One more on the Olympic Flame

So I went to see the relay of the Olympic Flame. At least, I thought I would see it. But I saw what you see so often on demonstrations. People shouting. All believing what they want to believe.

The Chinese were not happy. They came to celebrate. And there was no celebration. And the Tibetans, who deserve some attention, felt supported. By the Burmese. By so many other minorities. And by the Americans.

I think that stroke me most. Americans shouting Shame on China. While most of them never ever left the States. They only know what they have heard. Don't speak other languages. Don't meet other cultures. But hé, they do eat Chinese.

For a city like San Francisco I would have expected something else. With a whole world already watching China, I thought San Francisco would have dared to point to themselves. Cause there's a lot of questions to pose on humanity here too... The homeless in the rain. No social security for the poor. And an army occupying Iraq. And someone should repeat that. Untill something's done.

For a city as San Francisco claiming to be different, I would have expected people daring to clean their our streets. Daring to say - before we point at China, we'll need to point at our government. And make an appeal to them. San Francisco had an opportunity. They were the only North American city to pass this message while the world looked. Cause the homeless are still there. And so are the soldiers in Iraq.

"Could you please move back?", asks an agent to the guy next to me.
"I have the right to stand here, as a free American." he shouts in return.
"You don't have to shout for that.", the agent says calmly.
"Living in a free democratic country, I have the right to be impolite and shout".

How free are you if you have to be at a demonstration because your friends do so? And if you have to carry the same slogans as they do while you just don't know?

San Francisco, you dissapointed me here. Not because you demonstrated. Cause there are some good reasons to do so. But because for many it was just a demonstration to be loud. And impolite.

You should have looked in your own streets first.