nd t ntns’ pnt f “scrfcng fr th Tbtn ppl” – rlly? Hw trrbly slf-cntrd. D thy hnstly thnk tht th vrg sstnnc frmr n Tbt s wr f th fct tht mddl-clss tchncrts frm mrc r “scrfcng” thmslvs by spndng wk n Chns prsn n bhlf f thm? Wld thy cndn sch ctns?

10 days (plus time already in custody) for speaking their minds in peaceful protest. It’s sickening.

10 days (plus time already in custody) for speaking their minds in peaceful protest. It’s sickening.

Yes, that’s true, but…

This is China. They’re “lucky” they didn’t get shot. Remember the briefcase guy from Tiananmen square? He was taken out and shot afterwards.

SFT’s Mission:
“Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) works in solidarity with the Tibetan people in their struggle for freedom and independence. We are a chapter-based network of young people and activists around the world. Through education, grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action, we campaign for Tibetans’ fundamental right to political freedom. Our role is to empower and train youth as leaders in the worldwide movement for social justice. “

It’s a Very Big Deal if that’s actually happening, but it’s very hard to know what to believe when you hear anecdotal reports with very few corroborators and little physical evidence. Of course, it’s quite possible the evidence is out there and I just haven’t seen it.

But, it is a single-party, centrally ruled government that doesn’t place a high value on freedom of speech, especially when it’s speech against the government. And from China’s perspective, how dare foreigners try and intervene in internal Chinese affairs? This is a country that has only in the last 40 years opened it’s doors to the west, and with good reason after the disaster the British and Dutch expansions into China were in the 19th century.

Frankly, it’s amazing that these activists were able to get visas. They must have lied on their visa applications, because they have very detailed documentation requirements about your plans inside the country once you get there. What did they expect to happen when they got there? Foreign protesters to be greeted with open arms? Would the USA do the same thing to, say, Chinese nationals coming to America specifically to protest?

Boing Boing and BBTV have hosted numerous posts on the current situation in Tibet. Those comment threads have touched on many issues related to the current and past situation there. Here’s a list of some of the livelier discussions about this issue:

Protest inside Tibet captured on tourists’ cameras

Police attack peacefully protesting monks in Tibet

Tibet: more deaths, injuries in Lhasa as crackdown grows

Tibet: China blocks YouTube, protests spread, bloggers react

Tibet: nearly 1,000 jailed in Lhasa, Dalai Lama offers to resign

To do in SF – Tibet rally on April 8, Richard Gere, Desmond Tutu

Photo of pro-Tibet protest on Golden Gate Bridge

And of course, the two posts that are currently on BB:

Beijing: Five US activists detained after lighting up “Free Tibet” LED Throwies banner near Olympics site

GRL’s James Powderly detained in Beijing for planning pro-Tibet “L.A.S.E.R. Stencil” art protest

From our Moderation Policy:

7. Failing to notice that there are other people in the conversation. Posting a remark that’s already been made five times and answered six. Coming back and re-posting essentially the same material after a twenty-message thread has discussed your previous comment. Trying to forcibly wrench the conversation onto one of your own pet topics. Posting a stale, canned rant you’ve posted a dozen times before at other sites. Not coming back to see how others have responded to you.

Before posting in this thread, please familiarize yourself with the territory of this ongoing discussion. Repetitive arguments, unsupported claims, cut-and-paste posturing or disingenuous concern for the plight of any and everyone except the subject of the post will be removed. Links to the same articles that have already been linked a dozen times will be removed. Links to up-to-date, reputable news sources are, naturally, most welcome.

Thank you for making this a lively, civil and compassionate discussion about the plight of the Tibetan people.

However, I am a big fat chicken and would not even set foot in China because foreign totalitarian states creep me out. But I feel perfectly at home here in the US.

Lbrl fscsts r s bd s Cnsrvtv fscsts. S why dn’t nrmlly pst n ths thrds? Wst f typng. prdct t lst 40% f ths thrd wll b nrdbl n 24 hrs.

D cntn t rll t th rd crpt fr th Mzs. Y’v dn bng p jb fr th PRC nd th C. Why stp nw?

What part of my comment at #62 didn’t you understand?

Good for them I’m wrong.

@38
That’s interesting that you said that the Chinese had “very detailed documentation requirements about your plans inside the country once you get there.” I got a Chinese visa. It’s still valid. It was a single line. I wrote “Tourism. Business.” No problem. Some detail.

Not only does this not allow any “credentialed” proof of events such as these, but it also directly violates the media freedom China promised the IOC (and the world) to have the right to host the games.

I don’t recall anyone saying that the Tibetans should be abandoned. People merely pointed out that there’s an expectation to be a courteous guest when visiting another country. Rather then being an ugly American tourist, it may be better to form awareness campaigns locally. Hand out flyers, go door-to-door and talk to people. Making headlines by being arrested in a foreign country shifts the focus from Tibetans to the protesters. Same thing happened when protesters attacked a lady in a wheelchair who was taking part in the torch relay. People see that and it makes them think that protesters are buffoons. If you want people to help the Tibetans, educate the public. Calmly explain that peoples’ rights are being trampled. Even Neocons will agree if you tell them, “Imagine if you lived in a country where you weren’t freely able to go to the church of your choice. That’s what is happening in Tibet right now.”

I am sure these bloggers were well intentioned but wtf did they think would happen when they break the law in a foreign country?

They knew what would happen. Do you not understand the idea that someone might be willing to make a personal sacrifice for other people?