Olympic Torch

mrsK · Post by **mrsK** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:43 pm

I wonder what will happen next?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080407/ap_ ... mpic_torch

Looks like these protests are starting to heat up,I hope the message gets across.:-6

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:58 pm

mrsK;830061 wrote: I wonder what will happen next?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080407/ap_ ... mpic_torch

Looks like these protests are startint to heat up,I hope the message gets across.:-6

I love the fact they had to extinguish the flame five times and re-light it :wah:

Happily, the Chinese government are getting to see the depth of feeling. Sadly, the Chinese people aren't.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:22 pm

Jester;830076 wrote: Sorry I disagree, theresa polite way to protest, stand quietly and carry signs, but dont try to stop the olympics, the message of the olympics or the cerimony involved.

It only hurts the competititon and spirit of the olympics. It send the wrong message, to me it makes me want to patronage the olympics even more.

The guy in Tiannaman Square tried standing quietly and protesting - he's dead now.

The Chinese need more than polite protest.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:40 pm

fuzzy butt;830113 wrote: Remember the Moscow Olympics? what did all the boycotting and protests change?.......................nothing

Nah - it changed the attendance at the next Olympics :wah:

Post by **spot** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:49 pm

What happened in London and Paris was distinctly uncultured. I'd hoped we were still better than that.

mrsK · Post by **mrsK** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:49 pm

It will be interesting to see what happens on the Australian run.

Post by **spot** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:14 am

If the Australians really want to impress the world they'll line the route and applaud politely in the Olympic spirit, and then discuss China's foreign and domestic relations on their evening current affairs programmes.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:38 am

I agree Spot that is the way it should be handled. Not the Olympian's fault that China got the bid for the Olympics when it clearly shouldn't have.

I'm always saddened when the Olympics are protested. Just not right who as a child didn't dream of being in the Olympics at some point.

I understand the issues but protesting the Olympian's isnt they way to get it resolved.

Frankly I wish they would move some of the sports out of China at this point the air quality is so poor they are talking about shortening game times. How do you shorten a "Footbal" or Soccer game as we call it in America. :-5

[QUOTE]If the Australians really want to impress the world they'll line the route and applaud politely in the Olympic spirit, and then discuss China's foreign and domestic relations on their evening current affairs programmes.[/QUOTE]

Richard Bell · Post by **Richard Bell** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:04 pm

I did chuckle when I heard the Olympic flame was in San Francisco.

TruthBringer · Post by **TruthBringer** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:32 pm

I think it's possible that something very bad is going to happen at this years Olympic Games in China.

Nostradamus has a prophecy that may relate to the 2008 Olympics.

Nostradamus:

It will appear at the time of the games of hecatombe (slaughter),

Not far from the age of the great millennium,

When the dead will come out of their graves.

And what was the "games of Hecatombe?"

Hecatombe was an event which occurred on the 4th day of the Olympic games of ancient Greece in Athens every 4 years. On that day 100 cattle were slaughtered and sacrificed to the gods and everyone feasted for free...a big time BBQ.

Sporting events held on that day included running, but more importantly, wrestling, boxing and the most violent one, pankration, which was a combination of wrestling, boxing, kicking...a no holds barred competition where the participants wore no gloves or wrappings on their fists.

So...clearly...Nostradamus was relating to an "Olympic" type of event. And what would probably be the most dangerous Olympic Games since Moscows? This years (The 2008) Olympic Games which are going to be held in Red Communist China.

kayleneaussie · Post by **kayleneaussie** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 11:07 pm

spot;830640 wrote: If the Australians really want to impress the world they'll line the route and applaud politely in the Olympic spirit, and then discuss China's foreign and domestic relations on their evening current affairs programmes.

Totally agree. Omg I am actually agreeing with Spot.:-5:D

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:42 am

Jester;831427 wrote: Im gonna hold my tongue here and not start to drag this thread down one more of our common disagreements.

I think to protest china this way is on poor taste. On the Golden Gate Bridge yesterday protestors for the same cause attached banners to the verticle cables, it tied up traffic for hours, they were arrested when they came down. I'd have pushed them off the bridge for inconvienencing the people who have absolutely no control over what China does. If you dont like what China does go do what the man you mentioned above did. Yes he paid for it with his life, but he affected the poeple who were in power to change things, not folks who have no power to change anything.

This whole Idea of protesting really ticks me off. Its darn selfish of the protestors to make thier point by inconvienencing me. In fact it just angers me agaisnt the cause.
:-2 ..................... :yh_frustr :yh_wait ...............

...................

WTF are you talking about??!? As if any of these people would be able to get a visa to China. Forget the Chinese, OUR gov't would never let them go. You're pissed because you're inconvenienced? Make two phone calls: one to the state police or military to recommend your gestapo tactics, and one to the State Dept to do something to pacify the protestors.

