Media Biased Against China

Andy Yu · Joined: 24 May 2008 Posts: 3

I agree that the Western media is not fair, but going out and waving flags is hardly likely to do anything about it.

Pictures of those Chinese students painting their face with the five-star flag make me want to squirm. The ironic thing is that most of these students, when they graduate, will probably try their best to get a job and remain in this country. So which country do they really love most?

It is not unreasonable for British people to hit back and say, look, if you love your country so much and think we are all against you, why don't you go back to your own country?

I understand that in the demonstrations in London, they ripped some banners from the Tibetan protesters and tore them to shreds. (Worse happened in Seoul, of course.) They probably will never realise how British people will be offended by this sort of behaviour.

Just going on your street and shouting for your country gets you nowhere. If it did, the Boxers would have saved China from further humiliation.

(Before you fly off your handle, I am Chinese and have donated two days worth of my salary to the earthquake appeal.)

Edwina Lee · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 591 Location: High Wycombe, UK

Andy,

Painting their faces with China's flag is only for showing which allegeance they belong to: China or anti-China.

The anti-China tribe is made up of all kinds of anti-China groups.

It was silly for pro-China students to rip up Tibetan flags. This is not proper behaviour in a democracy.

However, many of the anti-China protesters were not exercising democracy. They were exercising the stealing of the Olympic cause. The right to protest does not extend to disrupting the Olympic proceedings which includes the Torch events.

The Right to Protest is the exercise of free speech within permitted limits set by the elected government, which did not extend to disturbing the Olympic proceedings.

chunxueping · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 462 Location: Surrey, UK

Where in UK law does it say that the olympic torch is protected from any protest no matter how mild?

There is nothing sacred about the olympic torch or the relay. The first torch relay was held by the nazis in 1936 and given that the Honorary President for life of the IOC, Antonio Samaranch, is an ex-nazi from the Franco regime then what better can you expect? I hope that in 2012 the British will have ended this nationalistic farce.

The IOC is an non-democratic, self-perpetuating body whose leading members are "elected" by secret internal ballot. It is in desperate need of reform.

However, events have overtaken the torch relay and the unhappy events in Sichuan have shown how unhealthy nationalist pride is and the World has pulled together to help the victims no matter what their views were over the co-called Tibetian region.

Edwina Lee · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 591 Location: High Wycombe, UK

XuePing,

Protests are regulated. They have to be permitted.

In law, grabbing the torch or putting it out would be an assault and public order offence. Hurling abuse in public is also a public order offense.

As Gordon Brown explained that legal protests are of course permitted in this country.

Edwina

Edwina Lee · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 591 Location: High Wycombe, UK

The Olympic Torch is an excellent idea.

An excellent idea is excellent irrespective of who thought of it first.

Edwina Lee · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 591 Location: High Wycombe, UK

Bringing the Olympic torch to the peak of the Everest has inspired more people to do so.

Leading by example is a powerful way of motivating people.

Everest record set by 76-year-old (2008-05-25)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7419064.stm

chunxueping · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 462 Location: Surrey, UK

I got no problem with a torch, I do have a problem with a nazi inspired relay and so should every other sane person. Hopefully this is the last time that this nonsense will be attempted.

To the best of my knowledge nobody was able to grab the torch. In London it was surrounded by 2000 police and twelve thugs in blue tracksuits. I was in Whitehall and saw nothing other than a shameful huddle of blue tracksuits surrounded by police. They looked ashamed of themselves and they knew it.

It was something this country should be ashamed of.

I understand that these largely peaceful demonstrations were legal but were still prevented after intervention by our embassy. I was not taking part but still got "roughed-up" by the police. If that is the case then there is little difference between between this country and China or Burma.

I don't think the torch being taken up Everest has anything to do with encourage others to climb it. There are already too many going up as it is and there are many reports of the southern approaches being one vast rubbish tip.

Edwina Lee · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 591 Location: High Wycombe, UK

Just because the Nazi started the 1st torch relay does not mean no one else should do it. Hitler breathes, so should we all stop breathing?

The torch relay is a good way of involving people all over the world. One may debate whether it is a good time to stage it however.

The embassy consider the protests a violation of the event, therefore they complained. Hence, by law, this makes the protests a public disturbance. This is why the UK police enforced the law. I do not know to what extent that the law permitted the protests, but to physically interfere with the torch bearer would certainly be an assault.

If you got roughed up, you have a right to complain. But clearly, if UK police roughed you up, it shows that the protests are not quite legal and not welcomed by the UK government.

It is not the foreign policy of UK to interfere with Tibet, or to have a quarrel with China's government.

It is also not the Dalai Lama's wishes to disrupt the Olympics, and he stated that several times in public media.

chunxueping · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 462 Location: Surrey, UK

I think Hitler HAS stopped breathing unless you have information the rest of the world has not.

The triumphalist torch relay and the thuggish way in which it was carried out, aided by the police in most countries caused widespread revulsion around the globe and was clearly a public relations disaster and a humiliation for China, Host Governments and the nazi sympathizing IOC.

So I have the right to complaining to the err police? I am gonna get a sympathic hearing arnt I? The police concerned covered up their numbers contrary to the law.

The most disturbing statment I heard was the london police chief claim his job was to "Protect the Torch." No it wasn't. His job was to protect the public and facilitate lawful protest. A thousand torches are not worth one life.

People have a right to object in a reasonable manner and innocent passer-bys have a right to walk the streets without being attacked by the police. This country is not yet a police state where only state-approved demonstrations can take place inspite of the hopes of the Daily Mail readers.

I see today the roads were blocked all over London by lorry drivers looking after their own self-interest but we were not treated to exhibitions of lorry drivers being beaten up by the police. Maybe lorry drivers are too much for the police to take on?

Jeff Minter · Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 311

the worst part of the protests is that it cost us taxpayers £1 million. A mill wasted on hippies and slackers, fancy that.

chunxueping · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 462 Location: Surrey, UK

I been watching the clip on BBC from Anti-Vietnam demos in 1968. They are amazing. close to the beginning of clip there are three policemen holding this guy and then a fourth walks up and punches him in the face. In another scene two or three police are hold a guy down while another kicks him. Things don't change much except they are more careful about cameras these days.

quietman · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 56 Location: Liverpool

I saw the anti-Vietnam protests from 1968 too - that would be seen as police brutality today. Wonder how it was viewed back then.

chunxueping · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 462 Location: Surrey, UK

The police are pretty rough today but 1968 was before I was born half-a-World away. It looked worse than I seen even Chinese police behave. Tian'an-men excepted.

I expect people thought it was fair game then.

Shinku Akuma · Joined: 01 Jun 2008 Posts: 11 Location: London

Whilst there are plenty of anti China sentiments in the media, there are also proper effort (from BBC at least) to make good documentaries on how lives are lived in China with series like Chinese School. They show a real representation of the Chinese people in China and leave the audience to decide for themselves what China is like. This should be commended.

I dont believe the "anti - Country" sentiment is exclusive to just China... They always give a critical view to every success story.
_________________
Just like Puyi...

Edwina Lee · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 591 Location: High Wycombe, UK

In between good documentaries and news feeds, there is a lot of drip drip drip propaganda against China.

This is likely to be loosely coupled groups of people with varous agenda and motivation.

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