On Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 4:46 PM, Perelman, Michael <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Play fair, Ravi. The Olympics are an exercise in nationalism. USA. USA. > USA. > > Why would the Chinese be any different? Not that nationalism of all strains > is not inexcusable.
It just seems a little bit over the top. Mighty China displaying a level of insecurity one might expect from the likes of N. Korea. See for instance: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/programguide/stories/200808/s2339760.htm ----------------------------------------------------------snip One of China's most loved sports stars is discovering there's nothing quite like the wrath of a fan spurned. When Liu Xiang withdrew from the 110 metre hurdles event because of an archilles tendon injury there was at first mass disappointment and concern. But disappointment soon turned to anger and internet forums have been full of discussion overnight about the withdrawal of China's biggest star. Some Chinese people think Liu was weak and let his country down at a crucial stage. STEPHEN MCDONELL: On Chinese television last night, the ads featuring Liu Xiang kept on coming, just as they have at virtually every hour of every day in the years leading up to the Olympics. He is one of the most famous people to have ever lived in China, but his achievement of winning his country's first track gold medal at the Athens Games earned him an unthinkable burden of expectation: to win again at the Beijing Olympics. For many Chinese people, he was carrying the hope that they can do anything they want, even win at athletics, but his withdrawal due to injury unleashed a surprising amount of anger. China Daily Columnist Raymond Zhou has been monitoring the internet chat rooms for his newspaper. RAYMOND ZHOU: More than half of the people are sympathetic, but about one third of the messages were very critical, they heaped scorn on him, they said he is a coward. STEPHEN MCDONELL: What is the essence of their criticism? Are they saying that his injury was not a real injury, and that in fact he caved into the pressure? RAYMOND ZHOU: Well they said he injury is only part of the problem, that the real problem is psychological because there is so much pressure, and also, you know, some said because of the ubiquity of the billboards that are featuring him in the commercial endorsements, people felt that he has spent too much time not on training but on advertising for commercial sponsors, and also the people feel that he probably sensed that he was going to lose to the Cuban athlete, Robles, and that's what he did, was his way of chickening out. -raghu. -- Friends don't let friends drive naked. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
