The protesters were thwarted from peacefully participating in San Francisco, suppressed again in Argentina, and now the athletes themselves are forbidden to protest. The Chinese, the corporations, the Olympic Committee, and some of our own leaders are beginning to look alike. I thank the English and the French for at least getting the word out before this unprecedented deterrence of Human Rights demonstrators within free countries.

What I find shocking is the ability of rational thinking people to ignore the reality that Tibet was an independent country.  Those who say it was and always will be part of China need to check real history books. It, like Bhutan, and Sikkam, did fine by themselves with no help from the Chinese.   The British overran Sikkam; China overran Tibet in exactly the same way.  Since neither was just, please leave the self-righteous indignation behind. Learn from history and we will not repeat the mistakes of the past, which some countries continue to insist is their right, and perpetuate.

China is hiding the facts. Their news(State run) is printing exactly what they want people to think, not what is really happening there. Their human rights track record is terrible. If they (Chinese) can boycott the French products/business, why can't Americans boycott the Chinese products. Especially since we're getting their tainted heperin (people are dying), the pet food, the children's toys. And that's just what has surfaced thus far. Who knows how many other exports they're sending over here and we just keep buying from them. They plan on taking over the world and they're getting pretty successful at that already. The jobs need to come BACK to America. We need to buy American. And support the Tibatans in their struggle for religious freedom. It wasn't that long ago that the founding fathers came here from Europe trying to attain that very same thing.I think the chinese government is shameful and full of propaganda in their reporting, that's why they cut off journalist from doing their jobs-because they don't want the truth to be told.

Its time the U.S. starts minding its own business. We are in Iraq, Afganistan, and have our nose in everyone's affairs. Perhaps we should invest in our own affairs and stop telling other countries how to run their business. Our dollar is dropping, were broke, health care in shambles....

Matt, you forgot loser #4 The Chinese Government:  In your own words “violence towards innocent people won’t make any cause succeed in ordinary people’s eyes. Any political pursuit needs to follow appropriate channels. And that is why we are all against terrorism. The unfairness and injustice exist in every corner of the world every day.”

Oh, and John Doe, for your information about religion being invaded in Texas.  No, it is not about religion, it is about child abuse.  Yes, there are people in America that abuse children.  And don’t try to tell me that it does not happen in China.  The difference is that in America the “biased” media reports it and something is done about it.  In China, the state run media hides it and nothing is done about it.

China brought this on herself by agreeing to host the olympic games.did the communist party leaders think the free world would  not protest their abysmal human rights records?
It's time , we in the western world tell china and the polytburo party leaders to grant Freedom to Tibet ,have respect for human rights and stop selling us inferior and poisonous products

" guess Joe McDove's history lessons fell woefully short...after all, if it weren't for the French, we'd all still be British subjects!!!  "

I hear this all the time but really ?? Are Canadians still British subjects ?  Australians ?? Not a shot was fired there.  Read some history books, good ones that is.

I look down Sakozy.  He is nothing but a dirty politicion who can not even tell right from wrong.  Shame on him.

Everyone one is so quick to blame an entire nation for an individual's actions. Then there are these mommy-homemakers and kids with a bachelors of arts in education or mathematics trying to play politician or a global entreprenuer/strategist. And finally there are the rallied-up web surfer that becomes violently upset while reading internet posts, but will never have any sort of impact on the changing of the world. I vehemently oppose our president for numerous reasons, but foremost his annihilation of international relations and all ethics regarding nation-states' conflict; BUT, it's admirable that he is able to achieve his demented goals, which more than 99% of people that read this column will never even come close to attaining, rather than having coffee hour about French wine, the Olympics and nude pictures. I think we all need to pat ourselves on the back while the big people keep making our decisions.

