Torch nightmares: Sleepless in Beijing: Hu slumps

The SF Chronicle calls for the torch pass in peace in the streets of SF, and this photo from mid March in Lhasa Tibet illustrates what the Beijing cadre regards as peaceful. The Dali Lama is supposed to be in residence at the center of Tibetan life in that sprawling structure on the hill. Instead His Holiness is in exile in India, accused by the cadre of wrecking for the past forty years. The peace of Lhasa is that goose-stepping group to be scene, absent Tibetans, or civilians of any kind. Perhaps SF will try the peace of Lhasa and forbid citizens from the streets as the 8o volunteer appeasers run through the streets.

The appeasing going on just now is the fear of the big bad China somehow reaching out and slapping down editorial boards from Turkey to Paris to SF. Those remaining ad dollars snatched by the grumpy cadre. Nonsense. The cadre is fearful, out of ideas and sleepless in Beijing. As the torch moves through the streets of SF, through the gamut, every protest goes right to the nightmares of the cadre. Shame works.


EDITORIALS
Coming our way
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
China wanted the international spotlight of the 2008 Olympic Games. That spotlight puts out a little heat, as China is learning with the protests over the Olympic torch.
The protests may seem puzzling and insulting to the powers in Beijing, but free expression and the right to dissent are defining elements of a democracy - a word that seems to be missing from the Chinese government's dictionary. Beijing also seems confused on the concept of human rights, as evidence of its oppression of Tibet, its repression of religion, its suppression of free thought and its complicity in the Sudanese atrocities in Darfur.
There is very good reason that people will be gathering on the streets of San Francisco to make sure that China's moment in the sun is accompanied by a message of the world's outrage about the enduring darkness of its government practices. All we ask is that the protesters make their point in a civil, nonviolent manner. Regrettably, the demonstrations in Paris took an ugly, chaotic turn, forcing the torch run to be cut short.
After all, the torch run also represents something worth celebrating, the approaching of a quadrennial world gathering for 16 days of fellowship and pursuit of the highest level of athletic achievement. In ancient Greece, wars were put on hold during the Games..........

Protesters: Say your piece, wave your signs, but let the torch and its proud bearers proceed in peace. The torch is not the enemy. It is bringing the spotlight toward Beijing.
This article appeared on page B - 6 of the San Francisco Chronicle