So, the Olympic torch has made its brief visit to London over the weekend, with a trip across London from west (Wembley) to east (Stratford, where it passed by the 2012 building site) and down south (the former Millennium Dome, which is on the southern bank but is on a bit of the south side that pokes up north) before heading off to Paris for an equally eventful progress through that city. I'm personally in two minds about all this - I'm glad that people have tried to turn the relay into a rally, but don't really object to the Olympics being in Beijing as, if a country's human rights record was a bar to the country holding a sporting event, the Olympics would never get held anywhere. After all, once all the third world countries are eliminated, it might occur to the committee who decides that the third-world countries that got eliminated were clients of at least one of the western countries that weren't.
However, I do object to the extent to which this government goes to appease the Chinese authorities. Last weekend, the torch was accompanied by a set of Chinese guards in blue, and the point of the Chinese presence was that they spoke Chinese - presumably so that they could identify protesters with the wrong Chinese slogans. When the country's president, Jiang Zemin, visited a few years ago, this government also bent over backwards to make sure that he didn't see too much of the demonstration, including (according to one letter in the Guardian) making sure the police cleared protesters off a bridge over Jiang's route. Clearly it wouldn't impress a quasi-dictator to see a demonstrator against him on a foreign visit, even to a country he knew to be a democracy, but what are they going to do - stop selling us computer parts or (perish the thought) zips for our trousers?
One other thought: I was wondering why the torch wasn't taken out to Shropshire as well, given that the original Olympics of modern times were, and still are, held in the village of Much Wenlock in that county. Perhaps it was down to time (although the Chinese are apparently finding time to get a torch - albeit not the torch, but one lit from the same flame - up Mount Everest), but surely they will make time for this in 2012, when the modern Olympics, like football in 1996, "come home"?
" if a country's human rights record was a bar to the country holding a sporting event, the Olympics would never get held anywhere. "
That's one reason why human rights records should be taken into account.
The Tibetans operated a medieval theocracy and would still be doing so if the Dalai Lama were there.
Hindu civilisation suggests that they too operated a theocracy, for the Brahmins - the priestly caste - were Top Dogs.
For some reason, people only disapprove of a theocracy if it is Islamic.
I wonder why!?
The granting of the Olympics to the Chinese must have been a God-send to the "civilised" world. It was a passport to "western civilisation" to penetrate the Great Wall of China and inflict some "civilised" damage.
Because of this, the Olympics have been hijacked by the US and other “civilised” nations. The Olympics are no longer anything to do with sport and competition anymore.
Thanks to the “civilised world” the Olympic Torch now burns hatred, scores political goals and encourages terrorism in China.
In all this, as a Muslim, I notice that the Tibetan fanatic terrorists burnt a mosque in the recent rioting. It was an article posted by few news sites.
I also note that the US, Britain and Europe is encouraging the Tibetan fanatic Papal human God Dalai Lama to spread discontent, riots and even terrorism in China and Chinese territories.
This method of attacking China through dissident groups by financial and logistical US (British and European) support surely has not gone unnoticed by those little people in China.
So there is one thing that doesn't quite make sense. The US, Britain and Europe complain of a terrorism that is linked to the religion of Islam in the respective countries yet promote and condone terrorism in China and Chinese territories through a so called human god???
Which brings me back to another point that links in with Tibet/China. If what is happening there is due to the territorial ambitions and national identity of Tibetan Exiles, then is it not possible that the terrorism in Britain, US and Europe (Br,US,E)is equally being orchestrated by foreign powers who have been interfered with by Br,US,E. The point being that we are not seeing Islamic Terrorism here in the "civilised world" but rather a new form of warfare between nations.
The classification of the warfare/terrorism taking place in Br,US,E is conveniently classified as Islamic Terrorism so that it calls for vigilance against 80% of nations with a grudge against Br,US,E.
Will the Chinese now retaliate with this new kind of warfare and use the fact that the US and Britain have no respect for human rights (water-boarding, detention of suspects on whims for as long as is deemed fit, demonisation of minorities, killing prisoners of war etc, etc.) to say that Br,US,E should shut up and respect their own people and human rights before they feel the need to criticize others.
Would you put me in touch with "whatever" please? I find his comments thoughtful and enlightened.
Do you think he could be interested in reviewing www.1party4all.co.uk?
http://thevoiceofreason-ann.blogspot.com/2008/04/ok-for-buddhists-and-hindus-to-be.html
The comments of "whatever" have been posted at the link above.
Should the Olympics just be held in Athens permanently?
This is one of the more interesting ideas found in the BNP's mayoral and London Assembly manifesto.
Were we to have a BNP mayor, the Olympics in 2012 would be held in Athens, because they already have a stadium they have made earlier!
We would also have another London airport at the Thames Estuary rather than another runway at Heathrow.
The congestion charge would be abolished.
Tempting?
Andromeda,
Thanks for commenting positively on my posting here on Yusuf' site. However, I am not sure that it is that thoughtful or even worth re-posting on merit of its opinionated content. It is only a personal opinion and one which I personally see happening.
Thanks for the links you provided. I have reviewed your sites and am not sure I find your focus on the BNP to my personal taste. I will however be willing to take up further discussion with you on the comments section of your own site (VoR) if you would like to start off there?