Home > Jeff Schultz > Archives > 2008 > August > 07 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USCelebration returns to Beijing
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Beijing - Two teenage girls giggle as they approach, asking the frumpy middle-aged guy, who is sweating in humidity beyond an Atlanta August, if he wouldn’t mind posing for a picture.
“Please, it’s OK?” asks Yangru, as her friend rushes to hold up a small camera.
She is standing in Tiananmen Square, too young to have first-hand knowledge of what happened here 19 years ago, but old enough to know her history. She has heard or read the stories.
“This is very important place for all of China,” she said. “What happened here was bad. But now in Olympics, this is where we celebrate.”
A mural of Mao faces the square, looking down, as if still keeping watch. The square is filled with locals and tourists, perhaps surpassed only by police and security. Yangru (who gives only one name) continues talking when a security man suddenly approaches from behind her, stops and listens to the conversation. She ignores him. He eventually leaves. She smiles.
“We all hope for a happy ending,” she said.
Nineteen years after pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen turned bloody, seven years after thousands of Chinese celebrated in the very same square with the announcement of the Olympics, China tries to put on its best face tonight.
Opening Ceremonies doesn’t merely commence the 29th Olympics of the modern era, it’s the beginning of a country and a government putting itself center stage and asking, “What do you think of me?”
They have tried so hard to please here. You can’t ask a question without seven volunteers trying to get you an answer.
“What do you people in the United States think of China?” the man at the airport asks. And then he offers you a Marlboro.
In an ideal world, the Olympics are about sport and competition, free of any political fingerprints. Unfortunately, we know better. This has the potential to be the most politically charged of all Games.
The people this week have been great - almost Stepford-like. It follows the government has done a nice job clearing out almost everybody else. Dissidents have either been jailed or packed and shipped to remote areas of the earth. The protests that have popped up this week have been quickly squashed. Visas of perceived troublemakers have been revoked.
Most recently turned away: speedskater Joey Cheek. He donated his $25,000 gold medal bonus to humanitarian causes, and exemplifies the Olympic spirit better than most. But because he’s a co-founder of “Team Darfur” - which seeks to raise awareness of the conflict in the Sudan and blames China for doing nothing - his visa was rejected hours before his flight to Beijing.
(Postscript: The U.S. team named its flag bearer for the Opening Ceremonies Thursday - Lopez Lomong. The distance runner is a refugee from the Sudan, and also a member of Team Darfur.)
Locals don’t understand the perceived obsession with Tibet and Darfur and other human rights issues. They were hurt by the disruptions of the torch run in London, Paris and San Francisco. China has come so far and so fast, they believe.
Shouldn’t these Olympics be more of a coronation than global nitpicking?
“Most Chinese are quite excited to show off what they have done here,” said David Hseih, 51, who lived in Atlanta for seven years and now makes Beijing his home. “Many feel it wasn’t fair what happened during the torch run in Paris and other places. They think what China has achieved is worth mentioning and, minus whatever’s wrong, there’s a lot of things that have improved. People are living better. They have a lot more freedom.”
As for things like security guards ease-dropping on a conversation? Only a minor annoyance. It’s not worth their time. Not now. Not during these 17 days. Please, not tonight.
The black eye from 1989 in Tiananmen Square may never fully heal. People protested. Tanks rolled in. Hundreds to thousands died (depending on the source, government or students).
But in 2001, they celebrated in Beijing, and they will celebrate again tonight. Who could have imagined that?
Permalink | Comments (18) | Post your comment | Categories: Beijing Olympics
Comments
By XD
August 7, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this
Couldn’t help eavesdrop on your experience with ‘ease-dropping’, whatever that may be. I remember the 1982 summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Everyone was so nice to everyone else. I remember volunteers helping tourists out, pointing out venues and making small talk like ‘so what do French people think of Americans. I know, because I was one of those volunteers. I even remember the gangs calling a truce during the games so the tourists would feel safer. I mean… come on! That MUST have been a government brainwashing program. I mean… I know I was brainwashed into being nice. Hey Jeff, could it be… oh could it possibly be that these people are excited and happy about hosting the Olympic games for the first time in their country? Let try to swim against the current sometimes buddy. Outside the box man… outside the box.
By XD
August 7, 2008 12:15 PM | Link to this
Sorry, it was 1984… must be the brainwash flashbacks…
By Brendan
August 7, 2008 1:20 PM | Link to this
Forest Gump went to the land of China to play ping-pong. He lied about the racket he used. It was just a lil white lie that didn’t hurt anybody.
Former President Richard M. Nixon opened the door to China. Well, he cracked it open a bit, and we got some glimpses. But, it’s not like anyone will uninvent the Internet. Little by little, we’ll know more about China. It’s a fascinating culture. I can’t wait for the Opening Ceremonies. But, truthfully, I’m more of a Winter Olympics kind of guy. For me, Vancouver 2010 can’t get here fast enough.
Go U.S.A!!
The “spirit” of the Olympics is admirable, Jeff. Really, truly. It’s one of the few times where the people of the world get together to watch, compete and celebrate, while setting aside their social, political and religious differences. It’s the sports equivalent of “Christmas.” Feel free to swap out this term with Hanukkah, Kwanza or even “Festivus.” Come to think of it, I think the Olympics do feature “Feats of Strength!”