If China wouldn't be so scared of its people and those it has subjucated, it would allow people to speak their minds. As in all communist dominated countries, China believes it must control the masses and not allow dissent. Why is that except fear. No government should fear the thoughts of its people unless it knows its rule is not fair. Only those at the top of the ladder get what they want so they continue to control the masses. It is time for the communist wills to leave and be defeated. Revolution is what brought the communists to power and that is what will be needed to destroy them. Live by the sword, die by the sword

Don't forget that Chinese government is one of the most dictatorial and communist regime in the world. I'll pray every night for the freedom of Tibet. Tibet is and will never be a part of China because the Tibet has a different culture and Tibet people don't want their culture be eliminating by Chinese culture. The Chinese government is trying to assimilate Tibet people as they tried to do with other Asian countries but they will never be success since savage cannot win the truth and good sense. Some day the Chinese will regret what they do today. No one wants to travel to China and Tibet because what they see and find is the only Han-Chinese culture, and the diversity of the culture is the most precious assets of a country.

Two hypocratic nations finally exposed their inner feeling towards each other. The ex-imperialist and the neo-imperialist are throwing thunder bolts aginst each other. Hurrah! May they all vanish from this univderse forever and left the rest in peace.

As always, the truth is somewhere in the middle.  I'm an American living in China and of course the media is all up in arms about Western media bias and the uncivilized Tibetan rioters, and they do have a point.  The West is clearly biased against China and the Tibetan rioters have done horrific things to the Han Chinese people living in Tibet.  But of course the Tibetans have every reason to be angry and the Chinese military is crashing down an iron fist on people arms with  sticks and stones.  As with every news story involving China, I always tell people that it's not as bad as the West thinks it is, and it's not as good as China says it is.  Lies, lies, nothing but lies.

America & Australia were colonised by Europeans not so long ago. They local inhabitants were massacred & killed indiscriminately and ethnic cleansing by raping were encouraged, that is why you cannot find pure bred Red Indians or Aborigines today. Red Indians & Aborigines were denied legal or land rights ever since, now they live on the waste and unproductive lands that cannot support any crops, forcing them to live on hand outs, welfare & cheap liquor until they die. The French, the Dutch, the Belgians and the British robbed and plunder Africa for centuries living behind a continent plagued with civil war and famines. Now that the Chinese are giving the Africans economic aids, building roads and railway and cheap consumer products, the European medias complained that the Chinese are bribing the Africans for their mineral resources. (At least the Chinese are paying the Africans market prices) All African gold and diamond are in Europe while the African mines are still owned by De Beers and Anglo American companies while the Africans are dying from famine. Shame on all the Europeans who protest against China using the Olympic conduit. They should study history but like the Japanese, their history books are being re-written minus all the shameful things they did to Africa, China and South East Asia so that the future generation are not aware of their forefathers chequered past. The Japanese killed 60-70 million Chinese civilians from 1930 to 1945. The EVIL of AXIS should be the Americans, Europeans and Japanese, not the Iranian or the North Koreans. The Europeans never paid for the land they sized in America, Australia and the gold and diamond from Africa, even until today.
Tibet was annexed by the Mongols and became part of Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasty. The Tibetans were allowed to keep their religion intact and Tibet has benefitted with huge infusion of infrastucture and economic investments to uplift and improve the quality of life in the harsh environment. Almost all the food and fuel came from outside Tibet and the Chinese gave generously and everyone is treated as a China national. The Chinese race is not going to sit idle after being humiliated by the British, the French and orchestrated by the Americans. Australia PM Rudd will not be so smug, his Minister apologised to the Aborigines a few months ago for ill treatment inflicted by the White Australian Policy of the past colonial government, when he realised he should have tidy up his backside, check with his history teacher before visiting China and telling the Chinese how to mind their business. Obviously the in-bred white supremacy traits has to show up somehow.

Why all the fuss? Because no people should be forced to remain part of country just because of geography. Nationalism has and always will be a poor excuse to limit people's freedom. If Kansas wanted to secede from the United States, we wouldn't force them to stay but we would definitely think they were missing a few marbles.

