Welcome to San Francisco, 4/9/2008: Olympic Torch Danger & Crisis (pic heavy)

[piesRsquare]

I was there, at the Embarcadero in San Francisco, from Noon until about 5:30 PM on April 9, 2008, to see the Olympic Torch and voice my concern about China's role in Darfur. I was affiliated with the American Jewish World Service, which is involved with the San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition.

Our motto on 4/9/08: "Tell China to Extinguish the Flames of Genocide in Darfur". This group does not take a stance on Tibet (neither do I).

Our main responsibilities (from the Volunteer Information Guide, from savedarfur.org):

"Help create visibility for the Darfur movement throughout the relay event in order to generate press about why China must use its leverage as Olympic host and as Sudan's closest economic, military, and political partner to pressure Sudan to end the atrocities it commits in Darfur." (emphasis added)

Under the heading of "Promoting a Respectful Tone", our instructions were:

"We need you to spread the word that we mean no disrespect or insult to Asian Americans, Chinese, Chinese Americans, or anyone. Our aim is to ask that China--as a major superpower, as a close partner of Sudan, and as Olympic host--step up and persuade the government of Sudan to end the genocide in Darfur." (emphasis added)

Wearing my green "Save Darfur" shirt and green "Extinguish the Flames of Genocide in Darfur" cap and armed with a Canon Powershot camera with a 12x telephoto lens and 1.5 GB of memory, I walked up and down from the ballpark to Justin Herman Plaza, multiple times, amongst the entire crowd, and took over 300 pictures of what would have been an incredible, "beautifully-American" greeting of the Olympic Torch--San Francisco style.

The following are a just a few of my pictures. It was so hard to decide which ones to post here, because so many are so wonderful. To see the others that I really, really want to share with DU right away, please go here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25535163@N03/sets/72157604475239598/ I will be adding to the set over the next day or two.

Enjoy...and please share your thoughts on the whole ordeal. Myself, I am furious over the cynical trick pulled on us; I am very, very saddened that I personally didn't get to see the torch relay, and devastated that San Francisco officials cowardly sacrificed the very principles represented by this beautiful, diverse, and engaging American city so the Chinese government could have a propaganda piece. I feel like I was made out to be a fool; I feel laughed at, bullied, and like I'm the butt of a joke.

Thank you so much Skinner and the entire community of DU for being here to hear my voice, share my outrage, and support my activism. Yesterday was a tragedy.

The following is a sample of what *really* went on yesterday on the Embarcadero, how we here in SF speak our minds in the streets. Photos were taken between 12:30 PM and 5 PM, spanning a multi-mile stretch of the waterfront. As the title of this post states, "Welcome to San Francisco":

Peaceful Dialog:

Darfur Activists (my group--in green) mingling and talking with "Supporters" (i.e. non-protesters, in red, with China flags) and "Free Tibet" activists:






"Free Tibet" activist dialogs with "One China" supporters:






Group of guys doing "a good old fashioned sit-in":






Here in San Francisco, we don't just take to the streets; we take to the friggen BAY! lol






Benjamin, a refugee from Darfur (a "Lost Boy"), speaking with abc:






Definitely need tight security to protect the torch from THESE folks:






And these up-to-no-gooders:






Look out!






"Clashes" between protesters:






Another potentially violent protester, no doubt:






Inciting a riot:






Definitely advocating trouble:






This one is DEFINITELY a security concern:






SF City Officials and the IOC didn't get this lady's message:






Immigrants' pride (and no doubt terrible disappointment later on):






Noisy--but non-violent:






Never in my whole life have I seen so many bored cops in one day.
Here are a few of the good guys in blue:






This guy gets it:






The overall message:






Weather-wise, it was truly an absolutely gorgeous day in San Francisco:





Go here http://www.flickr.com/photos/25535163@N03/sets/72157604475239598/ to view more...I'll be adding more tonight and tomorrow.

[EFerrari]

1. Dandy Gavin said that his decisions allowed the torch to cross the city

with dignity.

'Way to go, Gavin! I hope your corporate backers made some money out of the whole ridiculous farce!

Great pix, pies! Thank you! I love our city. :loveya:

[piesRsquare]

2. Thank you!

I wrote down what you wrote in a message yesterday, because it describes what happened yesterday perfectly:

"What if you held an event and didn't let anyone come?"

Pass on the flickr link too, eh? I need an ego boost! ;-)

[EFerrari]

3. Will do! So many great faces.

:)

[piesRsquare]

4. From the San Francisco Chronicle, 4/10/08:

EDITORIAL
Run ... for cover
Torch relay turns into keep-away game
Thursday, April 10, 2008

What a letdown. The Olympic torch run turned into a barely seen security entourage that dodged the thousands who turned out to watch.

The sudden re-routing of the relay along near-empty sidewalks invites the question: Is City Hall unclear on the concept of a public event?

Clearly, organizers were worried about the crowds who turned out along the Embarcadero, an assemblage that included both China boosters and critics. The surprise switch in directions succeeded in dodging the worst-case scenario of police scuffles with angry protesters, as happened in London and Paris.

But it did little to showcase the Olympics or match the "Journey of Harmony" theme bestowed on the run. The start was delayed and then, surprise, the torch posse turned up on Van Ness Avenue, miles from the original Embarcadero route.

SNIP

Everyone who turned out should feel cheated. Along the Embarcadero route, Beijing's backers and the groups opposed to China's policies in Tibet, Burma and Darfur didn't get a glimpse of the flaming torch. Casual observers who wanted to take in the torch's only North American stop were likewise left out. In effect, the event was canceled.

This was San Francisco's chance to show how it respects and handles vigorous political dissent. It is also the hub of a region with great pride in its Olympic alliances. Thousands gathered to see the torch and express their passions, positive and negative, about the upcoming Games. Regrettably, our city leaders chose to run away from them.


http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/10/EDLM102JJD.DTL

[EFerrari]

6. Why doesn't Diaz just say Newsom? What other "leaders"

were involved in that decision? :eyes:

[EFerrari]

5. Visibility kick!

:kick:

[piesRsquare]

7. Sorry for the missing pix...

I edited and re-uploaded them. Here's the pix with their respective captions:

Definitely advocating trouble:






Never in my whole life have I seen so many bored cops in one day.
Here are a few of the good guys in blue:






Weather-wise, it was truly an absolutely gorgeous day in San Francisco:





Here's a few more:


Party at the Plaza:






Another security threat:






Work of art:






Save Darfur:





Link to my (current) set of 42 pix: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25535163@N03/sets/72157604475239598/

[Kaleko]

10. I was searching for great pics -- and here they are!

Thank you so much, piesRsquare.

Wish I could have been there. For Darfur, Tibet and Burma too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4j3Y-5REzE

:yourock:

[Hekate]

8. How come I'm only Rec #3 for these gorgeous pics?

:kick:

Hekate

[piesRsquare]

9. Thank you!

:blush:

[barbtries]

11. great pictures

i remember once upon a time when i went to see the running of the torch. 24 years ago in LA. John Lennon's song "Imagine" kept running through my head and i could not stop myself from crying. How mean and cynical the world has become. i guess it was always that way but i wasn't paying attention so much.

i had to scroll down to learn what was done in SF. what a bunch of jerks. all the magic is taken out of the mix. your pictures tell the story that matters to me.

[piesRsquare]

12. Hey there!

Thanks fer adding me as a contact!

And a kick for my ego! ;-)