Protesters interrupt torch ceremony

[WhiteTara]

Source: KC Star

The head of Beijing’s Olympic committee had just started his speech. The high priestesses in flowing robes were waiting to rekindle the Olympic flame.

And a protester evaded security and held up a black banner showing the Olympic rings as handcuffs.
snip
China state TV cut away from the protest by Reporters Without Borders at Monday’s torch-lighting ceremony and showed a prerecorded scene, preventing Chinese viewers from seeing the incident. Chinese TV commentators did not mention the demonstration.

After the torch left the stadium, a Tibetan woman covered in red paint or dye lay in the road approaching the village of Olympia while other protesters chanted “Free Tibet” and “Shame on China.”

Meanwhile back in Beijing, Chinese activist Yang Chunlin, who petitioned for land rights for farmers, was sentenced to 5 years in prison. His lawyer said Yang was shocked repeatedly with electric batons when his family tried to talk with him as he was escorted from the court.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/544981.html

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just a bit more.

[tomreedtoon]

1. Just wait. This is only the beginning.

For the longest time, people have pretended that the Olympics have no political nature. I think this year may finally break that hallucination for good.

And it won't be anything you see. It'll be what you don't see. When the satellite feeds die, when internet access to China suddenly drop, it'll be obvious that something happened. Something ugly. And your curiosity about what happened may never be satisfied...especially if the Chinese choose to be truly Draconian about security. Wave goodbye to your athletes, America; there's a good chance you'll never see them again.

[sce56]

2. I bet it looked like this

[jeff30997]

7. And yet...

There are over twice the number of peoples in jail in the US than in China.

[sce56]

9. Unfortunately you are correct!

But have yet to execute people for petty theft then sale their organs and charge the family with the cost of the bullet used for the execution!

[Bonobo]

16. Can you substantiate that? It sounds like propoganda....

[Spiffarino]

3. And Bush will go bow to his Chinese masters

Thanks to the Bush/Cheney cabal's war spending spree, the Chinese hold a huge amount of U.S. debt. Therefore, Herr Bush must go kowtow to the dear leaders even as they murder Tibetan protesters in the street. How the once-mighty have fallen.

Even if Bush is a coward, we definitely have a say. Let's not stand there; let's do something:

* Pay attention to the tag; stop buying Chinese-made goods whenever and wherever possible
* Let your friendly neighborhood retailer know you don't want them and why
* Watch reruns of the old Andy Griffith Show, but don't watch the Beijing Olympics
* Cancel that trip to Beijing this summer. Quebec City is a much nicer destination and Canadian soldiers don't mow down their own people with automatic weapons and tanks.
* Call your Representatives in the House and Senate

Edit: What's with people...can't they stop arguing about Baraclinton Obamillary for a few minutes to pay attention to a serious problem? This article needs to be bumped way up!

:kick:

[newburgh]

14. Let's see, our huge trade imbalance with China also existed under Clinton...

What did he do? While the imbalance grew swiftly under him...

You're entirely correct that * is responsible for driving up our debt but until the Democrats do something while they supposedly have the same slim majority the Republicans have had for many years, bringing this up on a Democratic chat board will not do a damn thing. These questions and those about our national financial crisis (aka, depression) need to be addressed to all the presidential candidates- and they need to be held to their statements.

We have major problems that NO ONE is addressing in our government. The weak statements and inactions regarding China(and the economy and Iraq/Iran) are symptoms of a larger problem.

[Spiffarino]

17. All the more reason to neuter the DLC

The trade deficit with China did balloon under Bill Clinton. I fear we'll get more of the same if Hillary Clinton defies the odds and becomes President, and I don't expect it to go much better with Obama. The Democratic Party has become too cozy with big business and it must end this relationship and return to its working-class roots. Not only is it the right thing for the country, it's good politics.

China's become a bad actor on the international stage, and I think it's as important to bring up the subject in this forum as anywhere else. Many DUers are activists anyway and this is something to get active about.

[stimbox]

4. Reporters Without Borders is a tool of Washington.

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=7851

The Reporters Without Borders Fraud
by Salim Lamrani
May 13, 2005

The strong suspicions that have surrounded the dubious and partisan activities of Reporters without Boarders (RSF) were not unfounded. For many years, various critics have denounced the largely political actions of the Parisian entity, particularly with regards to Cuba and Venezuela, whose characteristics that utilizes propaganda is obvious. The positions of RSF against the governments of Havana and Caracas are found in perfect correlation with the political and media war that Washington carries out against the Cuban and Venezuelan revolutionaries.

Finally the truth has come to light. Mr. Robert Ménard, secretary general of the RSF for twenty years, has confessed to receiving financing from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), an organization that depends on the U.S. Department of State, whose principal role is to promote the agenda of the White House for the entire world. Ménard was indeed very clear. “We indeed receive money from the NED. And that hasn’t posed any problem.” (1)

Former U.S. president, Ronald Reagan, created the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in 1983, during a period in which military violence took the place of traditional diplomacy in order to resolve international matters. Thanks to its powerful ability of financial penetration, the NED’s goal is to weaken governments that would oppose the foreign hegemonic power of Washington. (2) In Latin America, the two targets are Cuba and Venezuela.

For example, the NED financed and continues financing the Venezuelan opposition, responsible for the coup d’état against President Chávez, April 2002. Since then, the Venezuelan oligarchy has organized, with the help of Washington, several unsuccessful destabilization attempts, since the failure of the recall referendum, the popular legitimacy of Mr. Chávez has been only reinforced. In 2004, thirteen groups opposed to the Bolivarian government received 874,384 dollars from the NED. In 2003, 15 splinter groups opposed to the Venezuelan presidents benefited from subsidies from the NED for a total of 1,046,323 dollars.

[Spiffarino]

5. And a stopped clock is right twice a day.

The Beijing government deserves all the embarrassment it can get - times one hundred - and whatever causes it to occur is of less concern than it be done and done immediately.

Besides, Bush is publicly sucking up to Beijing. When the Burmese government behaved in the same manner toward protesting Buddhist monks they were chastised by the Administration; the Chinese are virtually ignored. If Bush is behind this, it may be the one good thing he's ever done...at least until 1/20/09.

[Kolesar]

12. I remember when bush let a heckler interrupt a Chinese speaker last year

I cannot recall the event, but a woman could be heard interrupting the event. The bushies could have kept her out but did not.

[snot]

13. Has this had its own O.P.?

[stimbox]

15. I'm sure it has. It is an old article. n/t

[happygoluckytoyou]

6. MAN HUANG LAU FUCKED AGAIN

[jeff30997]

8. K&R

[grantcart]

10. kick

[Norrin Radd]

11. Not making light, but...

I keep thinking of Superman III, when dark Superman blew out the Olympic torch before they lit the fire. Kudos to those brave individuals protesting over there.