I understand Nationalistic pride. It can be a great motivator and focal lens, but too much nationalism can degenerate into the rhetoric we see with the Chinese (Taiwan, Tibet) and North Korea.

i find this entire situation very amusing.... all there is is to wait and watch what happens.... someone is gonna have it bad... the chinese don't ALWAYS lie. there's always a tiny piece of a truth in a lie, but their record does a lot of talking by itself.... i wonder what the french will do.....

To Ananda in Berkeley:
you are in Berkeley, right? There is one of the best institutions about Asian history. Tibet has been a part of China for hundreds of years. "Tibetan sovereignty". you know nothing!
Go back to library and do some research before you post nonsense again.
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/asia_1892_amer_ency_brit.jpg

Those idiots who believe china will stop at Tibet are dead wrong ,their thugs are already at the gates of India in Nepal and they will not stop until all of southeast asia is red. I say viva La France for standing up to these jack booted thugs who think nothing of the values of freedom.

It is a true shame that the French people, along with other western media brain washed (oops, “educated”) “freedom fighters”, cannot tell from right from wrong.  When the media in the west is giving all the attention to thugs like this in the name of ‘freedom”, giving praise instead of condemning such hooligan act, we all know what’s the real morality of the Western value...

See for yourself:  
http://themodernchina.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/professional-tibetan-protestor-exposed/  

(I am pretty sure NBC will not even dare to publish this truth here for the world to see)

I love the Olympic spirit and have been looking forward to seeing the Olympics in China for years. I also admire the courage of the protesters. Hopefully the protests will be peaceful. Hopefully, we can have political dissent and a successful Olympics at the same time (?)

I think all we need to do is get a chinese visa and come live in China for some time,then you might have an idea of the kind of people the chinese really are.I've been there as a teacher and I know the chinese are being ruled,they cannot express themselves,I was a teacher and a high school student cannot even have a mond of his own in chosing what he wants to be,the decision has to be made by the Government,in this kind of country,how realistic do you expect the citizens to be?They cannot see what is in front of them.If china is so good,how come in every country of the world,even in Africa,there are hundreds of thousands of chinese,why do the chinese rua away from their country?

Anybody who supports "free Tibet from chinese government" please spend 5 minutes reading the Tibet history. Slavery was the legal social system in Tibet before the   Chinese communists took over. The Tibetan guys exiled by China were those who wanted the "freedom" to own slaves. Da Lai Lama is among one of them.

Do you believe the western political leaders and news agency actually don't know about this bit of history?  

Funny how there are so many suckers with no meaning in their life but to take up some "spiritual" cause of the Dalai Lama. Olympics? China should cancel the damn thing.

If Canada felt the same way as China did then the people of Quebec would be labeled traitors and criminals. Their language would be suppressed and their culture snuffed out.

But that is not the way in Canada. In China it is ok though. And the western world sits and pontificates and then writes billion dollar deals with them.

The U.S. owes China too much money to not play along. I went to a Martial Arts school way up in the north, and my first night there I was interviewed by the secret police. Boycott WATCHING the Olympics, and anything that says MADE in CHNA--China can't punish us for that. And the bocott idea came right from them. Viva la France!

Okay heres the deal. Everyone is this entire world are all worried about everywhere else but home. The olympics are an age old tradition thats supposed to bring the world togther in a moment of complete unity. So I ask the age old question "Why cant we all just get along" i mean seriously how can one country worry about another when it has its own problems. You cant fix someone elses problems until your own are fixed. All i am saying everyone needs to stop meddling in someone elses affairs.

Madness! We need to stop annoying the Chinese over an issue that we cannot change in the short to medium term. If we are serious about "fighting for Tibet" then we had better be prepared to take on the Chinese economically and rebuild Western military power in order to protect ourselves.

Right now, much of Europe and the United States rely on the Chinese domestic market; Chinese foreign investment and, in the case of the USA, extensive Chinese funding for our mad debt spiral. This is no time to annoy the Chinese - we can't even finish off the Iraqis - so now we're going to take on China? Has everyone taken leave of their senses?

