It is not a suprise that California, and San Francisco in particular was included in the Olympic torch relay. The city will be the flames lone North American stop.
San Francisco is by far the most well known American city in China. Its fame dates back to the gold rush. People know it as “old gold city”. But that affection wil be put to the test tomorrow when the flame itself arrives Wednesday afternoon. Get ready for some fireworks.
Apparently the Chinese government was advised by the International Olympic Committee to follow the path of other host countries and conduct the relay within its borders. The government, in what appears to have been a major miscalculation of public sentiment over Tibet, insisted that the torch relay be a “global” event. It has now turned into a global embarrassment. The reaction from Bejing has been instructive. They don’t understand why we can’t keep our people from protesting and assume that those who protest don’t speak for themselves but for the US government.. why else would they be allowed to protest?
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger put it well when yesterday he endorsed the right of protesters to say their piece but also expressed confusion as to why any of this is a suprise. Schwarzenegger, an Austrian immigrant pointed out that China’s human rights record was known long ago when it was granted the games in the first place. Why are we upset the games are in China now.. and not then?
Don’t expect there to be any demonstrations when the flame makes its way to the mainland.
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