Officials extinguish Olympic torch

They might have to put the torch runners on a tread mill and put that in a Pope-Mobile (bullet proof vehicle made for the Pope after he was shot)

OK, so here is my bottom line on this...

It is really important that the Olympics can remain a bastion of goodwill and peace, but at the same time it should be a platform for further developing those ethics.

I think it should all go ahead but those who support human rights should make their presence heavily felt at the games. My mind goes back to those incredible images of black panther raising their fists on the podium all those years ago.

personally, i believe the olympics should be cancelled this summer. I really don't believe China is ready yet for such a "peaceful,unifying" gathering of individuals from across the world

I know you're right, queenofit. I still am not happy tha it has to be that way. I did my fair share of protesting in the late 60s and getting the public's attention is what it is all about.

JoQ,

I agree that it is sad to see the Olympics being used this way, but in my earlier years of doing planned actions, I learned that the only way to get your action in the public eye is doing things that are going to garner the most attention. Me not buying a pair shoes from China is a non-event, who cares;but when the protester get the world talking as we are right now, well, this is what protest is all about. Not that I am an expert, just my two cents.

Unfortuanatley, queenofit, I remember the 1972 Olympics. You're right, it was horrifying to watch and listen to.
Still, while I admire the spirit behind this protest, I am saddened that the torch had to be put out so often because of it. The Olympics was always supposed to be 'above' politics and countries policies.
So sad that the Olympics has to be put to use against China's behavior. Especially since people should have been protesting their behavior for years.

i'm so frustrated that they don't let the athletes have a mind of their own and the ability to voice it!

Does deposing the Olympic torch relay from the public event that it traditionally is, actually help the Chinese keep some of the egg from their faces?

I think we are all on the verge of witnessing something revolutionary. I mean, for years China has avoided probes into its human rights' abuse accusations and now little by little, people all over the world are shouting louder and louder.

I do think however, there will be some random riff raffs among those who boycott the torch's journey but still, a question is being asked and if China knows what is good for her, she will answer.

Surely the Olympic games, at least in its most simplistic and fundamental form, is a global sports event. Through sport the Olympics should be uniting the world not splitting it apart.

I fully agree that China has an apalling ethical record, as do so many other countries, but the Beijing Olympics and the run-up to it shouldn't be used to further isolate China from the rest of the world.

By all means protest against what is wrong, but physical action against the games will solve nothing, it will isolate China and remove international that would lead to the possibility of future peaceful diplomacy, the only way to get China to change.

Its a sad day when the symbol of global unity is extinguished in protests.

I acknowledge the problems in China and Tibet but I feel its more important to proceede on in a spirit of global unity.

My mom is currently flying on the flame plane and is on her way to San Francisco as we speak to prepare for the torch run on Wednesday. She has been emailing me about the events in London and Paris because she hasn't heard about it at all! She does not have access to internet, only email, so I try to copy articles for her. I'm sending her the link to this particular news article on current so she can see everyone's reactions to the protest once she gets into America. Thank you Current for providing such an amazing venue for everyone to express their opinions!

And...to the protesters...please don't hurt anyone. Some of us would like to see the torch run events go off without a hitch.

Yay for bandwagons. Screw even the projected image of world unity. Who needs that?

While we're at it, lets just cancel the whole event, all events, ever. There is always going to be Some Government taking part in the Olympics that deserves protest. I'd bet money that, if the Tibetan riots had happened a year or two earlier, there wouldn't be nearly so much backlash now.

Of course Tibet is a valid protest, but attacking the torch bearers is a dick thing to do. These are scary times, and the Olympics could be used to at least create some semblance of people making an attempt to come together. This pisses me off.

There's nobody better than the French to remind us all of the power of protest.

i'd make "Stop That Torch" a new Olympic event...

Are we certain "Stop That Torch!" isn't a new Olympic event?

Just wait until the flame reaches San Francisco, the home of current.com! Protesters there are just juicing at the lips for that thing to arrive.

Unfortunately the Olympics are more than merely sport: They have grown into a nasty political vehicle used to carry out the very acts that scar the world community we live in.

did this ever happened before?? i mean the extinguishing the torch part.

I agree that the tibet is using this event to rightfully ask fot what is theirs, freedom. But i can help to feel a little bit sorry for the olimpics as a worlwide event, i really enjoy them and and i wouldn't like it to be use as anything but a soprt event that join the world.

well, china was the first one to use the olimpics as a political move so nevermind.

Vive la Fronss! Love it.

I assure you, you are not the only one who feels that way. China isn't really known for justifying its actions. Neither is the US for that matter.

Am I the only one who thinks it's time for China to step up to the plate and make a statement with regards to all of this? It won't end in France!

Apparently they lit about 8 torches from the sun on the Olympic site so that if one does go out, the original 'Olympic flame' is still going. The torches are meant to be able to withstand snow, rain, wind.. and protester's fire extinguishers.

Wow, what a landmark event. Reflects the times we're living in so perfectly.