Why Do you Hate Us??
　　　　------ A Poem Dedicated to the last 150 years of this planet.
　　By a Slient, Silent Chinese.
　　
　　===
　　When We were called Sick man of Asia, We were called The Peril.
　　When We are billed to be the next Superpower, We are called The threat.
　　
　　When We were closed our doors, You smuggled Drugs to Open Markets.
　　When We Embrace Freed Trade, You blame us for Taking away your jobs.
　　
　　When We were falling apart, You marched in your troops and wanted your "fa
ir share".
　　When We were putting the broken peices together again, "Free Tibet" you sc
reamed, "it was an invasion!"
　　( When Woodrow Wilson Couldn't give back Birth Place of Confucius back to
Us,
　　But He did bought a ticket for the Famine Relief Ball for us.)
　　
　　So, We Tried Communism, You hated us for being Communists
　　When We embrace Capitalism, You hate us for being Capitalist.
　　
　　When We have a Billion People, you said we were destroying the planet.
　　When We are tried limited our numbers, you said It was human rights abuse.



     When We were Poor, You think we are dogs.
　　When We Loan you cash, You blame us for your debts.
　　
　　When We build our industries, You called us Polluters.
　　When we sell you goods, You blame us for global warming.
　　
　　When We buy oil, You called that exploitation and Genocide.
　　When You fight for oil, You called that Liberation.
　　
　　When We were lost in Chaos and rampage, You wanted Rules of Law for us.
　　When We uphold law and order against Violence, You called that Violating

　　Human Rights.
　　
　　When We were silent, You said you want us to have Free Speech.
　　When We were silent no more, You say we were Brainwashed-Xenophoics.
　　
　　Why do you hate us so much? We asked.
　　"No," You Answered, "We don't hate You."
　　
　　We don't Hate You either,
　　But Do you understand us?
　　
　　"Of course We do," You said,
　　"We have AFP, CNN and BBCs..."
　　
　　What do you really want from us?
　　Think Hard first, then Answer...
　　
　　Because you only get so many chances,
　　Enough is Enough, Enough Hypocrisy for this one world.
　　
　　We want One World, One Dream, And Peace On Earth.
　　- This Big Blue Earth is Big Enough for all of Us

I agree with Matt!

The whole protest thing is a joke. You have people out there screwing up the games over this Dalai Lama that, before 2 months ago, they never even heard of. Who cares about the Dalai Lama anyway? I doubt the actual protesters really do. It's just that their the type of people that want to put their noses where they do not belong. Mostly college KIDS. Grow up. But the people really responsible for the protests are the Media. I remember reading in the media, at the onset of the whole Dalai Lama thing, about whether or not there'd be protest of the games. Way to go media! Put that in these KIDS heads and you see what you get?
Dalai WHO?

I blame Nixon

China has NOT been used, abused and humiliated - GET REAL! Just NOW they're being considered bullies?  I think the Chinese have been very sly foxes in all our hen houses for quite a long time.  They don't need to be bullies...   what comes to my mind immediately is 1st- the lead in all of our children's toys (to weaken the health of the next generation) and 2nd was the "tainted" filler product for dog and cat food that killed numerous pets... this hit way below the belt for most people...What will be next?   Do you realize how many things in your house right NOW that have "made in china" on them???  
Right now at your computer... look around on your desk and see how many things there are...pens, pencils, ink, folders, spiral notebooks, sticky notes, my monitor, my speakers, the lamp on my desk, etc.   Seriously - people should take a walk around their houses and look.  You'll truly be amazed at how much is there and how simple it would be for China to make the whole world sick....

China and France can have each other.  They deserve each other.  Tibet...  They've been persecuted for centuries....that's not going to change overnight while here half way around the world we have our own problems to deal with just dealing with ourselves.

