Protesting the Olympic Torch...

Byrnzie

know1 wrote:

I respect their right to protest, but I just envision some poor girl in a wheelchair who was granted a wish of carrying the torch being heckled and protested the entire time.

I'm even of the opinion that hanging the banners or waving negative signs at them is just wrong.

(not wrong in the sense of having the right to protest, but wrong in the sense of protesting the wrong thing and ruining someone's dreams)

I agree. The people here in China are really looking forward to the olympics. It's a very big deal to them. This is the first time in many of their lives that they have been granted an opportunity to appear on the world stage.
I think it's a shame that it's taken the olympics to bring to light the issue of Tibet. Why weren't people making noises about Tibet last year or the year before? I feel sorry for the people of China that this event is being smeared over something that should be treated as a separate issue. It's one thing to criticise, and protest the government of a country, but it's another thing to try and punish the people of that same country who have no say in what their government does.

dunkman

Byrnzie wrote:

I agree. The people here in China are really looking forward to the olympics. It's a very big deal to them. This is the first time in many of their lives that they have been granted an opportunity to appear on the world stage.
I think it's a shame that it's taken the olympics to bring to light the issue of Tibet. Why weren't people making noises about Tibet last year or the year before? I feel sorry for the people of China that this event is being smeared over something that should be treated as a separate issue. It's one thing to criticise, and protest the government of a country, but it's another thing to try and punish the people of that same country who have no say in what their government does.

byrnzie lives in China and typed the word Tibet... he was arrested 8 mins ago

totally agree with you amigo

flywallyfly

dunkman wrote:

byrnzie lives in China and typed the word Tibet... he was arrested 8 mins ago

totally agree with you amigo

LOL ! Sad thing is it might be true ! They at least upped his surveillance team from 10 to 20 people.

IAmMyself

catefrances wrote:

so were sitting here discussing the inanity of snuffing out the olympic torch. so... if we're discussing it and are already aware( i would think) of the atrocities committed by the chinese government, then imagine someone who was completely oblivious to what china gets up to, watching the telly and questioning what it is they are seeing? they ask why this is happening. they go find out. they discover a conscience they never knew they had. their mind is awakened and they start to protest in whatever way they see fit. that to me is the reasoning behind the actions weve seen on our tvs these past days.

Ditto.
And I would simply add, China does care, and they are most definitely watching! The torch run is going to even be cut short because of all the protesting. At least the US is finally paying a little attention, it's a start. Now we have to go further.

know1

I think it's extremely misguided and in poor taste. The protests should be at the Chinese embassy or the IOC, not the poor torch runners who have nothing to do with this.

IAmMyself

Byrnzie wrote:

I agree. The people here in China are really looking forward to the olympics. It's a very big deal to them. This is the first time in many of their lives that they have been granted an opportunity to appear on the world stage.
I think it's a shame that it's taken the olympics to bring to light the issue of Tibet. Why weren't people making noises about Tibet last year or the year before? I feel sorry for the people of China that this event is being smeared over something that should be treated as a separate issue. It's one thing to criticise, and protest the government of a country, but it's another thing to try and punish the people of that same country who have no say in what their government does.

I'm just asking, and please feel free to educate me because I would love to no more of how you feel about this, since you seem closer to it than any of us. But the people have to change their governmet, they have to do something about it. And knowing that the world is actually out there listening and judging their government, does that not give the people more of a reason to fight for a change in their government.

On the same point, yes a lot of people have set back and said nothing about Tibet for years and years but would you not agree that sometimes you have to wait for the right time to strike. And considering how much attention the Olympics will bring to China, isn't this the time to act.

Same for the people of China-Now is the time to do something about your government?

Please don't insult me, but I would love to hear different perspectives, by no means am I saying I have any of the answers-I'm just asking.

ajedigecko

irieinindy wrote:

I'm just asking, and please feel free to educate me because I would love to no more of how you feel about this, since you seem closer to it than any of us. But the people have to change their governmet, they have to do something about it. And knowing that the world is actually out there listening and judging their government, does that not give the people more of a reason to fight for a change in their government.

On the same point, yes a lot of people have set back and said nothing about Tibet for years and years but would you not agree that sometimes you have to wait for the right time to strike. And considering how much attention the Olympics will bring to China, isn't this the time to act.

Same for the people of China-Now is the time to do something about your government?

Please don't insult me, but I would love to hear different perspectives, by no means am I saying I have any of the answers-I'm just asking.

if you enjoy testing yourself against.........tanks.

by no means am i insulting you...but the people and the world watched the last time they tried to change their government.

failedpersephone

know1 wrote:

I think it's extremely misguided and in poor taste. The protests should be at the Chinese embassy or the IOC, not the poor torch runners who have nothing to do with this.

the passing of the torch through the continents is where the world's eyes are focused..and that is where human rights violations should be magnified for the world to not see exactly - but we have to show that they cannot continue to be ignored.


