guest1234567

I have said many times, show support for whatever cause you like, but do it peacefully.

This all reminds me of the protests against the WTO when the protestors destroyed the mom and pop stores on the streets. The message always gets lost in the violence.

cheapseats

The message wasn't getting through the peaceful way either. Hence, the violence.

What's Plan C?

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cheapseats

Peacefully isn't gettin' the job done.

What's Plan C?

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cheapseats

That's right.

Nothin' left to lose.

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cheapseats

...probably wouldn't exist at all.

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cheapseats

Looters will be smarter next time, you'll see.

They know there's nothing to steal in their own neighborhoods. They get it now, I'm guessing, that there's no point in destroying their own property...such as it is...not that it's theirs.

FOR SURE, if they need food, they'll go into swanky neighborhoods with walk-in pantries.

The 'They' of poverty...THAT'S the one you wanna fight over there so you don't have to fight it over here.

And yet, amazingly, the people of Africa starve.

And who's in Africa?

Big Oil and Big Coffee...like THEY don't make enough money to improve the quality of the lives of the countries in which they do business?

I know, I know...shareholder profits. All hail the Chief Executive Officer.

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cheapseats

Four thousand-ish Americans and an incomprehensible number of Iraqis are dead. Shame, shame, shame.

I believe these protests have more to do than only with Tibet. The Tibet/China paradigm simply brings into such stark, garish relief how our conscienceless Business As Usual is percolating right along, as usual.

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cheapseats

They're not gettin' the job done.

What's Plan C?

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kaycee

Ay carumba! Tres long post...

(Practising my Franchez, flawless, ain't it? Errr, I mean, non?)




Read these this evening...once again some of these are long, but one in particular struck me. I tend to wince when rights are almost granted and a couple of paragraphs later are circumnavigated, and I know it's a couple of years old, but it's policy and it should be read.


Human Rights in China



These are more friendly, but no less disconcerting when read in their entirety:

China and Myanmar

Keeping the flame alight
Apr 10th 2008
From The Economist print edition

Two ways to repair China's image: end the torch relay and take a lead over Myanmar

Getty ImagesWERE shooting oneself in the foot an Olympic event, China would surely be well placed for a gold. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay, taking the flame around the world before the games begin in August, was always a risk. Of course the flame would draw protesters like moths. But the suppression of riots and protests in Tibet has ensured the torch's progress has graduated from minor diplomatic embarrassment to full-scale public-relations disaster (see article).

Entire article:

China and Myanmar | Keeping the flame alight | Economist.com


And this:

The Olympic flame

Torch song trilogy
Apr 10th 2008
From The Economist print edition

A lament for Tibet, sung in three Western cities and heard with fury in China
Reuters
FOR nearly 50 years, since the flight of the Dalai Lama and some 100,000 Tibetan followers to India, their government-in-exile has ploughed a lonely furrow. It is still not recognised by any other government. But at least its colourful snow-lion flag is becoming familiar. That is among the many unintended consequences of China's catastrophic “relay” around the world of the Olympic torch. This week protesters have hung the snow-lion flag high above the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, and waved it through the centres of London and Paris.

The torch's bad week started in London on April 6th, where hundreds of protesters dogged it, as it was passed from famous hand to hand. At one point, protesters were blocked as it was whisked to Chinatown to give China's ambassador the chance to clasp it for a while. China's flag had an outing too. Hundreds of Chinese students were bused in. Some protesters were unruly, and 37 arrested.

The torch was guarded not just by the police but by a phalanx of Chinese men in blue-and-white tracksuits. Their jurisdiction was hazy, but their demeanour unmistakable. As Lord Coe, chairman of the committee organising the 2012 London Olympics, was heard to say, they were “thugs”. Their presence outraged even those who could not find Tibet on a map.


Entire article:

The Olympic flame | Torch song trilogy | Economist.com


***comment below***

Yeah, it's one source and in one case the derivitive of the source, all of which needs to be taken into consideration, but I just thought I'd post them for anyone who has any interest.

I plan on re-reading the first link tomorrow to, you know, boost my spirits for the upcoming celebration of humanity.

julia

I don't think anyone here can understand the desperation of a country and culture being destroyed.

What were the ex pat tibetians supposed to do...?

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