SAN FRANCISCO BRACES FOR WILD OLYMPIC TORCH RUN

Hundreds of security officers deployed across San Francisco right now ahead of expected large protests against China policies as the Olympic torch makes its only relay in the United States. City officials have made continuous revisions of their planning for the torch relay. source

Last night thousands of people gathered along San Francisco's waterfront to hear Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Richard Gere speaks at a pro-Tibet rally.

I want to come back for a minute to what happened monday in Paris. Alek and I have witnessed something that we had no idea could happen in a democratic country. While the extinguished torch was being escorted through the city by French and Chinese police, many people who were peacefully holding a Tibetan flag on the side walk got attacked by the french police officers who ripped their flags away !!!!!

If this scandalous reaction towards people simply holding a Tibetan flag can happen right here in France, just imagine what can happen to Tibetan under the Chinese occupancy !!!! Shame on France!

Comments

[davidbeale_uk]

surly the thing we can do is have absolutly nothing to do with this disgraceful place. i think we should not waste time in watching the games at all.

the last time a big pwere wqas not halted when the olympic games happend to them WWII happend and 55million died

[Christophe]

why only about tibetan people? What about the others suffering right now in Xinjiang, Darfour, Myannar, Guantanamo, Chechnya, etc, etc, etc.
I would strongly advise you not to bring politics into this shallow website, one might think you see the Tibetan people as trendy.

[Steph]

Christophe, Christophe ... my dear christophe ... and what about you !? Making shallow comments ... I feel bad for you! XOXO :-)

[huh]

About your reaction to the French police attacking protestors:

You shouldn't be surprised. World govts are growing increasingly totalitarian as corporations grow in political power. Besides, Chinese govt and Sarkozy have something in common--they are both bigots.

[novocaine]

When people are ignorant to a certain level, they just won't listen to any other opinions. Even looking at the same happening, they can always find those points that support their own belief and choose to ignore other things. Chinese government is by no means a great government, but it just too naive to jump to the Dalai wagon without any basic understanding of what's really going on. In some way, to many people Dalai represent a beautiful spirit and Tibet is like a far far away heaven that is being destroyed by China. And most of the people including Alex and Steph know very little about the history and probably have never been to China, it's better to keep your mind open and listen to the voice of both sides. It's OK to have your own opinion but it's not OK to be ignorant and stupid.

Just FYI, the other side of the Paris incident is a girl in a wheelchair got attacked over and over again by some pro-Tibet people. After these attacks, although what the police did are still not right, but at least make some sense.
Here is the video:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4ztb8_la-flamme-olympique-chahutee-a-pari_news

[Xiang_belgium]

I like your blog because of guys and good fashion, but I really don't think you are good at politic topics. You have mentioned this tibet issue several times and your comments are, honestly, very superficial and stupid. The problem of Tibet is far not that simple and single-sided as you see it. It seems that you are still living in the cold-war era, carrying a 'natural'tendency against your hypothetical enemy.

[huh]

I love the continued propaganda by Chinese posters. You are all so brainwashed by your nationalism...seriously pathetic. A recent article shows how ignorant you are when you assume Tibet is a part of China:

Farther along the planned route, about 200 Chinese college students mobbed a car carrying two people waving Tibetan flags in front of the city's Pier 39 tourist destination. The students, who arrived by bus from the University of California, Davis, banged drums and chanted "Go Olympics" in Chinese.

"I'm proud to be Chinese and I'm outraged because there are so many people who are so ignorant they don't know Tibet is part of China," Yi Che said. "It was and is and will forever be part of China."

Tibet never asked to be a part of China. It has more in common with South Asia than China, culturally, historically and linquistically so shut the !@#$ up.

[huhhum]

according to your logic, if some body tries to express the opinion which is different from yours, he must be brainwashed. come on, man, no media is non-biased. CNN, BBC, TF1.......they all serve for their political position. I do not know whether you've seen CNN and NBC tonite, they are in totally different tone about the torch relay in SF. So, why not to change a position to think about it, have you been brainwashed too?

[humhum]

by the way, well done, french policemen!!!!

[;o]

Hey, 'Huh', I must be so brainwashed.
Im a Chinese American, and I don't support China in Tibet. But I support the Olympics and I seriously think its wrong that other countries can take stances on these issues.

