San Francisco's Olympic Torch Relay Draws Major Protests

Talkng about peace and humanity without compasssion is just lip service or in this case agitation towards violence. In front of your computer with hatred seething form your breath and sitting thousands of miles away from actual Tibet you want justice to be done. Those who have actually seen the Dalai Lama and are touched by his compassion then you should know that he does not call for the boycott of the Olympics or independence of Tibet or violence towards the Olympic Torch relay.
He is a follower of the Buddha. In the heart of the Budhha teachings is pointed out the state of greed, hatred and delusion being unwholesome activities. There are so much hatred towards China created not by the Dalai Lama himself but by the people who are ignorant about his intentions.
What he practice is universal compassion, not just selective compasion like a mother to her children but to extened that compassion to all beings of the ten directions. It is not just about showing compassion towards the Tibetians but also towards all beings suffering. How many in US itself who speak or write so voiciferous against China towards Tibet give a tear towards the suffering of the peolpe in Iraq.
Don't create hatred this is not the purpose of the Dalai Lama, I am not a representative of him but people of the same compassionate heart speak the same language. Don't sow hatred, war and suffreings is what you wil reap in the future.

So peaceful!

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/nytimes.htm

What China has done to this peaceful coutry is inhumane and brutal. Bush is the one sold us to them, but it is about time he opens his eyes and should boycott the event for himself. I do not have any comments about the participation of athelets. But this is the ripe moment for the whole World to protest, when China is in the forefront, to get TIBET FREE.


President Bush, let this be your legacy before you leave the high office !

You cannot pretend that supporting Olympics games in a wayward country doesn't enrich them in many ways. Thus supporting the games in fact supports their evil acts. That's just as the night follows the day. You can 'pretend' the games aren't political but in fact they by definition are. It becomes a moral question--how much can you overlook to watch something interesting on TV.

4) In the short term it is an excellent idea to protest the Olympics. Such demonstrations will continue past San Francisco (can't wait for Canberra, Nagano, Seoul, and New Delhi.) For the Politburo this whole thing's big theatrical show where they get to show off how big and bad they are: tell them they are wrong, give them a good solid slap across the face for thinking they can get away with murder. The Ugovernment may not totally come to heel, but we its people can by not buying from Coca-Cola during the summer. We can put pressure on Bush not to attend the games as more leaders decline to go and more protests come. The Chinese people themselves will likely never know why this is happening: CCTV and Xinhua never would publish anything that could get them thrown in jail for subversion. There will be bitter tears over their efforts rotting on the vine, and probably increased lashing out and self pity-another wrong against China at the hands of the "other." But it's worth the principle of telling the Politburo to shove it-respected and loved is not the same as being feared and tolerated.

3) Does this mean that lambasting the Beijing Olympics is a fruitless and frivolous exercise? No, actually, it is not. My take on why there is not stronger criticism (rightly or wrongly) of China has much to do with trade: Bush's administration is probably scared that if they come out more strongly against China it will prompt China to react by dumping the dollar and wreaking havoc in the US economy before we can do anything to them (sanctions.) Other nations probably have similar fears albeit because they are in a better economic situation they are in a better position to do as they see fit. Furthermore, China has often reacted poorly to stern international criticism/action of any kind in the past, even to the point of throwing a temper tantrum. (They could come down even more ruthlessly on dissenters and become more reluctant to any foreign interference, including foreign aid, diplomacy [North Korea] and may even cause war. When over one billion are brought up on a steady diet of censored information about the world and China's place in it, do not distinguish between legitimate foreign political dissent and a personal attack on the Chinese people, and have an enormous, growing gender imbalance in favor of males it may be a tempting for a Chinese politician (or party) to use it to their advantage.)

2) The United States's current position is dubious at best given our horrible actions in the Middle East and a few other less than savory ideas of the past twenty five years. We have been bad-does that mean we should continue to do bad things by staying silent? We do need to change and must change soon if we are ever to get over our loss of face: we may not get back our place as leaders, but we still have made too many mistakes and amends must be made. We owe the world that much.

However, these are issues that should wait until NOVEMBER rather than August in the long term. Asking the current administration to do much is like asking a mule to do the polka-pointless. However, by voting for a near total regime change in NOVEMBER we can clean up the mess and having the likely drastic reevaluations trade agreements that shall follow, it will upset the Politburo immensely: the powers that be in the CCP seem much more amenable to Republican policies than the Democrat's ideas, first of all, and this is inherently a regime and ideology that is very top down: likely culturally indoctrinated to see the passing of one administration into the hands of another like-minded administration as a sign of harmony, continued prosperity. (In fact, in Confucian philosophy, there is much greater value on conformity and hyper-lionizing of people of power and education than here.)

