I swear I had no intention of getting involved with the Free Tibet protesters, I was in fact on my way to the Ideal Home Exhibition in London's Earls Court with my family. My route to the exhibition however took me through Notting Hill Gate, just one location amongst several where the Olympics torch was carried through in London. I am no expert on Tibet, but my gut instincts is that China has no business being there and the Tibetans don't want the Chinese there either. I can not get involved in every cause there is in the world but in any case China is close to the Islamic Republic and protest against the Chinese one party Communist system can not be a bad thing.
As I saw the protesters with their Tibetan flags ahead along with the heavy police presence and slowed traffic, I knew what was going on and tried to quickly explain to the kids about Tibet and China and the Olympics torch. I pulled the window down and started sounding my horn shouting 'Free Tibet, Free Tibet". The kids had got all excited too and were shouting "Three Two Bet!" until I told them how to correctly say Free Tibet. My loud voice quickly attracted the protesters on the other side of the road and they handed us Tibetan flags, which we gladly accepted and started waving them from the car, while waiting for the Traffic to move. I could see a few suspicious grim looking plain clothes Chinese with earphones mingling around and talking into their microphones as if they were reporting the situation to somewhere. One of them was trying to cross the road in front of my car, when I made a particularly loud and sudden sound with my car horn, which made him jump. "Are you a Chinese secret agent?" I asked him! He looked nonplussed and didn't know how to react, while the kids laughed their heads off from the way he jumped and kept repeating the question to each other "Did you see the way he jumped?".
By now the kids had more practice and we were all shouting in unison 'Free Tibet! Free Tibet!' but the kids had made up their own versions to chant too which they were thoroughly enjoying "China Sucks! Tibet Rocks!".
The torch finally came, protected by about 10 Chinese stern looking body guards in blue and white track suits, ringed by English policemen. A further ring of uniformed police was added when the torch was being exchanged from one runner to the other. Its a shame all that snow in the morning had melted away, I think we would have all enjoyed throwing snowballs at the torch.
The traffic finally started moving and I missed the part when a protester grabbed the torch from the TV presenter, Connie Haq, and the ones who tried to put it out with a fire extinguisher.
Further up near the Russian embassy, we saw about a half dozen police surrounding a lone woman protester, who was pinned against the railings. Again we pulled the windows down and started shouting 'Let her go! Let her go!' as the police turned around, the woman managed to clench her hands together above her head and I signalled the horn as sign of solidarity to each other.
So there you go, I don't often get involved with non-Iran related causes, Iran already takes up so much of my free time, but there I was right in middle of cause for justice and it was such good family fun and educational too :))
This weblog was created to act as a platform for the voice of secular pro-democracy activists in and outside Iran who are struggling against the religious dictatorship of the Islamic clerics in Iran. Follow me on https://gettr.com/user/potkazar or My Telegram Channel https://t.me/SledgeHammerNews My favourite quote: "Evil only prevails when the good stay silent"
20 comments:
Good for you!
And China does suck
Free Tibet, F... China! That's what I think is the best slogan for Tibet rallies. LOL
Hi! What a sympathic report, I'd really enjoyed it. Tell your children..
China sucks; Tibet rocks!
"Three Two Bet!" Hahaha. Glad to hear you joined in. I regret not turning up myself
In Harry's Palace they're taking up the cause of Ahwazi separatist that r being represented by a British moron called Dan.
Hello,
Have you ever heard of a man by the name of John Titor? Well, seven years ago he predicted that the 2008 Olympics would not occur because of the exact reasons that are taking place right now. No, he wasn't just some smart man with a comprehensive grasp of world affairs - he was a time traveler (from the year 2036). And yes, time travel is possible. I would hope, as an engineer, you would be open to time travel.
I implore you to research John. Let me know what you think - it'll probably be worthless, but nonetheless, let me know what you think.
btw, I'm organizing an anti-Winston rally online. Our slogan will be, "Free Winston's Mind, F*** Ignorance."
Meet me at www.winstonisanidiot.com/communismisstillalive
Cheers,
barmakid
Barmakid, please move to China, whether by time travel or otherwise.
barmakid, are you really an ignorant kid or a moron? get a life baba jan... don't waste your time. LOL
Azarmehr jan, plz stop giving this moron BarmaKiddo a tribune here. Ignore him and he'll go away.
Ignorance is the average person gobbling up what ever the corporate news and lackeys shove out..go find out the facts before you open your mouth and become another fu..ng sloganeer!! These are the same idiots who lined up behind Bush and his puppy Blair on the way to Iraq. Find the truth about the Dali Lama and what his background is and what his intentions are...how come you weren’t so supportive of the Falcon Islanders or even closer to home in Ireland you freaking hypocrite F..ks.
