thread)
Rayn Drahps
Rapped [info]acydrayn at 2008-04-24 05:42 (UTC) (Link)
Well, like I said in one of my comment's, there is a lot of things I don't agree with our foreign policy as well. I however am not speaking for the US, nor am I asking for the US or anyone else think like I do. As far as US policy goes I personally believe that if we want to be an example to the rest of the world how great freedom and democracy can be, we seriously need to take care of matters at home first and foremost, stop going into situations unless people ask for our help and it is truly deserved instead of acting on what is a potential business interest and then we can branch out and be a better standard bearer of not just a government, but a country of the people, by the people and for the people.
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
Rapped (Anonymous) at 2008-04-27 09:08 (UTC) (Link)
So, we have Tibet... a province that has been a part of China for the better part of two milleniums. Then toward the last half of the most previous millenium (1598 to be more exact), we have a guy named Sonam Gyatso who becomes the First Dalai Lama of Tibet.
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<span id="ctl00_cpMain_BulletinRead_ltl_body">So, we have Tibet... a province that has been a part of China for the better part of two milleniums. Then toward the last half of the most previous millenium (1598 to be more exact), we have a guy named Sonam Gyatso who becomes the First Dalai Lama of Tibet.<br style="display:none"/><br .. /><br /><br /><br /><br />During the 1600's Christian Portuguese missionaries arrived in Tibet and gradually began converting the natives to Christianity. Then in 1745, after gradually escalating conflict and seeing that they could lose their power in Tibet if Christianity is wide-spread enough, the Dalai Lama proceeded to expel all Jesuits and missionairies from Tibet. Even more unwanted western influence came over Tibet later on, and in 1850 all Europeans were banned completely from Tibet.<br style="display:none"/><br .. /><br /><br /><br /><br />In 1865, Great Britain begins hiring Indian spies disguised as Pilgrims to start mapping out Tibet. They were secretly mapping out the country side. They were preparing to INVADE TIBET.<br style="display:none"/><br .. /><br /><br /><br /><br />In 1904 Great Britain sends an expeditionary force to Tibet to force a trade boycott with Russia.<br style="display:none"/><br .. /><br /><br /><br /><br />The Tibetans were aware of the expedition. To avoid bloodshed the Tibetan general at Yetung pledged that if the Tibetans make no attack upon the British, no attack should be made by the British on them. Colonel Younghusband on December 6, 1903 replied that “we are not at war with Tibet and that, unless we are ourselves attacked, we shall not attack the Tibetans.<br style="display:none"/><br .. /><br /><br />”<br /><br />Despite the mutual agreement, the British expedition did take the lives of a few thousand unprepared Tibetan soldiers and civilians. The biggest massacre took place on March 31, 1904 at a mountain pass halfway to Gyantse near a village called Guru. Colonel Younghusband tricked the 2,000 Tibetan soldiers guarding the pass into extinguishing the burning ropes of their basic rifles before firing at them with the Maxim machine guns and rifles. The Tibetan casualty, according to Younghusband’s account, was “500 killed and wounded.” Others have claimed that the Tibetan casualty was as high as 1,300.<br style="display:none"/><br .. /><br /><br /><br /><br />Henceforth, the British appointed the (mongolians) Dalai Lama the head of Tibet, and all natives of Tibet were treated as slaves until the 1950's, when China reclaimed control of Tibet.<br style="display:none"/><br .. /><br /><br /><br /><br />That's funny... Why are we trying to "Free Tibet" when it was us who enslaved it? How -blam!- ironic...<br /><br />Also, if I told you that I was the reincarnation of Buddha. If everyone around me since I was born told me that I was the reincarnation of Buddha, and that I actually believed I was the reincarnation of Buddha. And let's just say I claimed that I should be in control of the nearest, strong, centralized, government.. Would you even believe me? No? Then why the -blam!- would you give me the Congressional Gold Medal (the highest civilian medal, pretty much the civilian eqivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor)?
(Oh really?) (Thread)
Dresden Pilgrim
Rapped [info]otommoon at 2008-05-01 07:32 (UTC) (Link)

protesting the olympics is stupid & disrespectful

The renewal of the Olympic Games in 1896 was a revitalization of a great international athletic tradition. Remember that people care about the Olympics because of the the spirit of honest, good-natured competition. Politicking has no place in the games, and by taking the focus away from the common passion for excellence that all these Olympic athletes share you diminish their individual and collective achievements somewhat.

What do we remember about Olympics past? Munich is remembered for the Israeli hostage crisis. Mexico City is remembered for the two US athletes who thought they were present at the Olympics as representatives of Black People (wherever that country is located....). Moscow and LA Olympics in the 1980s are remembered for the boycotts by the Americans and then the Soviet Union, respectively. The Berlin Olympics are remembered for Adolf Hitler. I could go on. When politics and sports get into bed with each other they have some pretty ugly offspring.

Also, consider that many in the world could argue that the USA is an inappropriate state to serve as an Olympic host because of its historic oppression of L/G/B/T/Q individuals, destruction of the Native American population, historic oppression of women, history of slavery, historic proliferation of hate crimes against black Americans, unprovoked entrance into war with North Vietnam, etc.
(Oh really?) (Thread)
Rayn Drahps
Rapped [info]acydrayn at 2008-05-01 15:25 (UTC) (Link)

Re: protesting the olympics is stupid &amp; disrespectful

Your right, in one of my comments I also asserted that in light of our policy over the last 50-60 years and especially the last 12 we should be looked at by the IOC and criticized as well.

The Olympics should have no political slant to them. It should be on the focus of the athlete's. But when a government evicts people brutally and arrests journalists FOR the Olympics then that government puts its self in play for scrutiny. We can't just overlook that and say 'You can't protest because its unfair to the athlete's. Don't make it political!' yet the host country is evicting undesirables, arresting people who question what they are doing and don't let them talk to anyone and hold people's families under house arrest. Again, like this article states other places do it and it is common to clean out homeless and trouble makers but not to the extent that China is doing.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jan/24/china.international
(Oh really?) (Authoritative) (Thread)
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