The Cowards and My Day Chasing the Olympic Torch

Uyghurs outnumbered, but stood strong.

The IOC, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom, and the PRC are cowards. They tricked everyone-- supporters and opponents of the torch run and the media-- and used a totally different and secret route that was miles from where an estimated 10,000 people waited.

The IOC, led locally by the ever myopic Peter Ueberroth, wanted the torch run held, no matter what. Newsom, with his eyes on a governorship, wanted to do everything in his power to kiss Chinese ass. The Chinese government, not wanting to lose face, was willing to do anything but face reality.

*Actual route may vary.

The original route was supposed to take place along The Embacadero. But with thousands of people on the street (instead of patiently and obediently staying behind the barriers and on the sidewalks), there was no way the torch run could be completed. The run did not use the original route. An attempt was not even made. The run was not canceled. Instead, the powers that be decided to run a completely different, and secret, route.

Thousands of Chinese were bused in from all over California and handed professionally made signs and incredibly large flags. They were united and out in force. Many Chinese retirees were marching in single file like PLA soldiers along the route, hours before the run was to begin. Most were civil, a few got into shouting matches with opponents. What disturbed me the most was one Chinese man yelling at a Tibetan and calling him a "slave".

Out of the sea of Chinese and Tibetan flags, there were a few blue East Turkestan flags. About a dozen Uyghurs participated in the march. I had the honor of meeting Rebiya Kadeer, the exiled and respected Uyghur leader.


Fortunately I had a radio with me. I learned of the route change, hopped in a cab, and caught the torch crew at Bay and Van Ness. I then took a short cut through Fort Mason and met them again at the Marina Safeway. I then followed the procession along Marina Boulevard all the way to Chrissy Field. Every torch bearer, cop, Chinese security goon, and member of the official media in the yellow amphiboat heard and saw what I had to say.

Unfortunately, not many protesters knew about the new route. Protesters were vastly outnumbered by well-to-do (and conservative or apolitical) Marina types. Many of them cheered for the torch. They were more concerned about scheduling their next botox appointment than the slaughter of innocent monks or the imprisonment of human rights activists in China.

The rich get a skybox view of the torch run.

For those of you who were not there, do not be fooled by the footage of the run showing no demonstrators. 99% of us didn't even know where the torch was! The closing ceremony was at an anonymous and private conference room at the airport. They knew that we would top London and Paris, and the only way they could make it out of San Francisco without being thoroughly humiliated was to run a secret route. But alas, running the secret route was the ultimate humiliation.

CKY