Tiananmen Square Massacre, China 1989

Photo Credit: Jeff Widener/AP

Tiananmen Tragedy: In 1989, students lead weeks of protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, calling for democracy and free speech, and protesting corruption. Crowds grow into the hundreds of thousands, and spark protests in other cities. On June 4, after martial law is declared in Beijing, the military moves in to crush the protests, killing hundreds.

Here, a lone protester faces off with tanks. Several years of renewed political repression follow the crack down and economic reforms stall. Many activists are jailed or flee the country. Party Secretary Zhao Ziyang, accused of using the protests to make a power play, is put under house arrest, where he remains until he dies in 2005. [MSNBC Picture Stories]

Wikipedia: Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989

Oh yea, China forced the Olympic Torch to the top of Tibet's Everest today. The road they paved (at lesser altitudes of course) is an ecological and Tibetan tragedy.



"The final torchbearer, a Tibetan woman named Cering Wangmo, stood silently on the peak with her torch while other team members unfurled small Chinese and Olympic flags," quotes the MSNBC article. "The 19-member final assault team was comprised of both ethnic Han Chinese and Tibetan members, underscoring another government theme — ethnic unity. The team captain and the final torchbearer were both Tibetans," it states.

I wonder if the included Tibetans had any say in being part of the climb? As if they could have declined? Interesting that Wangmo "stood silently." Possibly in horror and mourning for all that has become of Tibet in China's ungracious hands?

On another note, just to clarify, I don't dislike the individual Chinese population of humans. But I really think the Chinese government is lower than pond scum. I have nothing but compassion for the poor Chinese populace that has no freedom to disagree and protest against their government, let alone try and change it. And obviously, we all know how I feel about China's killing occupation of Tibet. Someday, this century, the Chinese government will invade America. They already own us by way of our debt. But, hey, don't stop shopping the Wal-Mart China-Product American Soul-Eating Cheap Train. China already has a foot in the door of our houses, our public lands and children within a few decades.