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NEWS & LETTERS, April - May 2008'Talk about freedom'SAN FRANCISCO--The April 9 Olympic torch relay protest in San Francisco was no great confrontation between those who came to cheer and those speaking out against the Chinese government's human rights abuses. Throughout the multitude of 30,000, crimson Chinese national flags and multi-colored Tibetan national flags were more or less evenly distributed. Groups representing Burma and Darfur called on China to stop selling weapons to the respective military forces. There were animated debates here and there, but for the most part the various sides rubbed elbows peaceably. Hours later it became apparent why the cops and the torch were not where the crowd had anticipated. The route had been altered so as to completely avoid detractors. The missing cops formed double flanks on either side of the torchbearers, with motorcycles and squad cars at the front and rear. The only public witnesses were a handful of delightfully surprised gentry through whose upscale neighborhoods the procession passed. Once the torch was safely aboard an aircraft, the Mayor repeatedly gloated over his deft handling of the situation, pointing out that no one was hurt, the torch passed through the city with dignity, and free speech was protected. But it was "protected" in a designated free speech zone far away from the venue of significance because the venue had been surreptitiously moved. A speaker addressing the Tibetan diaspora and their supporters declared victory inasmuch as the torch relay was driven underground and the gala closing ceremony at Justin Herman Plaza had to be canceled. A small closing ceremony was held at the airport attended by torchbearers, Olympic organizers from Beijing, and Mayor Newsom. One torchbearer not in attendance was Majora Carter, an African American woman whom police immediately ejected for pulling a Tibetan flag from her sleeve as she began her part of the relay. The injunction against displaying Tibetan flags flows from Beijing's resolve to drive politics out of Olympic proceedings. A Chinese-American youth who joined a contingent of low-income Chinese immigrants carrying Chinese flags reported that several Tibetan flag bearers closed in on them. His worst fears were allayed when they started quiet conversations with the contingent. One of them told him, "We want to talk to you about freedom--not just for Tibetan people, but for Chinese people too." What might be looked upon as a bust, a totally defused revolutionary moment, can just as well be seen as the beginning of a much-needed calm, rational dialogue on what it means to be free. --David Mizuno'Oto |
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