If they *really* wanted to prove a point, wouldn't they leave France and those awful French universities and return to the Motherland out of solidarity with the Chinese people?

And how nice to be able to stage a demonstration like this in the heart of Paris! I'm sure if a few hundred expats got together in People's Square to demonstrate in favor of the Dalai Lama, say, we'd be just as well treated by the Chinese authorities as these Chinese abroad were by the French authorities. Shall we try it? Anyone? We can wear our "We heart the Dalai Lama" shirts, right, and everything'll be cool?

To quote Louis Armstrong, "what a wonderful world" (winterfalling's kitten just reinforces the sentiment).

fucked the franch ! a bunch freaking riots and retards !! they push the girl on the weelchair !

THEY PUSHED THE GIRL ON A WEELCHAIR !! why did they do this ?

@WatchBagDVD

Now you hate me and hate my kitty and you wanna drive the students out of the nation because they did a peaceful support to its motherland...

I am not sure these kids hate French, because I dont think French as a nation deserves hatred and as you can see there are French flags in some of their hands... why do they have to go back to China because they love China? isnt it rediculous?

I just feel there is nothing you feel comfortable or easy when it come to support China...

I understand something here,

You just hate China, no matter it is a peaful show, some MSN hearts, T-shirts, me as a Chinese or a cute kitty that has nothing to do with China... you hate them all. Go to see a doctor... please.

where is my sent comments ?!

Yo. I don't hate China, Chinese people, kittens or girls in wheelchairs. My comment was intended to be ironic.

Here it is translated into irony-free English: It's silly to be angry at France as a nation regarding the actions of a single protester who is a member of a relatively small group of protesters who are concerned with human rights in China. And tommylee, you're taking things way too personally. You are not "China," you are an individual person. It makes sense to be angry at another individual for doing something like grabbing the torch from a handicapped person but it doesn't make sense to turn it into a huge "France" issue, as if a single protester somehow represents all French people everywhere.

And I have a cultural question for you and winterfalling: Do you guys ever use irony or sarcasm in Chinese? I know it's hard to understand such things in a foreign language, but it's such a part of American English that if you don't at least know when something might be ironic, you're really missing a lot of the meaning. And I say this as someone who's studying Chinese and wants to improve my ability to communicate, not to try to bait you or anything, and as someone who's happy to help Chinese people better their English.

I'm not literally asking them to go back home. I'm just trying to point out a few things:

-They're enjoying the benefits of French culture, social services and education, as well as the freedom to assemble and protest what they see as unjust treatment of China.

-They're not about to give up the privilege of living and studying in France, so their participation in the general criticism of France is tinged with hypocrisy

-People in China lack the freedom to stage similar demonstrations on whatever issues are bothering them. For example, I couldn't get a bunch of expats together and go out on People's Square with a bunch of pro-Dalai Lama or Falun Gong stuff and protest to the Chinese Gov't. Or rather, I could, but the government wouldn't tolerate it, and it only tolerates protests by its own citizens that it can channel toward its own ends. This also strikes me as being hypocritical.

-"Just showing love to the motherland" is not some simple easy thing--it's wrapped up in a lot of difficult politics and the whole simplistic "I love China" thing comes off as being laughably naive and childish in the arena of international politics. No fault of the Chinese really--they're really quite new to this stuff. People have been staging huge protests in the West for years and though it gets pretty heated sometimes, people generally don't get so worked up as the Chinese have. Hell, in the US most people don't even pay any attention to big protests any more--millions came out to protest the invasion of Iraq before it happened and the government and media virtually ignored them (Bush just said, "I don't do focus groups" or something like that).

Too bad about the misunderstandings--I'm used to this being an expat blog where people are often ironic and make cultural references that most Chinese people wouldn't get unless they'd lived in the West for a long time.

watchbag

Stop acting and talking civilise !
You are just another barbarain like those who are pushed the handicap girl.

Have you ever stand up and critize those riots ?!

Have you , did you ?

YOU DID NOT and instead you only focus on critising about China, its gov't and its Olympic.

okay..respecting my franch friend Gasia...i shall stop critising the franch for the time being !

huh, what bullshit ? you don't think tittie is yummi ?? you fucken GAY !!

During the protests, a lot of banners saying "the media are manipulating you!"...
I really felt the urge to tell the protesters: "well, as anyone told you that your media are BIASED too, and way more than ours?"

And not only did they do that, but they skinned babies alive and sacrificed them to their shareholder overlords! Meanwhile Xinhua was busy promoting freedom of speech and saving kittens from the forces of unstoppable evil.

@watchbag

I can not communicate with you. you think i dont get it but i think i get it.

you think your artful ironics is beyoned my english skills...

OK, what about this one:
Can grabbing the repley change the reality? NO!

So can I say, it comes off as being laughably naive and childish in the arena of international politics?

Yes, you seem very matural and experienced to say we are childish and naive, as a westerner who enjoys more civil rights?

but as for being naive and childish in your way, who isnt it? Can the refusal of attending Olimpic ceremoney change the reality of TIBET now? Can I say these leaders are stupid and naive?

So i guess it is not a problem of my english, still it is a problem that you dont think chinese deserve any chance to voice themselves...

and your ironic is saying ILOVECHINA means one must give up the privilege of living and studying in France? Why is that? any logic in it?

So can I say, if you love your nation, screw back?what the hell are you thinking about man>?

I can understand free speech (even here in the PRC), but hasn't all this nonsense talk gotten out of hand on Shanghaiist? The aroma of commentaries has become very black and white, US vs You, right vs wrong, and has left me wondering if topics are being purposely staged at the expense of the reader's patience?

uh... stop hating each other you guys? you don't even know what the other person look like.

nanheyangrouchuan

yes, i am

and am loving all my gals irrespective of their colors

you loser, tell me what is wrong with that ?