Cup of Cha
This is China

In an AP article I found via ESPN.com I zeroed in on a quotation from a torch bearer name Fu Shenfeng seems to have unintentionally summed up the disconnect between Western and Chinese views on Olympic torch protests:
“Foreigners don’t understand China,” said torch bearer Fu Shenfeng before the relay started. “They still think we’re stuck [...]

Continue reading “Torch Protest Misunderstanding: Why Chinese and Foreigners Don’t Get Each Other” »

After the outrage over the “goons and thugs” comments, the events in Seoul during the torch relay were just sad and depressing. Mobs attacked South Koreas and Tibetans with opposing viewpoints. These groups of people, hopefully small and unrepresentative of Chinese youth, were without question, goons and thugs. Hopefully all Chinese will be ashamed of [...]

Continue reading “Real Goons or Thugs!” »

Slate has an interesting take on the torch relay from Anne Applebaum. I don’t agree with all of her conclusions, and I think parts of it show the bias of someone looking from afar (note: my use of “bias” is not the same as my Chinese brethren). Yet she nonetheless makes some good points. She [...]

Continue reading “The Harsh Spotlight” »

Without in any way endorsing or rebuking the torch relay protests, I have come to the distinct conclusion that they are extremely important to the psyche of the collective Chinese populace. The jubilation expressed in message boards when the torch’s Argentina stop went smoothly is striking. You would have thought that it is really unusual [...]

Continue reading “Why Olympic Torch Protests Matter” »