2008 Woodie Awards
Violent threats against torch protestors takes hard line
Issue date: 4/22/08 Section: Editorials
After months of protests increasing in intensity, recent developments from the Nepalese government have prompted what we feel is the final straw in understanding the Olympic games and the Chinese political situation at this current time. The torch will travel through Nepal May 1-10 and up to the summit of Mt. Everest. Here, state police forces, partially under Chinese influence, are assigned to protect the torch from protestors and have been given the authorization to use lethal force if necessary. The editorial board of The Miami Student believes that not only does this order represent a dangerous shift away from how protestors have been and should be handled, but it is a continuation of the politicization of the Olympic ceremonies by threatening those who disagree with Chinese policy.
This is, if nothing else, hubris on the part of Chinese and Nepalese officials that they can attempt to threaten protestors on the mountain in an attempt to clamp down on opposition to their policies after the torch has moved from Western states into their own backyard. Under no circumstances should protestors have to fear for their well-being and lives if they restrict themselves to non-violent means of expressing their message. While protestors should recognize they have a responsibility to maintain a nonviolent protest, we must understand the deep seeded tensions in this region of the world and how quickly peaceful protests have turned into horrific state-led crackdowns.
As a student newspaper, we must not allow our minds to drift from this burning topic of freedom of expression around the world and the right to dissent simply because the location has shifted to the East. As the torch passed through Paris and San Francisco, we saw heightened media attention simply because the events were so close to home that it was almost impossible to ignore for most of America. We cannot forget about the continuing problems that plague this Olympics just because the torch is soon to be high in the mountains of Asia.
This editorial board feels that of all the moral causes for which student organizations on campus adopt, there should be vocal examinations and publicizing of the torch running events and the human rights issues that surround these Olympics. This board has editorialized before on the enormous power those student organizations have to mobilize the community and spread awareness about a variety of topics to every Miami student. This process should be in full swing as government reactions to these Olympic protests intensify-we cannot be satisfied with only paying attention for a short glimpse of the protests of the torch run in Western countries.
This is, if nothing else, hubris on the part of Chinese and Nepalese officials that they can attempt to threaten protestors on the mountain in an attempt to clamp down on opposition to their policies after the torch has moved from Western states into their own backyard. Under no circumstances should protestors have to fear for their well-being and lives if they restrict themselves to non-violent means of expressing their message. While protestors should recognize they have a responsibility to maintain a nonviolent protest, we must understand the deep seeded tensions in this region of the world and how quickly peaceful protests have turned into horrific state-led crackdowns.
As a student newspaper, we must not allow our minds to drift from this burning topic of freedom of expression around the world and the right to dissent simply because the location has shifted to the East. As the torch passed through Paris and San Francisco, we saw heightened media attention simply because the events were so close to home that it was almost impossible to ignore for most of America. We cannot forget about the continuing problems that plague this Olympics just because the torch is soon to be high in the mountains of Asia.
This editorial board feels that of all the moral causes for which student organizations on campus adopt, there should be vocal examinations and publicizing of the torch running events and the human rights issues that surround these Olympics. This board has editorialized before on the enormous power those student organizations have to mobilize the community and spread awareness about a variety of topics to every Miami student. This process should be in full swing as government reactions to these Olympic protests intensify-we cannot be satisfied with only paying attention for a short glimpse of the protests of the torch run in Western countries.
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