Torch closing ceremony in SF canceled

[MonkeyFunk]

just announced on CNN.

"A second ceremony will be held at an undisclosed location." :rofl:


A secret ceremony? Are they making the torch a Mason?

[tekisui]

1. Ceremonies to be held in Dick Cheney's Bunker.

[zanne]

2. Good!

What the hell were they thinking in the first place? Idiots.

[Happyhippychick]

3. I just heard that they are headed for the Golden Gate Bridge.

This is more exciting than OJ's car chase.

[MonkeyFunk]

5. They're fleeing to Marin!

Probably expecting a mellower crowd.

[Happyhippychick]

8. Swim people! Swim!!!

[TomInTib]

14. Maybe they can come by Tiburon and buy back some of their shit from me.

I got plenty, and everything's for sale.

[L. Coyote]

4. And it's off to the Games we go. So what if we waterboard, invade countries....

They'll let the USA in, right?
Forget Abu Ga-whatever.
Forget how many are dead.
They'll let the USA in, right?

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to the Games we go.

[MonkeyFunk]

9. I simply don't understand

the argument that we can't protest China. It just strikes me as absurd.

[HEyHEY]

12. Well, ya see, MF, according to people like our friend above...

If you are the resident of a country... even IF you don't support recent actions by that country.... you can't protest wrongful actions by another country...

That means, during the late 30s, Americans should have not said a word about what a prick Hitler was because there were Civil rights abuses at home. Even if they also disagreed with those civil rights abuses.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

13. maybe because China owns the US now? n/t

[MonkeyFunk]

15. can you clarify?

I'm asking why people here think it's somehow wrong for Americans to protest against China's rights abuses.

[HEyHEY]

17. I'm laying ten to one he can't clarify

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

20. It's called sarcasm

I'm all for all the anti-Chinese protests.

[girl gone mad]

19. It is absurd..

There's no logic to it at all, just misguided defensiveness.

[hisownpetard]

6. Are they also going to hold the Olympics in an undisclosed location?

This is a SNL skit in the making.

[trof]

7. It's gonna be a stealth ceremony.

Totally 'invisible' to radar and teevee cameras.
;-)

[HEyHEY]

10. WOOOHOOOOOO!

HAHAHA

[aikoaiko]

11. Oh well....its too bad really.

[HEyHEY]

16. Yeah

I hate to see people's dream of running a torch to a country responsible for this get crushed.

[aikoaiko]

18. and yet, that is what the 1st amendment is all about.

[HEyHEY]

22. But, dude

You cna talk about the first amendment all you want...

First: As a Canadian, it doesn't apply to me.

Second: What about the 13th amendment? If the 13th is being broken should we abide by the first to a T. At which point do we flat out know what is right and wrong. Cause slavery, murder and repression aren't right. ANd if they control us by saying "You can speak out about this all you want" so they can ignore us... other means are needed.

[aikoaiko]

23. Ahhh, you're canadian.... now I understand you better.

;)

First: I agree, the 1st amendment doesn't apply to you, but it did apply to those legally trying to express themselves in the USA (i.e., the Olympic participants).

Second, the 13th protects people within the US, and not in China. That in now ways justifies their behavior or me not working to end injustices in China.

We're in bed with China (as a country) and as a result we can't do much, but China has been and will continue changing for the better (although they sometimes take tragic steps backwards). Its pretty clear that the more China engages and interacts with the rest of the world, they cannot stop the incremental changes toward a more free society.

I don't wish the protest the Olympics for being in China anymore than I wish to protest foreign student exchange programs with China.

[MonkeyFunk]

24. Whose 1st amendment rights were violated today?

[aikoaiko]

25. When people can't legally assemble due to safety concerns from critics

or when their vehicle is stopped by being surrounded by protesters, I think the 1st amendment took a hit.

A couple of DUers proudly announced that they thought the entire event was going to be canceled due to protesters.

The Olympic participants (torch runners and those would support the torch run) didn't get their day.

[MonkeyFunk]

27. Did the government

stop them?

No.

The torch was run, people protested. Everybody's happy.

[DrCory]

21. I like the...

rather bemused, "fuck you" look on the fifth guy from the left. Smiling as if to say "Damn, that was a good fight". Hope he's okay.

[uppityperson]

26. I'm amused, in a cynical way, of all the police protection the torch got in SF.

First it was moved to a new location, then had jogging cops, cops on bicycles, cops on motorcycles, cops in cars all moving alongside it. 700 police were engaged in guarding the torch.

Wild.

And the closing ceremony will be in an undisclosed location.

My cynical mind is laughing.

[MonkeyFunk]

28. I think they were less concerned

with the sanctity of the torch than they were with avoiding violence.

Sounds like a good job was done all around - people got to protest, China was shamed, nobody was hurt.