It amazes me how many people are willing to support China not necessarily vis a vis the Olympics but regarding their abysmal record on almost all issues of global signifigance.I suspect the same people who hail the execution of Saddam Hussein are willing to turn a blind eye to China's persecution of political and religious dissidents, use of slave labor, forced sterilizations, environmental rape, support of rogue states, currency manipulation, Unfair economic attacks on World Markets forcing wage suppression world wide. They make the reasons for the boycott of the Moscow Olympics seem trivial. Anyone who believes the goals and Objectives of China are even marginally compatible with westernized nations are delusional.

As to Mssr. McDove and his disparaging of the French might want to realize that the french have $150,000,000,000(that's billion)invested in US companies. Aso as to WWII the French lost 1,400,000 dead soldiers in WWI and a total of 4,266,000 casualties. This is almost the exact number of US deaths in all wars and far in execess of total US casualties. This might diminish ones desire and ability to engage in another World Wae to be fought primarily in your country.

The only people who think Tibet is part of China is China and the Chinese People. Tibetans were quite happy with their way of life, till the Chinese came along said you are standing on our land and we are going to  populate it with HAN Chinese so you had better get used to it and like it because we said so. We will pump in millions of dollars for the ethnic HAN, not for the Tibetans, but we will tell you it is for you so you will thank us for invading your homeland. How reminiscent is this of the Iraq war? America invades occupies and refuses to leave. I think they are trying to create another US State or Territory after Hawaii and Costa Rica, just issue the Iraqis US passports and be done with it. With the Olympics, China wants to be recognized as one of the BIG BOYS, but does not want to play by the big boy rules, the big boys allow almost anyone to say almost anything about them and they take it on the chin and turn their heads so they can have another shot, China is not ready to do that, it has to be done by their rules or not at all. It would be nice to Boycott China, but that would mean eliminating about 97% of everything in the world as most of it is made in China, including most of the computers used to make this blog a reality. I think removing China from the UN Security Council would be a better move, so more things could get done with less interference.

How can those who wish for the freedom and well being of others decide which group is more important? Do you people simply think that if Tibet goes free, sunflowers will sprout and the all Chinese will hold hands and dance? Nothing happens without consequence. You will bring further despair and unruliness to an otherwise relatively stable part of the world; shame on those who use their hearts instead of their brains.

Also, if you think the Chinese are not allowed to arrest and detain protestors for instigating disorder, then tell that the protestors who hung the banners in San Fransico; they were arrested for several charges including "conspiracy". To protest using violence should be outlawed. Shame on those who use their freedom to disobey the law. France and London did not display Democracy; they displayed Anarchy. Congratulations to the city of San Fransico for maintaining our dignity.

Some say, the world needs the growing chinese economy, but... China needs us even more, if people stopped buying chinese goods now, it would be an incredible economic catastrophy in China. They're over leveraged to death. Its a quasi bubble economy that only works with constant growth. They haven't had a recession in forever, but as we all know, eventually it happens... Now, they're cocky, but soon enough they'll need to realize that as a super power, they need to be part of the world and that means playing by its rule, not just their own.

Tibet is not part of China nor has it been.Alittle reading in the History books and talking to the baby boomers will reveakl that Tibet was invaded by the Chinese for the sole purpose of provibing a buffer to the Soviet Union's expansionist desires

Boycott does not work period! It is a simple economic law of supply and demand. Just like boycotting of Japanese goods in the 80's, there are people waiting in  line if you do want it.

This whole Tibetan thing is just a puppet show. At the end it is the common gullible american people tha suufers. Take a look at this:

http://www.globalpolitician.com/24350-china-tibet-pakistan

Please go boycott Chinese goods so that rest of us can get them even cheaper at our local walmarts. I am sure you are rich enough to buy the French and Italian made alternatives.

I bet you a million bucks that the monk robes on the protesters, or even the flags that they are waving, are made in China. I have never seen any boycotts really work. We boycotted Japanese in the 80's and French in post 911. You tell me the results.