I am happy and proud that San Fran is going to be showing our protesting ethics.


protest and stub out that torch...as the Olympic Chairman said: “We recognize the right for people to protest and express their views, but it should be nonviolent. We are very sad for all the athletes and the people who expected so much from the run and have been spoiled of their joy,” Rogge said.

spoiled of their JOY...versus being robbed of life, autonomy, and cultural identity.


I say - fair trade. (get the pun????)

Cosmo

While all of the news stations were going on and on about the stupid torch... 7 American soldiers were killed in Iraq.

Kel Varnsen

Cosmo wrote:

While all of the news stations were going on and on about the stupid torch... 7 American soldiers were killed in Iraq.

And focusing your outrage about China getting the olympics at the torch runner or an athlete is kind of like focusing your outrage about the Iraq war at a foot soldier. Why not protest the Iraq War outside some soldier's house?

Cosmo

Kel Varnsen wrote:

And focusing your outrage about China getting the olympics at the torch runner or an athlete is kind of like focusing your outrage about the Iraq war at a foot soldier. Why not protest the Iraq War outside some soldier's house?

...
I just think it is a sad commentary when the bigger of the 2 stories is about the fucking torch. That was the point.

theroachman

Kel Varnsen wrote:

And focusing your outrage about China getting the olympics at the torch runner or an athlete is kind of like focusing your outrage about the Iraq war at a foot soldier. Why not protest the Iraq War outside some soldier's house?

I don't know if you had notice this but CNN is running the torch thing through out the stupid relay. Seems the protest is getting some news time.


The sad part is the people who thought it was a good idea to send the torch through San Fransisco. There has been a bunch of people on CNN saying how suprised they are to see protest like this in San Fransisco even local leaders are saying the same thing. James Carvile is the only one I watched who was not suprised, which is not really suprising.

Hello McFly!!! this is San Fransisco

Cosmo

theroachman wrote:

I don't know if you had notice this but CNN is running the torch thing through out the stupid relay. Seems the protest is getting some news time.


The sad part is the people who thought it was a good idea to send the torch through San Fransisco. There has been a bunch of people on CNN saying how suprised they are to see protest like this in San Fransisco even local leaders are saying the same thing. James Carvile is the only one I watched who was not suprised, which is not really suprising.

Hello McFly!!! this is San Fransisco

...
I know... of ALL the fucking cities in the ENTIRE U.S.
...
The brilliant minds pick San Francisco. Then, wonder... why is it a mess.

Anon

"The Olympic flame wasn’t part of the ancient games, and the torch relay didn’t become a fixture in the modern Olympics until the 1936 Berlin Games, when it was part of the Nazi pageantry that promoted Hitler’s beliefs of Aryan supremacy in the world of sports."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080408/ap_on_re_as/torch_men_in_blue

So, I say, protest away.

SoonForgotten2

Yeah San Francisco!

Kel Varnsen

Cosmo wrote:

...
I just think it is a sad commentary when the bigger of the 2 stories is about the fucking torch. That was the point.

I totally see what you are saying. I just think that with all the people involved with the Beijing Olympics, the torch bearer is the last person you would want to protest. How about the Chinese government, the IOC members, the networks covering the olympics, or the major sponsors like coca-cola.

Commy

Kel Varnsen wrote:

I totally see what you are saying. I just think that with all the people involved with the Beijing Olympics, the torch bearer is the last person you would want to protest. How about the Chinese government, the IOC members, the networks covering the olympics, or the major sponsors like coca-cola.

They are. But they are using the publicity of the torch bearer to draw attention to their cause. If they held a protest outside of some Coke plant they wouldn't get any media attention. This way guarantees that coverage.

Kel Varnsen

Commy wrote:

They are. But they are using the publicity of the torch bearer to draw attention to their cause. If they held a protest outside of some Coke plant they wouldn't get any media attention. This way guarantees that coverage.

Which is totally unfair to the guy running the torch (especially when people try to put it out). Sure you get coverage, but it is a crappy way to do it. Like I said before, it would be like protesting the iraq war by starting a protest outside the home of a soldier who came back after losing his legs in combat. If someone did they could also use the injured soldier to draw attention to their cause.

Commy

Kel Varnsen wrote:

Which is totally unfair to the guy running the torch. Sure you get coverage, but it is a crappy way to do it. Like I said before, it would be like protesting the iraq war by starting a protest outside the home of a soldier who came back after losing his legs in combat. If someone did they could also use the injured soldier to draw attention to their cause.

The guy running the torch has to know about the (much more important) issues of Tibet and Chinese brutality. And its not like the torch is stopping, the guy can still get it wherever its headed.

Kel Varnsen

Commy wrote:

The guy running the torch has to know about the (much more important) issues of Tibet and Chinese brutality. And its not like the torch is stopping, the guy can still get it wherever its headed.

Maybe he does know, but it is not like China is going is going to pull out of Tibet if some guy decides not to run with the torch. So if it was his lifelong dream why should people try to stop him. And the torch is being stopped when people are knocking it out of the runners hands and spraying them with fire extinguishers.