CNN reports that China's threats to crackdown on Tibetan protests have not been well received in parts of Europe and Britain. There is talk of boycotting the Beijing games. Talk.
How the hell did China get the Olympics to begin with? They are well known for human rights violations, intoleranance of disidents, and famous for their restriction of the press. Isn't anyone scratching their heads over this one?
How does this mesh with the Olympic ideals?
The West talks, but there are people being arrested everyday in Tibet...while the Red Giant calls the freedom movement a 'conspiracy.' Where are Richard Gere and Steven Seagal when you need them?
Wal-Mart does huge business with China, knowing full well how bad the factory conditions are and how oppressive the regime is...but Americans can't engage in commerce with Cuba? Where is the consistency?
Are our governments so desperate to do business with this emerging economy that they'll let them get away with anything? Is appeasing them in the hopes that they soften their policies really a prudent approach? Why didn't they give the Olympics to Iran? North Korea?
The general consensus is that China is worried about its' reputation in the world, so threats of a boycott carry some weight. Perhaps.
Even so, what is to stop them from going right back to their old ways after throwing a pretty Olympic party for the world to see?
Anyone, anyone...Bueller?
Showing posts with label Protests. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Protests. Show all posts
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Buddhist Bust Up
The Chinese government has been cracking down on freedom protests in Tibet, and nobody seems to really know the death toll or how many people have been injured and detained. Shades of Tianamen Square?
Hong Kong Cable has been sending out images, but China's government is famous for interupting signals when they want and blocking any feeds they may not want the outside world to see. Police are said to be going house to house in riot gear, but no images of any real violence have been captured...that we may know of.
Casualty reports range from 10 to over 100, with the latter being put forth by Tibetan exiles.
Funny how American politicians go on and on about human rights violations in specific countries and how communism is evil, yet the best they can do in situations involving China is 'urge' the government to respect the rights of the people. Meanwhile, they'll continue to do business with Beijing.
What else can they say? They're borrowing so much money from China to fund the Iraq war that they don't dare tick the Red Giant off. Look at how they handled the deadly toy debacle.
Time will tell if America puts any real pressure on the Chinese to cool it, but it seems unlikely. Tibet is poor, there aren't many Tibetan-American voters to pander to, and China has got cash.
Looks like we'll have to settle for more anti-Cuban dictatorship rhetoric. Of course, when Batista was dictator, then it was okay to deny people free elections. He was pro-America and turned a blind eye to organised crime. The U.S loved their little Fulgencio.
So what if he is rumoured to have tortured and killed about 20, 000 people?
Hong Kong Cable has been sending out images, but China's government is famous for interupting signals when they want and blocking any feeds they may not want the outside world to see. Police are said to be going house to house in riot gear, but no images of any real violence have been captured...that we may know of.
Casualty reports range from 10 to over 100, with the latter being put forth by Tibetan exiles.
Funny how American politicians go on and on about human rights violations in specific countries and how communism is evil, yet the best they can do in situations involving China is 'urge' the government to respect the rights of the people. Meanwhile, they'll continue to do business with Beijing.
What else can they say? They're borrowing so much money from China to fund the Iraq war that they don't dare tick the Red Giant off. Look at how they handled the deadly toy debacle.
Time will tell if America puts any real pressure on the Chinese to cool it, but it seems unlikely. Tibet is poor, there aren't many Tibetan-American voters to pander to, and China has got cash.
Looks like we'll have to settle for more anti-Cuban dictatorship rhetoric. Of course, when Batista was dictator, then it was okay to deny people free elections. He was pro-America and turned a blind eye to organised crime. The U.S loved their little Fulgencio.
So what if he is rumoured to have tortured and killed about 20, 000 people?
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