So let's say I'm mad at China.
I actually might be, maybe not, but for the sake of discussion let's just say I'm just furious at China for their reported human rights violations, cheap labor and just plain being mean.
The Olympic torch is going through my town(for the sake of discussion), a historic event and because I am so mad at the Chinese I'm going to go up to the torch relay and blow out the torch with a fire extinguisher in protest of the games being played in Beijing.
WOW! Now I showed them. Not only did I blow out the torch, so did two other people along the route(or at least according to the National Geographic story).
People are impressed and the Chinese are now going to be nice.
NOT!
The only people that are really mad and demanding action are the poor souls that have to re-light the torch every three miles after some freak for some cause or another puts it out.
I am all for free expression, but not empty expression, since this form of protest solves nothing.
I am not sure what the right form of protest against China should be, whether to boycott take-out or blockade all trade ships for which all Consumer Electronics stores in the U.S. would have to shut down.
But my main thought is to use what the Dalai Lama preached when he was in the U.S. last year. Compassion.
The Olympics or more accurately the Olympic spirit is supposed to show that we can for a least a couple of weeks all get along and compete in spirit, the human spirit.
Blowing out the Olympic Torch is attacking the spirit of the Olympics and it's main symbol and having no effect what so ever on the source of the protest, just because China happens to be the host country.
So go out and wave your Tibet flags, eat at McDonald's instead of a take-out(you know you want to anyway), eat macaroni and cheese instead of Ramen noodles(you know you want to anyway) and live with compassion and carry the Olympic(and Christmas) spirit with you always.