Holy Heysus! I never thought you were against the First Amendment.

Post by **spot** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:52 am

Accountable;831586 wrote: Holy Heysus! I never thought you were against the First Amendment.I think he decided months ago to do nothing but wind people up, he probably realized his positions are unsupportable so he's gone for humour ever since.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:03 am

Scrat;831453 wrote: You mean the guy in front of the tank? He's still alive, he told off the commander of the tanks and went off to work from what I heard. He was pissed off about the whole thing, he left his apartment and was walking to work and here comes these tanks down the street, he took out his frustrations on one side of the 2 sides that were making his life miserable. It was an impulsive, angry act. Not unjustified either.

And WHO'S going to give China any lessons in our lifetime?

An eyewitness account of the event published in October 2005 by Charlie Cole, a contract photographer for Newsweek magazine at the time, states that the man was arrested on the spot by the Public Security Bureau

The alternative story I'd heard is that the ones who bundled him away were themselves protesters and that they managed to get him into hiding. Either way, he did not just walk off and go to work as normal - that much is clear from the video footage.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:05 am

The way I see it, China was given the right to host the Olympics, and I am sure it will put on an impressive show, but that doesn't mean we have to like it. What impresses me about the protests is that they are not government inspired rallies, but people genuinely expressing their disgust at the lauding of the world's major sporting event being turned into a mass propaganda rally held by a bullying totalitarian government that has little interest in internal freedom of expression or the basic human rights of hundreds of millions of Chinese people.

But the olympics is not being boycotted, it will be on TV, people can also participate if they want, and if they like it they can write to the Chinese government and tell them how impressed they are by it all. For others who are not so overwhelmed by China then they have every right to protest in Paris and London, as these are free cities in the free world, where no one bats an eyelid at the mass demonstrations on other causes that go on all the time, (I mean how long has the Iraq War protest being going on in Parliament Sqaure now, would you argue against those people protesting?)

I am sure there will be repercussions, as the Chinese are enjoying throwing their new found weight around, but its about time the Chinese government got a bit of a wake up call that we aren't all completely fooled about the nature of their philosophy.

Post by **spot** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:37 am

I think the trick with all countries is to consider what they do and completely ignore what they claim or even say. The Chinese are fine by me. They've had crises, their current constitution's only been in existence for sixty years and they've had a lot of hard development in those years. They seem to be arriving and they've not invaded anyone in all those years. They've been militarily attacked by the US, India and Vietnam and in each instance they defended and stuck rigidly to their own borders after the defence had succeeded. That's a lot of self-control. Other countries would do well to emulate their behaviour.

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:40 am

spot;831951 wrote: I think the trick with all countries is to consider what they do and completely ignore what they claim or even say. The Chinese are fine by me. They've had crises, their current constitution's only been in existence for sixty years and they've had a lot of hard development in those years. They seem to be arriving and they've not invaded anyone in all those years. They've been militarily attacked by the US, India and Vietnam and in each instance they defended and stuck rigidly to their own borders after the defence had succeeded. That's a lot of self-control. Other countries would do well to emulate their behaviour.

and they have really good food!

Post by **spot** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:01 am

Did Mattel's stand-up apology to the Chinese toy manufacturers for initially blaming them for the product recalls not get much publicity in the US? Just google China toys apology and you'll get more hits on Mattel saying sorry than is seemly. Or try http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=67011

mrsK · Post by **mrsK** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:24 pm

Our PM Kevin Rudd .

Said he does not want the Chinese security guards surrounding the runners with the torch in Australia.:-6

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:33 pm

mrsK;832328 wrote: Our PM Kevin Rudd .

Said he does not want the Chinese security guards surrounding the runners with the torch in Australia.:-6

Good for him - they should never have been allowed on the streets here.

Post by **spot** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:26 pm

Big long line of tanks on a road, all stopped by a guy with a shopping bag stood in their pathway who was having a conversation of some sort with the lead tank commander. Goodness knows how anyone would have subsequently tracked down who he was or what became of him.

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:32 am

Well I followed the relay run when it was in London a few days ago on the news, and it certainly was eventful.

I did feel a little sorry for some of the celebrity runners, who I hope aren't going to be hated or disliked now by some pro demonstators, because I'm sure they were simply representing the olympic side by agreeing to run, and not wanting to be involved in anything to do with the goings on in Tibet.

Then again I suppose they had to realise what was going to happen, when they signed on to do this, I just guess that they never realised how many protestors there would be, and how well organised they seemed to be would actually hit the streets during it.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:52 am

Looks like San Francisco tricked the protesters by publicizing one route and using another. Hmmm :yh_think Saying one thing then doing something else? .... Somebody's gonna go far in politics.

Post by **spot** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:38 pm

Don't be silly, you're a protester, you're not allowed to be armed with anything bigger than a nightstick.