Olympic Torch Relay Protests

[Msterbeau]

Useful?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/0...elay/index.html

Personally, I think the protesters are stepping way over the line by physically disrupting the runners. They'll get plenty of coverage without resorting to that extreme. Now they make themselves look bad.

[phee]

Useful?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/0...elay/index.html

Personally, I think the protesters are stepping way over the line by physically disrupting the runners. They'll get plenty of coverage without resorting to that extreme. Now they make themselves look bad.

I agree....

I understand the spirit of the protests, but why make the athletes suffer?

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

They should never have awarded China with the Olympics in the first place.

[phee]

They should never have awarded China with the Olympics in the first place.

AGREED!!!

[Msterbeau]

They should never have awarded China with the Olympics in the first place.

Ha... The athletes are going to choke on smog the whole time they're there.

[Fierce Critter]

I agree that the athletes should be left alone.

But have you seen what they're doing to some of the residents of Beijing?

In order to build the Olympic buildings, they are outright evicting residents. Some of which have lived there for decades. Many of which are elderly and have nowhere to go. They're tearing down the buildings they lived in.

I saw this on TV, and I wish I could remember specifically where I saw it so I can quote from it. It was heartbreaking, and maddening.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

I don't really give a shit about the athletes. Not one of them is being uprooted from an ancestral home for the worlds entertainment.

1.3 million Chinese are.

1984 is now, and it's happening in China.

[Msterbeau]

I agree that the athletes should be left alone.

But have you seen what they're doing to some of the residents of Beijing?

In order to build the Olympic buildings, they are outright evicting residents. Some of which have lived there for decades. Many of which are elderly and have nowhere to go.

I saw this on TV, and I wish I could remember specifically where I saw it so I can quote from it. It was heartbreaking, and maddening.

The way they do things there seems to have little regard for personal rights or respect for pretty much anything. Scary.

[Fierce Critter]

Just one article detailing what's going on with the residents of Beijing.

[torn asunder]

The way they do things there seems to have little regard for personal rights or respect for pretty much anything. Scary.

um, aren't they communists? i don't know much about it, but doesn't that sort of preclude personal rights?

[Rev.Reverence]

um, aren't they communists? i don't know much about it, but doesn't that sort of preclude personal rights?

Yes...

[Msterbeau]

Yes...

Yes and no...

Like almost every Marxist or Communist country... They've backtracked a lot into capitalism. But they have the central authority and control typical of "Communist" countries. I think all of them are largely totalitarian with varying degrees of liberties allowed.

[Hellion]

I wonder what would happen if the US decided not to participate,similar to what happened in the mid 70's the Jimmy Carter Years.

and yes a different country probably would have been a better choice than China.IMO

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

um... no dude. The US boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics. We went to the 1976 Olympics... they were in Canada.

[Hellion]

um... no dude. The US boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics. We went to the 1976 Olympics... they were in Canada.

I was not sure which one it was because it was several years ago,I bet that would piss off China's government,if it did happen.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

I know why your confused though.,, a great many countries boycotted the 1976 Olympics because New Zealand was allowed to participate... because their rugby team still played South Africa (who had been banned from the Olympics since 1964 due to Apartheid).

[Bpage]

The protests sure made my commute to work yesterday all the more interesting. I knew there were going to be a lot of people downtown and by the ballpark protesting but it was crazy!