Darfur and Olympics linked

Nothing much happening these days. The Olympic torch is on safe ground, and we're not likely to see much action on the Tibetan issue. So here's my senseless contribution for the day: a clear link between Darfur and the Olympic Games. Not so futile now, is it, Chu Maoming?



I tried in vain to find a link between edible condoms and Hu Jintao.

In other news, I compiled a quick list of what I like to think of as "Myths Chinese People Tell Themselves", inspired by a description of the new exhibition in Beijing at the "Cultural Palace of Nationalities" on the "history" of "Tibet".

Here's a quick, top-of-my-head, list:

1. 1.3 Billion people are too many to govern democratically
2. China has never invaded any country
3. Chinese will never work without the characters
4. Cantonese, and others, are just dialects of Mandarin
5. Japan has never apologised for the war
6. Tibet has always been part of China
7. Taiwan has always been part of China
8. Chinese is easy
9. 1.3 billion people speak Chinese
10. If Hawaii (or Wales or California etc.) declare independence there will be BLOOD
11. Western media is biased
12. 5000 years of history is a good thing
13. Westerners don't have a 5000 year history
14. Ice cream was invented in China

Some of these are just plain wrong, while others -- like "Western media is biased" -- isn't telling the whole story. If anyone can think of more, let me know. Oh, I just remembered #15:

15. Warm water can cure anything. Cold water is positively bad for you.
16. A drip can cure anything hot water can't.
17. Chinese people are friendly.

Backlash

The backlash has started: this is exactly what the Chinese government feared when they began reining in the patriotic fervour of the last few weeks.

According to Global Voices, (which is an excellent source of grassroots opinion, btw) these posters are twittering around in China.

Translations:

断指工人， 支持奥运
支持奥运， 唔使讲野
忘记屠杀，支持奥运
封锁网络，支持奥运
支持奥运，来自民渎

Construction workers support the Olympics. (This is about rushed construction projects in Beijing that has cost a few lives and caused many injuries so far.)

Don't talk, just support the Olympics. (Athletes silenced.)

Forget the massacre for the Olympics. (Tiananmen. My Chinese friends for some reason thought it was about Nanjing.)

Block the Internet for the Olympics. (Great Firewall of China.)

Disrespect? the people for the Olympics. (I suppose human rights in general, and the idea of enriching yourself through the Olympics: like having a hard-on for the Olympics. I can't find a direct translation for 民渎 in my dictionary.)

Global Voices also gathered a few opinions from Chinese people on
"patriotism" that seem to show that the agitation is slowly turning against the CPC.


I love this one:

Let me put it simple: Our impression of China is harmonic, and we think
foreigners have good impression on us. When these events occurred, we found not
everything is as perfect as we think, and this cognitive conflict makes our
anger more furious.

Spot on.

(Upate:) I saw the posters being used in the Hong Kong torch relay, here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2008/may/02/hongkongtorch