Canberra, Sydney protests over torch relay

[Heracles 417]

I think the IOC is going to look a little more closely before awarding the Olympics to countries like China in the future. They had over 200 countries to choose from - and they picked a dictatorship. Crazy.

I hope they do... For an event that is SUPPOSE to be non-political, the awarding of countries is hugely political.

Unfortunately it's too late now and boycotting isn't the answer.

Well the wankers protesting around the world don't seem to get what the Olympics is all about. The Olympics is supposed to be an event where the world puts aside their differences for a friendly competition. Not a venue to voice political views.

These protests are usually from the same group of people who feel the have the right to disrupt everyone else to push their view.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I think the IOC is going to look a little more closely before awarding the Olympics to countries like China in the future. They had over 200 countries to choose from - and they picked a dictatorship. Crazy.

I hope they do... For an event that is SUPPOSE to be non-political, the awarding of countries is hugely political.

Unfortunately it's too late now and boycotting isn't the answer.

Well the wankers protesting around the world don't seem to get what the Olympics is all about. The Olympics is supposed to be an event where the world puts aside their differences for a friendly competition. Not a venue to voice political views.

These protests are usually from the same group of people who feel the have the right to disrupt everyone else to push their view.

The Olympics have always been political - in fact you can find a political dynamic in every games going back to 1906.

The fact is the IOC should never have awarded the games to China - it gives them a global publicity platform that they simply should not have, given their human rights record.

[Heracles 417]

The Olympics have always been political - in fact you can find a political dynamic in every games going back to 1906.

The fact is the IOC should never have awarded the games to China - it gives them a global publicity platform that they simply should not have, given their human rights record.

Regardless the Olympics are not about politics. People seem to forget that.

I bet the same people protesting about China probably buy Chinese goods every single day..

[Sister Fracas 5]

The Olympics have always been political - in fact you can find a political dynamic in every games going back to 1906.

The fact is the IOC should never have awarded the games to China - it gives them a global publicity platform that they simply should not have, given their human rights record.

Regardless the Olympics are not about politics. People seem to forget that.

I bet the same people protesting about China probably buy Chinese goods every single day..

Well, you can't speak for everyone, so you DON'T really know if they do. I make a real effort not to. I'm sure there are things I buy where components are made in China that I can't avoid.

Also, as far as I'm concerned the protests I've been involved with (oh yes, call me a wanker ), aren't about stopping the Olympics, but are about awareness. China is going to be on the world's stage, maybe people SHOULD know what's going on inside the borders... as well as in Tibet.

Better to stand for something than just yammer about it and critcize it on a computer anyway...

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The Olympics have always been political - in fact you can find a political dynamic in every games going back to 1906.

The fact is the IOC should never have awarded the games to China - it gives them a global publicity platform that they simply should not have, given their human rights record.

Regardless the Olympics are not about politics. People seem to forget that.

The games themselves aren't - but the event takes place in a political landscape. Hence awarding them to a country like China is rather dodgy.

I bet the same people protesting about China probably buy Chinese goods every single day..

Maybe they do - but I bet they don't. I think that people who are motivated enough to actively protest about something are probably clued up on things like that.

[Heracles 417]

The Olympics have always been political - in fact you can find a political dynamic in every games going back to 1906.

The fact is the IOC should never have awarded the games to China - it gives them a global publicity platform that they simply should not have, given their human rights record.

Regardless the Olympics are not about politics. People seem to forget that.

I bet the same people protesting about China probably buy Chinese goods every single day..

Well, you can't speak for everyone, so you DON'T really know if they do. I make a real effort not to. I'm sure there are things I buy where components are made in China that I can't avoid.

Also, as far as I'm concerned the protests I've been involved with (oh yes, call me a wanker ), aren't about stopping the Olympics, but are about awareness. China is going to be on the world's stage, maybe people SHOULD know what's going on inside the borders... as well as in Tibet.

Better to stand for something than just yammer about it and critcize it on a computer anyway...

China is China. People don't have to like them or ever move there. I don't agree with protesting about their choice of government. Quite contradictory to our free society actually.

I don't agree with people disrupting somebody else's life to force their views. Liberals tend to do this a lot. Where freedom is starting to mean you do what we say or else will will disrupt your lifestyle. For example, You either do what 'we' consider is green or we burn down your buildings.

Edited April 23, 2008 by Boo-Yah!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The Olympics have always been political - in fact you can find a political dynamic in every games going back to 1906.

The fact is the IOC should never have awarded the games to China - it gives them a global publicity platform that they simply should not have, given their human rights record.

Regardless the Olympics are not about politics. People seem to forget that.

I bet the same people protesting about China probably buy Chinese goods every single day..

