Neither torch protest nor deadly earthquake dents Chinese Olympic spirit

There’s no denying that most Chinese took great offense to the human rights protests that stalked and plagued the relay of their Olympic torch around the world. Therefore, one can only imagine the relief they felt when it finally arrived in China, where it was celebrated with unfettered and wholly appropriate jingoism.

Then, just as everything was finally in place for them to showcase what a 21st Century marvel China has become, they were struck by a 7.9 magnitude earthquake! And what devastation it caused: reportedly almost 20,000 dead, 26,000 injured, and 20,000 still trapped under debris from the 4 million homes and buildings that have been destroyed.

Thank God the Chinese government has the resources and manpower not only to conduct search, rescue and recovery missions but also to rebuild all of the affected areas.

This, of course, stands in stark contrast to the incomprehensible refusal of Myanmar’s military leaders, in the wake of Cyclone Nargiss, to accept foreign aid to compensate for their lack of national resources and crisis management expertise. As a result, the death toll there is expected to exceed 100,000.

More to the point, the Chinese can thank God that no venue associated with the forthcoming Olympic Games was damaged. However, much is being made of the fact that – even as he read a speech about the government’s “deep concern for the people of the Sichuan province” – Premier Wen Jiabao seemed more concerned about reassuring the world that the games will go on!

But I do not think this reflects badly on the Chinese. After all, the Yankees and Mets returned to the baseball field just one week after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 devastated New York City. Moreover, in admittedly cruder terms, the loss of 20,000 out of a population of 1.5 billion Chinese pales in comparison to the loss of 3,000 out of 300 million Americans. Not to mention that the Chinese still have three whole months to grieve, recover and rebuild.

On the other hand, it is patently obvious why Chinese leaders are providing unprecedented 24/7 coverage of this national tragedy. Namely, they are acutely aware that nothing will drown out international cries to boycott the Beijing Olympics (as punishment for their brutal crackdown on Tibetan monks) quite like the despairing cries of Chinese parents for their children – many of whom are still buried beneath quake-ravaged rubble….

All the same, I extend my condolences to the Chinese people, and commend their leaders for upholding the unbreakable Olympic spirit.

UPDATE: Myanmar

After granting permission for the US and other countries to deliver plane loads of aid, the military junta sealed off the affected areas and decreed that no more foreign aid workers would be allowed in.

Meanwhile, the UN and Red Cross estimate the death toll at 128,000 and the number of people now at risk – due to starvation and disease – at 2.5 million. Yet reports are that military leaders are hoarding foreign aid supplies and selling them in other areas of the country.

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