Save the torch, shoot the people.

Nepal might use deadly force on torch protests:
Soldiers, cops authorized to shoot to stop demonstrations on Everest run

IOC chief: Olympics in ‘crisis’ over torch chaos:
Rogge tells China to respect vow to improve human rights, open up media

Mood turns ugly in Beijing

The Dalai Lama said Sunday that Tibet cannot make any more concessions to China and renewed his calls for the government to cease suppression in his former homeland and withdraw troops.

Taken from the 2007 Olympic Charter:

Fundamental Principles of Olympism

1. Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.

 

2. The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.

 

3. The Olympic Movement is the concerted, organized, universal and permanent action, carried out under the supreme authority of the IOC, of all individuals and entities who are inspired by the values of Olympism. It covers the five continents. It reaches its peak with the bringing together of the world’s athletes at the great sports festival, the Olympic Games. Its symbol is five interlaced rings.

 

4. The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play. The organization, administration and management of sport must be controlled by independent sports organizations.

 

5. Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.

 

6. Belonging to the Olympic Movement requires compliance with the Olympic Charter and recognition by the IOC.

If you can find anything at all congruent between these news stories and the Olympic charter, please let me know. If you can find ANY rational explanation why lives may be lost in order to allow a symbolic, cheesed out, silly with pomp and circumstance torch to reach Everest’s summit (declaring what, exactly?), you have to let me know. If you’ve seen proof that the IOC and China were ever on the same page about the expectations of a country that hosts such an event, clue me in.

Because, what the hell is going on here???

And finally from another mom blogger:

There is a popular argument that the games should transcend politics, but at their very foundation the games are rooted in democracy where any man could participate and leave celebrated as a true hero. Today, the official site declares in the mission statement, “The Games have always brought people together in peace to respect universal moral principles”. By it’s very actions China blatantly disregards this imperative. The protesters who seek to disrupt the torch are not violating a symbol of peace, but shouting in proxy for the voices who can not be heard.