I wasn’t going to write this weekend; but as I watched the news I thought it was sad really; to see that the torch was “guarded ” on it’s way through London. The protests, they were real all right. All credit to the police officer’s in Greenwich.
Having just watched this on the news, I was left wondering, hmmm, and I also now envisage the protests to continue to Paris. When will the government of China learn that every man and woman in Tibet has a right to freedom? If, today, the games were pulled from China that would have an instant impact on the situation. Thus far the spirit of the games has been somewhat lost. Perhaps the torch didn’t really arrive at all….
April 6, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Why should the Chinese Government learn that every man and woman in Tibet has a right to freedom when it can’t/won’t learn that every man and woman in China have that same right?
My wife and I were in China last year for 5 weeks touring round the country and when in Beijing (why can’t we still call it Peking?) were told that for 6 weeks before the Olympic Games and during them, ALL factories in the capital and surrounding areas (all coal fired) would be closed to prevent air pollution- no work, no money for the workers – but, hey, it’s the Games.
Also during the period of the Games, ALL private vehicles would be banned from the roads allowing only officials, competitors (and Chinese Government Ministers) to use those roads – what does it matter if you can’t get to work as your factory will be closed anyway!
There was a rumour (so far, unsubstantiated) that the Chinese authorites punish Tibetan monks by surgically removing (i.e. chopping off) their thumbs making it , at least, very difficult for them to use their rosary beads when praying.
Sadly, the industrialised Western countries will do nothing for two reasons: the first is that their trade will suffer if they annoy the Chinese who will stop sending their fatastic plastic toys here and also because the Chinese have so much money in Western banks that if they removed it all and converted it to Matabele Gumbo beads, several of the Western nations would go to the wall.
In the great scheme of things, what’s a couple of thumbs and closed factories as long as you can have a comfortable life and your kids can play with the latest plastic toys, ipods and wiis.
April 7, 2008 at 7:58 am
Valuable comments above:
“Sadly, the industrialised Western countries will do nothing for two reasons: the first is that their trade will suffer.”
I have always mainained until things affect you and you do something about it, nothing really will change. Whilst I admire the athletes and believe that sport should bring people together; in this field basic Human Rights are enshrined; not by gestures, but some reality.
You can be the greatest athlete in the world, but how does that equate to life and death. To be great means you might have some humility and humanity.