Beijing Wide Open

Comment from rapten la
Time: August 14, 2008, 6:44 am

SFT director la,

Yes, you guys are doing a great job. See, the chairman of Tibetan Parliament has lauded your incredible actions currently beiing carried in Beijing. To see full report, log on to http://www.tibetsun.com (best viewed in firefox)

Comment from Andrew K.
Time: August 14, 2008, 3:53 pm

Have you been to Tibet at all? I’m just asking because I’ve recently traveled to China in March and I don’t see anything bad about what’s happening in Tibet. I’m sure the Han are doing damage to Tibetan culture, but surely not doing the crazy things you accuse them of doing. I personally think most people who protest China’s behavior in Tibet are in no position to do so, because they can’t tell you the most basic things about Tibet:
1. Where Tibet is on the map
2. The history of Tibet
3. The living conditions in Tibet
If my questions are posted on the blog, then I’m sorry for not having the chance to review them yet. I just think most people, including some of my friends, are just doing this because it’s popular and not because they believe in the cause with real conviction and understanding of the problems that face Tibet.

I just feel that pro-Tibet sites are not credible and that the media just contorts facts to fabricate a hot story. I believe that the Chinese government do things that are reprehensible to its people, but so does the US, Russia, Iran, and others. I need to see independently verified information to support your cause. Your reports are too bias and unsubstantiated for me to support.

Comment from Coolios
Time: August 17, 2008, 9:23 am

Sorry guys, you failed.

You didn’t get to stop the Olympics. There is no mainstream media coverage of your small little 3-5 people protests.

Comment from Rich
Time: August 17, 2008, 10:40 pm

Andrew, I don’t see how you can base a claim that nothing is wrong in Tibet on your visiting China in March. At the time Tibet was erupting into an uprising involving at least 2-3% of the entire population of 6 million. To put that in perspective, that would be like if a protest happened in the US involving 6-9 million people all acting for a common goal. You certainly were not able to see anything of that from within China at the time, only warped state media reports.

We know the Chinese actually are doing the things we say they do, because these things have happened and continue to happen to people dear to us. Yes, I mean actual real people with names, faces, telephone numbers, voices, stories, relationships, hopes, aspirations, parents, children, and so on. As an ignorant outsider you can dismiss this, but Tibetans and people close to them cannot. The abuses in Tibet are much worse than we even want to imagine.

If you want sources, go speak to the countless Tibetans who have fled their own country into neighboring countries that are much worse-off economically, India and Nepal and become refugees. Or just go to Tibet…but you’d damn well better be able to speak Tibetan if you want to learn anything from your visit there. Preferably multiple dialects. To put things in perspective, talking with hundreds of Tibetans across the country, I never met one who bothered to tell me what wonderful things the Chinese had brought to them - a completely risk-free act - but I met many who put themselves in serious danger to confide in me regarding their beliefs about Tibet’s independence, their disgust at the Chinese, and the extreme measures they would be willing to take to end the occupation.

So Andrew, I’m afraid you’re the ignorant one. Go learn something about Tibet before you disparage an entire people, their cause, and their aims for their future. Tibet will be free, regardless of what jerks like you say.

Comment from S. Cai
Time: August 18, 2008, 7:44 am

I think Rich’s use of so many cursing words in his public comments shows a lack of confidence and the weakness of his cause.

Comment from Rich
Time: August 20, 2008, 7:28 am

S. Cai, I suggest you learn some English. Contrary to the Chinese way of thinking, words that criticize the Chinese government and its apologists are not “cursing words”. If you want to make a point, then address actual issues rather than making ad hominem attacks with no basis in the articles or comments you’re replying to.

And to Coolios, I’m confused. Are the Times, the New York Times, the Guardian, the Globe and Mail, ESPN, ABC, AP, and so on not mainstream? Maybe only NBC is mainstream? If you really thought our goal was to stop the Olympics, I guess that just shows how much the Chinese propoganda machine has taken you. Our goal is one thing: to end the occupation of Tibet. And used properly, the Olympics is one of the greatest tools we’ve ever had to advance towards that goal. What we oppose is not the Olympics but China’s use of the Olympics as a propaganda tool to legitimize the occupation of Tibet and as an excuse for further repression in Tibet and China. I’ll leave it to history to decide if we’ve succeeded in that. Watch and see how the world thinks of China and the Beijing Olympics over the next few years.

Comment from TBX
Time: August 20, 2008, 11:33 am

I frankly think the Chinese people should thank SFT. You haven’t (and won’t) have any significant impact on any real issues, but in the mean time, you’re helping support the Chinese economy with all of activists trips.

So, thanks for the yuan! Keep it coming!

Comment from M.Dorjee
Time: August 20, 2008, 9:49 pm

SFT protest in Beijing is so great. We are protesting not to stop the game but to make each and every Chinese living abroad shame of their CCP acts in Tibet.
We want Chinese to deal with the Tibet issue and make a break through. Untill we achieve that we will be a stone in your shoe which makes to difficult to work if not like throne in your heart