Protesting Ok’d by China. not.
I’m glad to hear China allotted space for protesters, but not so surprised that they make it virtually impossible for anyone to actually protest there.
there are plenty of articles that have covered this but I guess the latest NYT article about two elderly women being sent to a re-education labor camp after they applied for a protest permit pisses me off somewhat…(not to say it was okay for other younger applicants to be jailed for it.)
It’s hard to refrain from criticizing China’s government when there’s such a stark contrast behind hosting the games and what’s really happening. The lip-sync and computer-generated fireworks at the opening ceremonies, China’s often ruthless system of producing athletes, the fake protest area, the visa restrictions that helped to lower the attendance of the games, the censoring of the internet, the whole controversy of the gymnasts’ ages, all add up to ruin the games. Not to mention how Olympic officials lost the pole for a Brazilian pole vaulter and told her to go find it.
Is it me or does china have an inferiority complex of trying to display its wealth, cleanliness and sophistication to the world by trying to put on an orderly, glamorous show? (I have to say Koreans and Japanese are guilty of this self-consciousness everyday) Sometimes its effort to impress produce funny results
Of course the grievances I have against the US are many too…the difference is I can protest about it.
This is China’s debutante ball, and being the totalitarian control freaks they are, they want everything to go off without a hitch. Sadly, this means beating down the disgruntled and trying to mask the “ugly”. I’m not surprised by their response given how the Olympics served as both Korea and Japan’s “debutante” as well. If anything, I’m more surprised that people actually thought they would keep all those promises they made.
The only thing I may defend them for is the “fake” fireworks. Watching the opening ceremony, the American announcers clearly indicated that they were computer generated, even giving the name of the chief animator over the air. I think the problem is probably that in other nations who got the same live feed such as Britain and Australia, their commentators didn’t bother to mention it, and now the Chinese are probably taking undo blame for it.
think they have poverty mind set… and inferiority complex. i feel like no matter how much they are trying to look better. you just can see right through their efforts to look “good” to the world. just looks so bad… i kind of feel bad for them.
Hey, China allows protesters to protest at certain designated parks. It’s not so bad… they just need to apply for a permit in person. However, if anyone applies for a permit, they will immediately get arrested and detained.