Here is my analysis (I apologize for its length, here's part 1:)

1) The brutal attitude with which China approaches Tibetans, Christians, Muslims, blacks, North Korean refugees, and others is both abhorrent and cruel, no matter how you approach the Olympics. They made promises to change and did not keep them. It does not bode well that a 4000 year old nation has a large yellow star representing Hans over all others has not learned the lessons of its competitors (including its much reviled neighbor to the east, Japan) and is a poor omen in the context of the world stage. It bodes ill for a nation that craves the respect of the world hasn't learned the lessons of the past century, and doesn't teach them to its children: Germany fell because its oft-voiced beliefs in a master race were eventually drowned out by the screams and tears of millions of Jews, gays, and many others being murdered. Russia fell not only because it was bankrupted, but because in the end its hegemonic autocratic power over other nations was not sustainable: who here remembers the Solidarity movement in Poland or the Velvet Revolution in Hungary? Ceausescu's eventual execution for his crimes? All rebelled when the time was right.

I'm happy that people are realizing China's impact. Why has it taken so long? We are actually dependent on China for nearly all of our trade. What products don't come from China now? Check your clothing labels, shoes, country of origin for appliances, dishes and flatware, linens, tools, machine parts, even fine jewelry, and not to mention American flags. Long standing American companies have outsourced manufacturing jobs

We have been informed just within the last year of lead paint in children's toys from the inexpensive to what was classified as reputable, trusted brand names. Anti-freeze has been detected in toothpaste. Who can forget the contamination of our pet food supply causing grief and panic to pet owners from the death & illness of our pets. Stories have surfaced of "fresh" human organ brokering from executed Chinese citizens.

Yes, opression in Tibet is grave, but hasn't it been for some time? Bejing has been selected as the site of the 2008 summer Olympics for years now. China's economy has boomed.

We once had a trade embargo for human rights violations. What hs happened to that? Think about it.

this needs to be brought forward:

FogBelter See Profile I'm a Fan of FogBelter

San Francisco, being the legendary "Gold Mountain" for Chinese immigrants since the Gold Rush, probably made sense for the Chinese Government as the suitable US City for the torch for their Olympic games to transit. The fact that Speaker Pelosi, a staunch proponent of human rights for Tibet, Burma, and Darfur, represents the City by the Bay was probably an oversight on the Chinese Government's part.

San Francisco will not overlook the actions of the Peoples Republic of China and is the perfect American City for individuals in solidarity with the people of Tibet, Burma, and Darfur to voice their displeasure with China's misdeeds.

I'd say it was karma that honors San Francisco with the Olympic Torch Run today, and San Franciscans, and those who carry the spirit of San Francisco in their hearts, will send the message loud and clear to China that Human Rights are the true indication of a Nation Rising, not merely the robust activity of an emerging economy.

I'm glad the torch relay went off with out a hitch. I guess all those Police, fire man and other law enforcement that participated are needed however not well received in the City of San Fransisco. To place icing on the cake they should of ran the torch with the Berkley Marines. Why would Frisco protest the Olympic Torch Run there city is practical a People Republic anyway?

As I depart for the night, I'd like to urge each and everyone of you to calm your hard- ons about the China / Tibet thing. It will be worked out, as always; you'll see.
Visit China soon, go see the Olympics and enjoy yourself in the land of Mystery and Wisdom.
The Food ain't bad either.

CIAO

They had better hope to holy hell that the USA does not bring them freedom and democracy like they have done to Iraq or Hati.
Isn't that the country that tv ads talk about parents selling thier daughters into slavery(bondage)?

What good is it to extinguish the torch? That is just bad sportsmanship. Blocking the path reduces the power of the intended message by the protesters.

A more powerful protest would be to run beside the torch in a "peaceful march". The dissent would be heard much louder as though the protesters have helped carry and usher the torch to the destination. The benevolent message would be delivered to its intended destination.

Better to pin hundreds of messages to the torch all along the way, each protest along the path to Beijing with a message to China that it must end its violence in Tibet and recognizes the cultural identity of the Tibetan people.

Western nations should not take it out via the Olympics, rather in economic and other political means.

I don't understand the people in America, it's something bad with me or I just don't understand the people. Why, hundreds or thousands of people are protesting for TIBET(for human rights)it's OK, to stand up in what you believe is fair, BUT, I can't see any American, to protest for the HIGH PRICE OF GASOLINE??? The price is going up, day by day, it's almost 3.50 - 4.00 Dollar.Nobody is angry,revolted, the people impassively pay the high price, NO CHESTION ASK. Maybe, we the people,deserve all the burden we get from our Government. Our everyday existence,became harder and harder day by day.No comment for Tibet but comment for US, the hard working people and old retired people.

Free Tibet. And while you are at it free America from Bush and the neocons.