Falcon Island????? Do you mean Falkland Islanders Hoder? :))
So basically, from reading this, I've gathered that you are a band wagoner who likes to get hyped up without knowing anything except your 'gut instincts'. You're also spreading your ignorance to your children, and that's a shame. Please, look up some facts before you open your mouth. If you do, and have the slightest bit of intelligence, you will change your stance. It is not as simple as Communism=bad and Dalai Lama=good. Please, try not be brainwashed by the media and remember, it is always better to remain silent and be thought a fool that to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Not being an expert doesn't mean you cant make a judgement, it means for example I don't know what the population of Tibet is or the name of the present governor, but Communism is bad, one party system is bad, period!
Same could be said about apartheid in South Africa, or Pinochet's dictatorship in Chile, I wasn't an expert on Chile or South Africa but I knew enough to make a reasonable judgement that what was happening there was wrong.
You don't need a degree in international relations to condemn evil and human rights abuse just basic gut instincts suffice and my gut instincts are usually right.
So did you mean Falkland Islands and not Falcon Islands, Mr. expert? :))
"it is always better to remain silent and be thought a fool that to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.."
Hahaha!! He got you Azarmehr! But anyways, I don't support his foul language and equally ignorant approach to real issues. And yes, there is a Falcon Island, but I'm not aware of any struggle they were engaged in.
I support your right to speak your mind without being hassled by anonymous schmucks, for I too don't have an international relations degree. But I gotta say, it does bother me when you simplify things to the point of saying communism is bad; no, the Soviet Union was bad, the Khmer Rouge was bad, but communism has yet to be tested as a good or bad form of government.
And to anonymous, make a point; otherwise it's useless for you to just insult people. Just insult them while making a point :)
peace,
barmakid
If any theory has been over tested its Communism. It has been tested in all sorts of countries from those with an industrial base like East Germany to rural economies like Ethiopia, amongst all kinds of cultures, and in different periods of time, and it has consistently been a disaster, and the citizens always felt miserable and repressed. Communism like political Islam is an ideology which thinks its so superior that its worth sacrificing everything for it. It really is as simple as that. I bet you even if you try it in Falcon islands it will fail, it may however be admired by those who choose to live outside it :))
How about Israel? Looks like socialism is working quite well for the Israelis. Maybe someone should ship you, Winston, and Bahrmerad to work on an Israeli kibbutz.
Don't you think it's kind of absurd when you denounce socialism and support Israel? Who am I kidding, hypocrisy is a cornerstone of this blog.
barmakid
Perhaps we could ask you the same thing. Don't you think hypocrisy is the cornerstone of your whole being when you denounce Israel and yet claim it to be Socialist?
Of course those who have hypocrisy as the cornerstone of their whole existense, e.g. rant on about how good Socialism is but rather live in a capitalist country, also like to twist facts.
What we have been talking is the utter failure of Communism, i.e. the Marxist-Leninst ideology, otherwise Socialism of the kind we have seen in monarchies like Sweden and England has had its merits at times.
Actually, I've explicitly said I'm not a socialist, I just appreciate the theory. It would be foolish for me to be this or that, there is no reason for aligning myself with any ideology at this age; I just study them. So come up with something else to say.
barmakid
Azarnehr:
Regarding the last few comments in this thread: I know someone who is an American citizen (born and bred in USA) and is Jewish (Jewish family too). He and his friend lived in Israel for a while and worked on an Israeli kibbutz a few years ago.
"Socialism" or "Communism" as "ideologies" sound very good, in practice they have not quite worked out as systems of government, e.g. USSR, China, etc... IMO - mostly because of human nature.
The idea of "equality" i.e. equal for you and I, for example, we are "comrades", "brothers", etc... all "sound" great & comforting. In reality it doesn't work out that way. Unless one is a DREAMER.
Often and in most ex-socialist and communist countries, or those with "leftist" aspirations end up with more of a "class system" according to dollars and good living than in so-called Capitalist countries. It tends to become superficial and a façade - a selling point, if you will, to the masses looking to drive themselves out of poverty. Of course, the grass is always greener on the other side.
However, I do like aspects of "Social Democracies" such as a few Scandinavian countries, which are actually Constitutional Monarchies. They tend to provide "safety nets" for certain needy segments in the society. I believe it is often culturally, and historically specific.
A friend once told me this: "when in your teens or 20's you aren't a Socialist or a Communist, you don't have a heart; when older if you are still a Socialist or Communist, then, you don't have a brain". I found it interesting.
I am leaving this comment in passing as I'm very busy with my workload and don't have the time to check back and reply, should there be a need to do so.
All I can say from reading your blog is that your a blind fool - typical bandwagon jumper. Learn the facts and history of Tibet before you start making "gut" judgements please.
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