My wife is Chinese. I have been to China, am happy to learn the language. The Chinese people are good, honorable people. Some people in other parts of the world probably don't like China because it is a growing country.

The leadership is Communist, though you don't see them becoming involved in war after war. I don't know how much Hu Jintao listens to his people, but I know that here in the U.S., our President listens very little to his people. An example of that is that we're still in Iraq five years after it started, though many Americans have already voiced their displeasure, and may do so on a stronger basis in November 2008. The Unites States government was supposed to learn an important lesson in the Vietnam War, but didn't: the U.S. will not win wars in which it occupies a country where the enemy looks exactly like the people we're trying to help. Those who don't learn from History are doomed to repeat it.
Herb, Tampa, FLorida

All the whole design is to isolate China, not about religion. Is the religion being invaded in Texas now?
John Doe, Seattle, Wash (Sent Friday, April 11, 2008 3:13 PM)


Huh?  They do still have grade schools in Washington State, right?  I would guess that this is another poor attempt by some disgruntled bi-polar west coast liberal who is using this off topic thread to berate religion.  I mean really, where does religion even get mentioned in the above article???   It doesn't so go find your religion hate blog elsewhere!

Wow! All this talk about Tibet being part of China for years and years.  If people in Tibet weren't willing to stand up and seek their freedom from China then this would be a non-issue.  However, many people here in AMERICA stood up and sought freedom from their former rulers too(remember the American Revolution??)  So why not support those who seek freedom and their OWN country.  Cowardice is a pitiful excuse for not taking action.

if you want to hurt china don't trade one thing with them-olympics are for sports-many country's,so ley them play and enjoy the competing with each other.keep politics and the olympics from each other.let the game begin.

"We had better wake up and realize that China is not a friend of the United States or Western Europe. They spy on use, steal our technology, sell us inferior quality and often dangerous goods and support our enemies."

So the French are on our side?.
Obviously there is need for education here!.
Take a good look at your government and what you said. Sound like you don't read much.
Waltmart made in China, Airbus is refueling your fighter plane and I bet you are an Obama supporter. Cause you sounded clueless and the policy your are promoting fit the cut and run strategy.

fact is Zarkozi is the problem in France right now.
he is very unpopular and he is a demagogue with reckless ambitions.
as far as commets from "ignoramus" McDove about France show how narrow minded and misinformed this redneck is about a great people and a great nation however annoying they may be to him .
you see, China doesnt like nation that disagree with them and have no qualms in didtancing themselves . so why should the French agree with us all the time?

not just listen to one side story,
the truth need to get back ground information and data. don't just believe something when you just read newspaper or watched TV.
too much lies is in front of truth

china very well. chinese very friendly.

I'm not going to get into what could be a LONG and detailed posting - I'm just going to say I personally operate a business in Chengdu, China (SiChuan region that is next to Tibet) and own an apartment there. I have been spending about 4-5 months there off and on each year for the past 3 years. I am personally aquainted with this situation.

Most of these people talk about Tibet like they know something, and trust me on this point - they don't.

Anyone that thinks this is about peaceful monks and oppressive Chinese know less than 5% about what is really going on there.

All these people talking out there ear should go there, it isn't hard to do.

Please people, America just got through vetoing a bill to ban waterboarding, and we have the gaul to spout off (ill-informed of most of the material facts, to boot) about human-rights? Does the word "obnoxious" not strike anyone as appropriate about now?

I love America, but we really do need to stop telling everyone else how to run their country when 2/3 of our people don't even know enough to find China on a world map.

Pride goeth before a fall.

And for the record, I am far from a communist sympathizer. I usually vote republican, and my views are mostly libertarian.

I agree with Peter Heron and Kathy Snyder, they are  both are right on the mark.Philip in Oregon.

I agree with Peter Heron and Kathy Snyder, they are  both are right on the mark.Philip in Oregon.

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