Let the people of Tibet decide their future!

Putting a torch to democracy!

The Tibet Torch protests yesterday were excellent they turned what was an offensive bland publicity stunt into a bizarre contact sport. The torch party resembling nothing more than the US Marines in the film “Black Hawk Down” rushing through Mogadishu under attack from unfriendly natives.
I had been at odds as to whether the Chinese should hold the Olympics as it legitimizes them, although I do think that in this moment when they have to take notice of the world’s opinion of them that it may be good thing.
The site of some Chinese stuff shirt making some glib speech to the sound of boos was very welcome. Although you can imagine he was thinking “why is Gordon Brown so weak, why don’t they just send in the troops and a clear the street of this rabble”.
As to the pro torch Chinese protestors maybe its good they come across some descent evrything isn't rosey in China and as we are learning in Britain self determination can make a once single union a more powerful, better, freer confederacy of friends.
Also I think on this occasion the distinction between celebrants and protestors that the Police made and used to inform their role was dodgy. Weren’t some the groups of celebrants encouraged on to the streets by the Chinese Embassy?
The Olympics won’t be called off but holdings them in a corrupt dictatorship (not that any dictator is a good thing), with high levels of poverty, pollution and randomly applied human rights won’t be it’s finest hour.
I am constantly amazed that countries like China and Russia that have been “civilised” for so long have yet to start treating their own people in a free, fair and decent manner.