Wed, Apr 23, 2008 page8

• It's `not politics,' but mind your P's

  • By Jerome Keating
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  The selection of China for the Olympics was not “political”;0 it was just done to legitimize the claim that — despite the Tiananmen Square massacre and despite a dismal human rights record — China is on a “peaceful rise.” After all, Tiananmen Square is ages past, and China has changed, so China deserves the Olympics because China has been begging to prove it is a legitimate world player.

  Evidently China wants to show it can crack heads and get away with it. But that’s not politics — that’s just “peacekeeping.”

  As the Olympic torch has passed through various countries, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was told that it should give up sponsoring the torch run because China felt the IOC was not doing a proper job of looking after the torch. After all, who is in charge of the Olympics? Forget the IOC; it appears China is now. But that’s not politics — that’s just “protection.”

  China has dictated that its “goons and thugs” — as CNN’s Jack Cafferty called them — should take charge of the torch relay, for China is on a “peaceful rise,” and only China can best express this to the world. The message appears to be: “Tibetans — you should be thankful that China is bringing in all those Chinese shopkeepers to run the businesses in your captive country; let the Han Chinese citizens trash Tibetan culture.”

  But that’s not politics, that’s “prosperity,” right?

  Nevertheless, even with its own “goons and thugs” guarding the torch, China has not been satisfied. The French did a poor job in assisting them. So Chinese are boycotting Carrefour stores and other French businesses. All other countries better shape up. This is China’s peaceful rise and anyone else better not get in its way.

  Yes, the Olympic torch, the flame of freedom and hope, now continues under the protective care of China’s thugs, and has gone to Pakistan.

  In Pakistan, China evidently decided that the torch run should be a private showing. Chinese delegates and selected Pakistani attendees only, please. But this is not political, it is just China’s right to “proclaim.” As for the flame of freedom and hope — that’s not for everyone. It is just for Chinese and their “prestigious” guests.

  As the torch progresses towards Mount Everest, China has also got neighboring Nepal in on the act. Police and soldiers “have been given orders to stop any protest on the mountain using whatever means necessary, including use of weapons,” Nepal’s Home Ministry spokesman said. But “deadly force was authorized only as a last resort.”

  So now there’s permission to shoot any people who dare to express a contrary opinion to the popularity of China rising, or China’s dominance of Tibet. This would be interfering with China’s show. It might be murder, but it is not about politics, because of course we know the Olympics are not about politics. Are they?

  Strangely enough, amidst all this hubbub throughout the world, there is an ironic satisfaction in Taiwan; for Taiwan under the presidency of Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) told China that it could stuff the Olympic torch going through Taiwan if China wanted to use it for political gains.

  That was under the outgoing administration of Taiwan. If the incoming administration were in charge, it might be a different story.

  There is still more to come. The Chinese government has banned all factories near Beijing from belching forth pollution in July and August. China does not want to give the world the wrong impression of its peaceful rise. The factories can resume their pollution afterwards, but during the Olympics the visitors must see how clean China is. After the visitors are gone, the factories can pour forth all the filth they want; they can even work overtime to catch up, but not during the Olympics, for China is a “clean place.”

  In the same vein, all foreign students are to leave for the summer months. Students can reapply and resume classes after the Olympics; but China cannot afford to have any foreigners giving the wrong impression on what is happening in China.

  The Middle Kingdom of “Pollution, Poison and Propaganda” is not satisfied with being the Middle Kingdom of these things in Asia; it wants to share this “dream” with the world.

  Right now, in true Cultural Revolution fashion, China is already mustering up its brainwashed little minions to wear their red shirts with “One Dream, One Nation” printed on them to spread its word around the world.

  Soon China will want everyone to wear a red shirt with “One Dream, One Kingdom, One World.” Isn’t that wonderful? But this isn’t politics in the Olympics; this is politics in the world and that’s OK. Everyone should believe in China’s peaceful rise and share its pollution, poison and propaganda. The Middle Kingdom will be the Middle Kingdom once again.

  Jerome Keating is a Taiwan-based writer.
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