Tibet Or Free Tibet, There Is No Question

Today was the day the Olympic torch was to be paraded along the Embarcadero, following a path along the waterfront of San Francisco.

It was along this route that protesters and counter-protesters arrayed themselves, where violence broke out, though not as much as there could have been, or so I gather from the newspaper reports.

There was also the most predictable bait-and-switch in history, where the torch completely bypassed the published route. On the one hand, this deprived families and children of seeing something momentous and full of historical significance, as the Olympic Torch is a unique symbol independent of the unworthiness of its final destination. On the other hand, it perhaps avoided a powder-keg. A minimalization of violence would be a good thing, and in line with what the Dalai Lama preaches.

At a candlelight vigil last night, held in the UN Plaza, Archbishop Desmond Tutu spoke of the joy of the Dalai Lama's bubbly personality, how he has to tell the monk "Settle down, man! There are cameras. Act like a holy man!" Supervisors from the city stirred up the crowd into as much of a frenzy as candlelight vigilantes can muster. Scholars, Tibetan exiles, and many more spoke of the need to free Tibet, as the question is not whether the Olympics should be in China, but whether Tibet should have to be oppressed any longer. The question is not of sport but of human rights.

Apparently Richard Gere was also there, but I had to leave before he spoke.

A few images from the evening:

A downtown building a few blocks away with the word "Truth" painted the length of the side of the building, just under the edge of the roof, angled to form the perfect backdrop to the stage where the speakers, the dancers, and the musicians performed.

In the twilight, the wind rustles among the leaves, dozens of flags and banners are held aloft, a long string of balloons is released into the air, and a large tapestry of the Dalai Lama's smiling face weaves through the crowd and ripples in the breeze. People are holding up banners and signs, preaching to the choir, really, but reinforcing the mutual belief in what is right, smiling and offering each other flowers. Strangers offer to help others light their candles.

A few homeless people in dirty and impoverished clothes wander through or sit bemusedly at one side of the progressive, motivated crowd. One such person gets disgusted because no one in the crowd will tell him or even seems to know where the Torch is at that moment (the answer would be in an undisclosed location, ala Dick Cheney.)

A woman from the East Turkestan movement leads the crowd in the following chant:
SPEAKER: "FREE TIBET!"
CROWD: "FREE TIBET!"
SPEAKER: "FREE (SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS LIKE EAST TURKESTAN)"
CROWD: "FREE mumble mumble, something ".
SPEAKER: "FREE TIBET!"
CROWD: "FREE TIBET!"

A middled-aged blond man in fatigues and Che Guevara hairstyle holds a Free Tibet flag and chants "Free Tibet" at random moments.

A Tibetan youth choir recites a prayer-song. Dancers in elaborate costumes and strange masks that look from a distance like the faces of wizened Confucian scholars ply their dance with wooden sticks.