By Dr. Warren
August 7, 2008 4:54 PM | Link to this
Jeff, I am a native Atlantan who has lived in Shanghai for two years now. The Olympics mean to the Chinese people what they meant to Atlantans in ‘96. Atlanta was a city yearning to transcend its “regional” status. The Chinese want to be known as a shimmering world power, no longer just “developing.” Citizens in every city of the planet want to feel admired by the rest of the world. You might understand what you see in Beijing that way. Most of the Chinese you come across are hungry for that admiration and, having a lesser sense of polished courtesies and manners, act out their recent etiquette training a bit too eagerly. You should also realize most have no idea what really happens in Darfur and Tibet. The newspapers they read, if they read at all, are works of fiction. Many actually think that the United States is a poor country now, one where life is not as good as in China, because that is what they are told. Basically, people are so thrilled to have the freedoms they do have now, the middle class comforts, the cell phones, the Starbuck’s and KFC’s, that they aren’t about to complain too much. For them, the Olympics will be China’s first, very own “Must See TV.” This afternoon workplaces will actually let off early nationwide. (And workers won’t even have to make up the time on some other day like they would for a typical national holiday). It’s a very special occasion indeed here in China.
By BUSHWACKER
August 7, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this
Hopefully the idiots in this country who think we are destroying the environment will see what a country like China who does not give a damn what the world is doing to the environment and its own people!
Wake up people!!
By Eugene
August 7, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this
People in the US are brainwashed about China. All they hear is negative events happening in China. Wake up guys, and do something better other than complaining about China! Frankly, nobody give a sh*t about what you think of China. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS! You have plenty.
By Max Sizemore
August 7, 2008 6:14 PM | Link to this
Considering the atrocities committed by the U.S. government and its henchmen — and the heads of state deposed or killed — over the years, from Indonesia to Guatemala to Chile to Vietnam to Ecuador to Iran to Panama to Iraq, it is more than a little hypocritical for U.S. journalists — or anyone from the U.S., for that matter — to be critical of China.
By D-Cider
August 7, 2008 10:00 PM | Link to this
screw China. I’m hoping for a happy ending, too. what a joke. another piece of crap from schultz. great
By USAFCCF
August 8, 2008 8:33 AM | Link to this
THE OLYMPICS CEASED TO MATTER A LONG TIME AGO……
By Brundage
August 8, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this
That this athletics event is assigned to a repressive communist government is a black mark equal to where the 1936 games were held.
By intheknow
August 8, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this
According to reports from US Olympians, NBC’s Today show baited a number of the teams to their live set only to tell them when they got there that they weren’t going to be interviewed just used as a crowd backdrop for Matt and Meredith’s slim-to-none audience at the set. The team’s all left p**, some of the synch swim girls were crying. These team’s don’t have time to act as “extras” for these asswipe prima donas. Many were tired from their workouts during the day and would have preferred to be in their rooms resting.
By Rob H
August 8, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this
Kudos to the US Olympic team for choosing Lopez Lomong (a former Sudanese refugee, nationalized US citizen, and a “Team Darfur” member) to be the flagbearer! A subtle statement of America at its best.
It also shows the need for the rebuttal of the following:
Considering the atrocities committed by the U.S. government and its henchmen …it is more than a little hypocritical for U.S. journalists or anyone from the U.S., for that matter to be critical of China.
Has the US (journalists or “anyone”) been perfect? No. But the enormous difference between China and the US is that we allow dissent. Such injustices done in the name of the US government could only be turned around because we respect the right of dissent more than that of a dictatorial government.
By Darrrin "The Vent King"
August 8, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this
Dude, the Falcons are about to play a game in which “Slowey” “Blowey” Harrington is going to play and you run off to China? What gives mi amigo? We need you here pounding on the Falcons to bring back Byron Leftwich to start and teach Ryan the ropes.
By justinit4birds
August 8, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this
wHAT IS THE STORY ON jOSH SMITH GETTING AN OFFER SHEET FROM THE GRIZ.
By Hiremeaseditor
August 8, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this
Man, has the AJC gotten sloppy. EASE-DROPPING? Come on, you’re better than that, Schultz. Your editors aren’t the paper has been absolute crap for months but you are
By Grading Wooten
August 8, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this
The Chinese threw their student protesters under the tanks. They have busses now, as they modernize.
By Political maelstrom
August 8, 2008 3:12 PM | Link to this
… man suddenly approaches from behind her …
We all hope for a happy ending, she said. What do you think of me?
Are you reporting from a bordello?
By MP
August 8, 2008 8:55 PM | Link to this
Uggghhh … I only hope you wrote “ease-dropping” because using the correct spelling—EAVESdropping—is verboten by the Chi-coms!!! Else, that’s an elementary spelling bungle.
BTW, I’m taking in a few minutes of the Opening Ceremonies right now and the NBC announcers are making me want to wretch. Listening to them in “awe” is almost as nauseating as Tim McCarver’s verbal fellating of A-Rod or Jeter on Fox baseball!
Oh, supposedly we’re in the “modern” period of Chinese history. This should be a spectacle. Wonder how they’re going to depict Communism???