Off Topic (Slightly): Tibet

Discussion in 'Real Salt Lake' started by tmdrdd, Apr 26, 2008.

  1. tmdrdd

    tmdrdd New Member

    Jan 26, 2008
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Remember this from last year:

    [youtube]2ut4VtEIFL0[/youtube]

    Now I'm not much for bringing politics into our football, but with the Olympic games being held in China and the subject of Tibet being in the headlines, I got to thinking.

    Wouldn't it be something if all the supporters groups of every team in the MLS hung a few Tibet flags at every game? I'm not just talking one flag, I mean have a whole line of Tibet flags set up in every corner for all to see (Especially the cameras).

    Thoughts anyone?

    Excuse me if this is a little out of line on this here.
     
  2. RSL Donk

    RSL Donk BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Aug 24, 2006
    Utah
    Club:
    Glasgow Rangers FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Czechia
    What gets lost in the shuffle of last year's China match was the fact that it wasn't the Tibet flag that got the Chinese upset, but the Taiwan flag.

    Much as it would be cool for everyone to do that, what would be even better would be for all the world's political leaders to boycott the opening ceremonies and for anyone who thought it was a good idea to give China the Olympics to have to spend time in a Chinese prison.
     
  3. JasonMa

    JasonMa Member+

    Mar 20, 2000
    Arvada, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    In Colorado it was the Tibet flag that caused problems. Greenie was kicked out and told to never return to the Dick just for displaying it on the seats in front of him and refusing to put it away. The banishment was never officially revoked though the team did call him to find out who told him he could never come back (Head of security) so they could address the issue with him. The assumption is the team was implicitly revoking the banishment, and its never come up again.
     
  4. JUDGE DREDD

    JUDGE DREDD Member

    Jun 8, 2007
    Salt Lake City
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Hey look...It's my video!!!

    I can bring all the flags to the next match..and make some more 6-4 signs...I never did get the one back the Chinese Gov. agent took.
    [​IMG]
     
  5. the cup

    the cup Member

    Jul 10, 2002
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Hanging flags at a soccer game isn't going to accomplish much other than maybe draw attention to yourself. "Hey look at me, I'm helping to free Tibet, I'm socially aware."

    If you really want to make yourself feel good a better approach would be to quietly donate as much money as you can to one of the dozens of organizations that work behind the scenes to make a difference and encourage others to do the same.
     
  6. tmdrdd

    tmdrdd New Member

    Jan 26, 2008
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    While anonymously giving money is a nice "feel good" thing to do, unfortunately, I don't even trust the government with my money. So there is no way I'm trusting any organization to direct my money towards the issue I want.

    Also, the idea is not to "draw attention to yourself" but rather to the issue of Tibet. Hence, the reasoning for hanging a few flags (say 3) in each corner, so that the cameras catch the flags and broadcast to the audience at home.

    BTW: you can buy those flags very cheap on ebay.
    Another website is patriotic-flags.com.
     
  7. the cup

    the cup Member

    Jul 10, 2002
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    I can understand where you are coming from.

    The only reason I bring up the "draw attention to yourself" issue is because that was the feeling I got from many that had the Tibetan and Taiwanese flags at the RSL vs China game. I felt many of them only did it so they could show everyone in the crowd that they were "cool, or cutting edge" because they could protest against China when a large percentage of people in the crowd wouldn't even know why the hell they were protesting.
     
  8. BalanceUT

    BalanceUT RSL and THFC!

    Oct 8, 2006
    Appalachia
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You can 'raise awareness' all you want. But, it is money on the ground, funding organizations to do face lobbying and demonstrating against those who hold the power that changes things. The opinions of any number of Americans means nothing. The opinions of Chinese citizens might make a difference.
     
  9. JUDGE DREDD

    JUDGE DREDD Member

    Jun 8, 2007
    Salt Lake City
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    The "feeling I got" after reading your post is you don't know a thing about any of those who were part of that incident. We did nothing different than we do every match..We just had more ammo to use against China. There was no protest.(A few Tibetan fans may have been there to protest.)
    You are right...the "draw attention to yourself" tactic that is used at each match worked....What did RSL do shortly after the Chinese players picked up the ball and threatened to go home? Score the game winning goal.
    Mission accomplished.
    Now the aftereffect of people wondering why a few flags and a sign(with only two numbers on it) could disrupt a whole team turned out to be a good(but unplanned)thing.
     
  10. the cup

    the cup Member

    Jul 10, 2002
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Congrats, you accomplished your mission. RSL won a meaningless match, they couldn't have done it without you. To do so though you used some Tibetan flags to get under the skin of the Chinese players, I'm sure the Tibetan people are thrilled.
     
  11. JUDGE DREDD

    JUDGE DREDD Member

    Jun 8, 2007
    Salt Lake City
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    [​IMG]
     
  12. RSL Donk

    RSL Donk BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Aug 24, 2006
    Utah
    Club:
    Glasgow Rangers FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Czechia
    I personally did what I did during the China game for my own reasons, which have a lot more to do with the fact that I really don't like the communist government of China (those who know of my Czech roots would probably understand a lot of that). I also do contribute both time and money towards civil rights causes, mostly Amnesty International. If you don't know me well enough to know that, as some here do, then maybe you shouldn't comment on what you think my motivations were there. Yes, some had other motivations, so what? For whatever reason they did what they did, that's up to them and does not make what anyone else did any less or more invalid.

    China and the Olympics are a disaster. Read my blog, I've commented on it a few times.
     

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