what do you think about the chinese occupation of tibet

[MargaretR]

quote Steeljack -what does he actually do ?

The Dalai Lama's biography
He does a fair bit more than the pope (for less money )

[garinda]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

quote Steeljack -what does he actually do ?

The Dalai Lama's biography
He does a fair bit more than the pope (for less money )

Or as much the same as the Archbishop of Canterbury, only with decidedly more tact.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by garinda

Or as much the same as the Archbishop of Canterbury, only with decidedly more tact.

hitler had more tact than him.

[Tracy J]

Originally Posted by Eric

And what do you call the shooting of Dudley George by the OPP tactical squad at Iperwash Park in 1993 ... and the dumping of drunken Indians by Saskatoon police on the outskirts of the city to freeze to death ... etc.

But the point is that China has been a bad guy for quite a while ... I think the term "Yellow Peril" was coined in your country in times less Politically Correct. In fact, this whole question of Political Correctness seems to color this issue. At a time when China is mellowing out, is it a good thing to shut down dialogue with a boycott? Is this the way to communicate ... by taking your ball and going home because you don't like the run of play? In less enlightened times, no one boycotted the Berlin Olympics of 1936. I do believe the British athletes actually gave Hitler the Nazi salute. And if the games had been boycotted, Jesse Owens would not have had the opportunity to humiliate the Master Race. And think of the boycott of the Moscow olympics over the Russian invaision of Afghanistan ... now there is a tinge of irony there ... in the same week Canada extends its mission to Afghanistan the 81st Canadian soldier is killed in action in Kandahar.

i think the opp murdered Mr George and others,,i think the opp are a scary bunch im afraid of them from personal experience,,,if i were to break down on the highway at night,, i,d rather have a stranger stop to help than a cop

as for Mr Owens i think he was the best thing that could of happened that that day,,but i don't think we have a chance of having a Tibetan win gold in Beijing

if Canadians would of had the vote i would of voted no (if i was a Canadian) Marten told bush to ****** off now that harpers in Canada is in the war ,,i cant vote but i participate in anti war protests

i really don't like the opp killing first nation people my daughter is a metis

[Eric]

Has anyone given any thought to the athletes ... those thousands of young men and women of many nations for whom this is the defining point of their lives, who have trained long and hard for this chance to participate in the World's second greatest sporting event?

It also occured to me that to participate is not to appease. In the 30s it was obvious that Hitler was determined to move towards war; in such a case appeasement was the wrong approach, and was proved to be so. China, however, is moving slowly away from authoritarianism, and perhaps militarism. This being the case, is there not a strong argument to participate in the games, even tho' China is acting ... or overreacting ... in a rather brutal, repressive fashion in Tibet?

[steeljack]

Originally Posted by Eric

...............who have trained long and hard for this chance to participate in the World's second greatest sporting event?

and the Stanley cup being the greatest ?..........

[Eric]

Originally Posted by steeljack

and the Stanley cup being the greatest ?..........

Actually I was thinking of the World Cup ... The Stanley Cup is a mystical experience, combined with lots of boarding and high sticking, with the odd donnybrook thrown in for light relief.

[Tracy J]

Originally Posted by Eric

China, however, is moving slowly away from authoritarianism, and perhaps militarism. This being the case, is there not a strong argument to participate in the games, even tho' China is acting ... or overreacting ... in a rather brutal, repressive fashion in Tibet?

China doesn't seem to be moving away from militarism,,,they are getting worse Protests and violence in Tibet, March 2008

[Darby]

Nobody said anything or did anything when the Chinese walked into Tibet in the early 50's. Just another distraction made for the Politicians so they can fiddle away at their expenses. Dalli who?

[shakermaker]

The Olympic games should not be used as cheap politics. If we as a country are going to do something about the situation there, it should be done properly at a governmental level and not through boycotts of the games etc.
The athletes are just making their living, they shouldn't be used as political pawns and no one anywhere should feel guilty for watching the games.
The guilt should be the property of politicians who are doing absolutely nothing because they are too afraid of China's input on our economy.

[Tracy J]

i sympathize with the athletes and there dreams of gold,,,, but the Tibetan people are dreaming of something more precious freedom

[steeljack]

Originally Posted by Tracy J

i sympathize with the athletes and there dreams of gold,,,, but the Tibetan people are dreaming of something more precious freedom

Is that something you can slap between two slices of bread , the Zimbabweans got their 'freedom' and now they are starving . South Africa got their freedom and now its going down the tubes faster than you can say Uhuru .

[Tracy J]

Originally Posted by steeljack

Is that something you can slap between two slices of bread , the Zimbabweans got their 'freedom' and now they are starving . South Africa got their freedom and now its going down the tubes faster than you can say Uhuru .

you cant put it on a butte but it tastes sweet

[Eric]

Originally Posted by Tracy J

i sympathize with the athletes and there dreams of gold,,,, but the Tibetan people are dreaming of something more precious freedom

Idealism is fine ... I have a streak of it myself ... but here you are suggesting that olympic athletes, without their consent, are to be used as pawns in a cause they may or may not agree with, or even understand. If you wish to express your solidarity with Tibetans you are free to do so, but to coerce others into supporting your beliefs is wrong ... you can't promote the freedom of one group, by denying the freedoms of another group.

[Wynonie Harris]

Perhaps you could enlighten me on something that has always puzzled me, Eric. Why is it that many (although not all) liberal-minded "idealists" are very choosy about the repressive police states that they condemn? Apartheid-era South Africa, Allende's Chile and Israel have all been on the list. However, left-wing and black-on-black repression seem to elicit a decidedly lukewarm response from our comrades. Communist China, North Korea and a depressing list of African countries such as Amin's Uganda. Then, of course, there was the Soviet-era USSR which, despite its massive abuses of human rights, drew positive praise from some quarters of the left. I'm consistent in as much as I condemn all dicatorships and police states - others seem less so.