Dear Slate, yes there are chocolate bars in China
Cinematheque: Mulan is finally Chinese again! (and other film news)
Protest in Guangzhou: Why would you burn garbage?
Barbie Spa: For the cosmopolitan plastic beauty in you
Obama in China: Long gone, and still headlinin'
Calling all foreigners! If you are above 14 years of age, have lived in China for at least a year, and will be here till at least the opening of the Olympic games next year, this could be your chance-of-a-lifetime to be an Olympic torch bearer! As with all things in China though, you will be put through a very rigorous selection process, so aspiring torch-bearers, please make sure you fulfill the following five BOCOG torchbearer selection criteria:
1. Promote the relationship between China and other parts of the world in their professional fields of economics and trade, politics, culture, sports, or science and technology;
2. Love Chinese culture and history;
3. Be devoted to communicate information of a real China to their native countries;
4. Uphold the Olympic spirit of constant exploration and pursuing excellence; and
5. Contribute to the building of a harmonious society.
An Internet vote will pick out 100 candidates who will then proceed to the next round to be determined by a selection panel.
Think you can run those 400 meters without fainting? Then log on to this page, submit a photograph of yourself looking nice and fit, and write a 500-word essay entitled “China and I”. But remember:
The essay should cover a true, touching part of “my story in China” and a statement of the reason “why I should be chosen as an Olympic torchbearer.”
And oh, by the way, all essays need to be in English. Read: No German, no French, no Spanish, no Italian, no Japanese and no Korean (don't ask us why). And to all the Esperanto aficionados that have been reading this blog, sorry to disappoint you, but no Esperanto as well.
Photo of Beijing Olympic torch from Claire Forlani.
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I am not sure people in my home country would like to know the "real China". I think they prefer to stay with the image given by the media, the China that grows 10% a year, the Imperial China...
After 2 years of living in the "real China" in Liaoning and Zhejiang, there are many things that I would prefer to omit. Is better they stay with the image of olympic and historic Beijing and blooming Shanghai, for their own sake, and for our host's pride.
Sed mi estas Esperanto parolantanto kaj volas partopreni! Ho ve...
I nominate nanhougrouchuan.
Can't this decision to permit only English be construed as linguistic discrimination, and a clear violation of Article 2 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, which specifically includes 'language'?:
>Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
@ mankso
Actually, French should be permitted as it is an official Olympics language.
Creía que las olimpíadas eran para la gente de todo el mundo, no solamente para los que hablan inglés!
Creo que entre las personas que más se quejan por discriminación, la mayoría hablan inglés. Sin embargo ellos son los que más discriminan cuando se trata de idioma.
Gracias por mencionar Esperanto ... y ponerlo al mismo nivel de los otros idiomas.
¿Saben que en muchas universidades de China enseñan Esperanto?
Saben que China Radio Internacional, también transmite en Esperanto?
Los que deseen aprender Esperanto pueden visitar la página
http://esperantofre.com/eroj/ilo01h.htm
Si prefiere otro idioma en lugar de Español,
puede visitar
http://lernu.net
Enrique Enrike (@at) aol (.dot) com
Fremont, California, USA
I thought that the Olympics were for the people of the whole world, not only for English speakers!
I believe that among the people that complain the most against discrimination, English-speakers are a majority. But they are the bigger discriminators about language rights.
Thank you for mentioning "Esperanto" and putting
it at the same level as other languages.
Do you know that in many universities in China they teach Esperanto?
Do you know that China Radio International,
broadcast also in Esperanto?
Those who wish to learn Esperanto may visit the
web page
http://esperantofre.com/eroj/ilo01a.htm
This other page is written in more than 20
languages
http://lernu.net
Enrique
Enrike (@at) aol (.dot) com
Fremont, California, USA
http://esperantofre.com
All essays need to be in English because that is the most common language among expats. To rephrase, an expat is more likely to speak English than any other language. OBVIFRICKINGIOUSLY.
#7: Give me a break: "Language rights????" Who coined that one? I don't think the mention of Esperanto puts it on the same level as anything, except in the literal sense of being on the same line of text, but I sure am glad you randomly search the web for these sort of mentions and then try to spread the good word. The Spanish is key as well. Bueno as shit.
El exigir el idioma inglés en forma exclusiva para las Olimpíadas es una discriminación irritante. Ello significa considerar a todos los demás idiomas como inferiores.
Además, se infiere una ofensa inadmisible a los esperantistas, diciendo que se abstengan de participar.
Martelo
Argentina
#2
Thanks for the nomination. Danwei decided not to include my very insightful opinions on the types of expats/sell-out panda-licking crack-monkeys that want to show off how much they love China and want to be bent over a barrel by a local boss so they can embarrass themselves by dragging their pasty lard butts down a smog choked street on international TV carrying the Olympic torch. The China Daily voting site also decided not to include my opinions regarding the Isreali girl who sells processors for a PLA subsidiary to Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia, the Indians who want to help China grow so that China can take all of India's Himalayan glacial runoff and blockade India's coast or the American couple that works for Intel to transfer sensitive technology, blueprints for the newest chip etching machines and management know-how to companies like the one that the Isreali chick works for.
Then there is the Colombian boy who whose parents send him to a local school so he can rote memorize his way into being a bilingual crossing guard or street sweeper in the name of building a harmonious society in the future China.
nanheyangrouchuan
Martelo,
It has nothing to do with considering other languages to be inferior. Like there is some willful conspiracy to make English the most widely used language and therefore the most logical for some wonderfully amazing Olympic torch bearing contest? Crazy talk. Fine with me, don't participate. I'll be hacking up a lung as I run triumphantly through Linfen without your I'm oppressed by cultural imperialism aZZ.
Esperanto is a real language in the same way that Ebonics and Spanglish are legitimate versions of American english. Why not promote Cockney as a the real form of British english?
More PC feel-goodism crap.
Guest,
I guess you´ve said exactly what I (and many others) think. We are sure there´s a conspiracy trying to impose English as the only language of the world, and not only "the second language". If you want I can mention the reports of the "British Council" on the matter.
I think that all the countries should complain for this discrimination.