Mrs. Granite Studio (YJ), Danwei, Beijing Boyce and a number of others have jumped to the call and found no evidence that supports the SCMP article.

Am I the only one sitting back and scratching my head feeling, whether true or not, this isn’t half the big news that it is being made out to be?

Maybe I’m a fool, but there’s just no way that an order like this would ever come from high up. If it ever were to happen, it would be an ignorant and knee-jerk decision of some low level pleb officer – not some covert CPC conspiracy to limit the dark-skinned denizens of the world from hanging out at Beijing bars. We might not agree with the powers that be in this country, but I’m certain we can agree that they are generally more educated than an action like this demonstrates.

One of three things will happen:

1. SCMP, a generally quite reputable paper, put out a bunk story and will print a retraction and reprimand their reporter accordingly – living with the fact that they’ve sullied their rep a bit and brought the “Western media is out to get us” mentality one step closer to home.

2. Black people, whether locals or visitors, will encounter overt racism when attempting to visit the bars – and international outrage will ensue – in which case it will immediately be proven that this is a fact and we’ll all be the wiser.

3. None of the above. This all just gives us bloggers something to buzz, rattle and rage about. It gives the polarized sides something to spit at each other over, and it gives the moderate middle something to navel gaze at.

From his recent article entitled ‘Fanning the flame of controversy‘:

“In less draconian concerns, the pollution is said to be horrific, the food untrustworthy and just recently the Chinese began installing that cutting-edge technology known as the “sit toilet” at some venues after discovering that the rest of the world isn’t too keen on squatting over a hole in the ground to do their business.”

…

“Every world leader offers nothing but tacit support with their silence. And who knows, maybe at this point no major nation, let alone the United States, even has the moral authority to demand much of anything.”

…

“The Chinese even have given up on the bold promises about how there will be no disturbances. They’re trying to ban live broadcasts from Tiananmen Square, and they admit suicide squads might be nettlesome.

Their original plan appeared to include having every potential protester murdered, imprisoned or scared of being murdered or imprisoned.

At this point, the IOC only can hope that sickening idea works so they can ignore the violence, sip champagne and call the games a success. What do a hundred dead monks matter anyway when there are so many Big Macs to move?”

Dead monks? He did read the news right? The majority of those reported to have been killed were due to riotous violence brought on by Tibetans (and in some cases Tibetan monks). This isn’t to say that the forces of law and order don’t have blood on their hands – but when you have a violent mob running amok, concessions need to be made.

And how is it hard to wrap your head around the fact that by shutting down live feeds from Tiananmen, they are curbing the potential for various groups of protesters to utilize it as a launching ground to punt their non-Olympics related cause.

But despite all that stupidity – the bit that just makes me want to slap his apple-eatin’ ignorant face is the bit about “sit toilets” – what a culturally insensitive dickhead. A good half of the world’s population views setting your ass where others have set their ass (or urine) as somewhat unsanitary. That they choose to cater to Western ignorance and bad knees is a considerable kindness not a cultural catch-up – ya knob.

A big happy new year to everyone – particularly those readers that have shown much patience in my complete lack of posts while I’ve been off showing the wonders of Canada to my beautiful wife (who is currently rolled up in a ball in the corner shaking back and forth mumbling “chinese food, please…. chinese food, please… “)

I will be posting a full recounting of our trip and her thoughts on the world outside the Middle Kingdom upon my return to China in a couple days.

Until then, I hope everyone is having a wonderful New Year celebration. We’ve still 13 hours of 2007 to go here in S. Ontario, but as I’ve a crapload of stuff to get done between now and the new year, I’m squishing each minute as best I can.