Why is Tibet so important? How about Gaza? And Palestine? Darfur? Myanmar, half of Africa, and dozens of other countries in the world. Why is it that Only when China steps in something is criticized?

Theres documented proof the US uses Rendition to torture in other countries. Should the world Sanction the US?
In this day, if China is not on your side, you're pretty much screwed. Personally? I believe that the west is become increasingly worried that China is growing stronger than them. Their military technology is growing rapidly, they're expanding and improving life rapidly.

But the thing is, the West can do it too.
And this blog? I dont know if its the place for this, although I admit that I like reading responses here.

On places like AOL, the 'Chinese' are "small eyed freaks" that are allied with the muslims and trying to take down the christian west. Yes, Im not lying about that.

[huh]

;o, I actually agree with you--it is disturbing that there is no protest over the very real and very disgusting US policy and actions which violate human rights all over the world, not to mention France and every other European country.

I see your point. And I agree that the West is not terribly comfortable with China's growing power. However, that does not mean China is somehow immune from scrutiny. Also, the life of the average Chinese is NOT improving. There is very little benefit trickling down to common people either in China or India, despite their economic boom--another symptom of post-colonial Western-style economics.

[novocaine]

huh, I would strongly suggest you go to China to check the life of "average Chinese" yourself. Of course it's still not as good as maybe the average American's life, but it IS improving. No one denies the improvement is not even, and the difference between between rich and poor are getting larger which is a very serious issue faced by not only China. However, this doesn't mean the life is not improving. I know you probably won't trust what I'm telling you. Just have some idea of what the life was like 10 or 20 years ago in China, then GO TO China, talk to local people, and judge with your own eyes.

[Greg]

It's beautiful to see people like "Novocaine" who probably went to China (and by China I mean only big cities) who was happy about being able to buy the shit we get in the rest of the world for nothing (like abercrombie and many other brands) This guy think he went to china and talk to the people but you probably never traveled the country simply because you can't do that, and you never talked to Chinese people because those who have something to say are in JAIL! So no it's not OK to be stupid and ignorant Novocaine.

[novocaine]

to Greg, I am Chinese, and I grew up in a very small city in a relatively poor province. I travelled a lot (yes we are not rich, but we can afford traveling! surprising to you hah?) and I know things are not perfect, but this doesn't mean things are not improving. I know a whole lot more about average Chinese than you do. Of course, now you will say I was brain washed. So basically if I'm not Chinese, then I can only see a very small part of China, if I am Chinese then I'm brain washed, either way, you are the smart one, right? I've spent four years in US, and I've tried to be as rational and open-minded as I can. I've learnt a lot of things I didn't know before, some are truth, more are lies. I'm not arguing China is doing everything right, believe me, we are not dumb, there are way more americans who have been brain washed without knowing it (how do you think you get this stupid idea of how poor Chinese are?). You can have different opinion, but just please spend some time to check you facts. If you know very little about something, you'd better wait and listen and be more informed before opening your mouth. I never say supporting Tibet is wrong, and I do understand some feeling of Tibet people. But supporting them with the wrong reason (or in most cases, without real reason) is ignorant and stupid.

[llooll]

agree wif ";o", totally!
i m a 18 guy in hong kong,as a Hong Konger, i will also say myself is a Chinese. Sometime i'll also felt shame by some behaviour of Mainland China.
However, in this issue, I think theres nothing wrong wif China. In my opinion, those western people who r supporting Tabet are actually misleaded by some US media (a political tricks?) and there r something important they've missed. In Hong Kong, I can see both western and China version in reporting this issue and as a neutral, i think people in hong kong can c it very clearly ,not because they think they are a part of china or nationality etc., it is because tabetan r really doing the wrong thing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/7340987.stm

here is the news from BBC, I think all of u should take a look wif this and listen to the otherside's viewpoint.

[huh]

It is funny how China boycott most of the news and manage an other anti french propaganda !!! As always what do we give a fuck if China boycott france !!? The rich chinese people will always buy LouisVuitton and drink french wine, boycott your local french restaurant in China if u want.

China will become the biggest capitalist nation soon.
And china needs the rest of the world to think they can control the world. Fuck chinese government, Free china and free tibet!!!!!!!