Well, you can't speak for everyone, so you DON'T really know if they do. I make a real effort not to. I'm sure there are things I buy where components are made in China that I can't avoid.

Also, as far as I'm concerned the protests I've been involved with (oh yes, call me a wanker ), aren't about stopping the Olympics, but are about awareness. China is going to be on the world's stage, maybe people SHOULD know what's going on inside the borders... as well as in Tibet.

Better to stand for something than just yammer about it and critcize it on a computer anyway...

China is China. People don't have to like them or ever move there. I don't agree with protesting about their choice of government. Quite contradictory to our free society actually.

I don't agree with people disrupting somebody else's life to force their views. Liberals tend to do this a lot. Where freedom is starting to mean you do what we say or else will will disrupt your lifestyle. For example, You either do what 'we' consider is green or we burn down your buildings.

Or like China: Don't like what you write or read - there's a nice jail cell waiting for you.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

China is China. People don't have to like them or ever move there. I don't agree with protesting about their choice of government. Quite contradictory to our free society actually.

I don't agree with people disrupting somebody else's life to force their views. Liberals tend to do this a lot. Where freedom is starting to mean you do what we say or else will will disrupt your lifestyle. For example, You either do what 'we' consider is green or we burn down your buildings.

Err......

[Heracles 417]

China is China. People don't have to like them or ever move there. I don't agree with protesting about their choice of government. Quite contradictory to our free society actually.

I don't agree with people disrupting somebody else's life to force their views. Liberals tend to do this a lot. Where freedom is starting to mean you do what we say or else will will disrupt your lifestyle. For example, You either do what 'we' consider is green or we burn down your buildings.

Err......

The point is that it is their country for them to do as they please. China is not going to change unless they want to. Not because other people want them to do so. Good on them for that. That is what our democratic nations are all about. The freedom to make choices.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

China is China. People don't have to like them or ever move there. I don't agree with protesting about their choice of government. Quite contradictory to our free society actually.

I don't agree with people disrupting somebody else's life to force their views. Liberals tend to do this a lot. Where freedom is starting to mean you do what we say or else will will disrupt your lifestyle. For example, You either do what 'we' consider is green or we burn down your buildings.

Err......

The point is that it is their country for them to do as they please. China is not going to change unless they want to. Not because other people want them to do so. Good on them for that. That is what our democratic nations are all about. The freedom to make choices.

The point is that they're protesting about the "choice" of government that has been imposed by China on Tibet (a formerly independent nation).

Edited April 23, 2008 by Number 6

[sj5 4]

There are many students in USA from different countries. isn't just White Americans at school.

[Heracles 417]

The point is that they're protesting about the "choice" of government that has been imposed by China on Tibet (a formerly independent nation).

So go to China and protest there.

[HAL 9000 96]

China is China. People don't have to like them or ever move there. I don't agree with protesting about their choice of government. Quite contradictory to our free society actually.

I don't agree with people disrupting somebody else's life to force their views. Liberals tend to do this a lot. Where freedom is starting to mean you do what we say or else will will disrupt your lifestyle. For example, You either do what 'we' consider is green or we burn down your buildings.

Err......

The point is that it is their country for them to do as they please. China is not going to change unless they want to. Not because other people want them to do so. Good on them for that. That is what our democratic nations are all about. The freedom to make choices.

The point is that they're protesting about the "choice" of government that has been imposed by China on Tibet (a formerly independent nation).

Nonsense, 6, how dare you confront reality with history?

The US has boycotted the Games before out of protest for far less.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

China is China. People don't have to like them or ever move there. I don't agree with protesting about their choice of government. Quite contradictory to our free society actually.

I don't agree with people disrupting somebody else's life to force their views. Liberals tend to do this a lot. Where freedom is starting to mean you do what we say or else will will disrupt your lifestyle. For example, You either do what 'we' consider is green or we burn down your buildings.

Err......

The point is that it is their country for them to do as they please. China is not going to change unless they want to. Not because other people want them to do so. Good on them for that. That is what our democratic nations are all about. The freedom to make choices.

Do as they please? You mean do as the ruling party pleases? Good on them for...what? Continuing with one-party rule, famous violations of human rights across the board, no elections in sight?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The point is that they're protesting about the "choice" of government that has been imposed by China on Tibet (a formerly independent nation).

So go to China and protest there.

Ummm... why would I do that?

What you're essentially suggesting is that noone should offer any sort of political opinion on the conduct of any other country outside of their own (and also not even their own - because as you say it "brings down" the country).

In short we should all bury our heads in the sand, be passionate about nothing, and pretend that the world is the picture perfect utopian ideal represented by the watercolor paintings on the front of 1950's postcards.

Edited April 23, 2008 by Number 6