Rally for Beijing Olympics Protest against media distortion

Here is what we have to say…

We are here because we have been infuriated and sick of the biased and distorted media coverage of the Tibet riots. We are here because CNN and other media have chosen to use falsified reports and a misinformed Tibet to politicize Beijing Olympics and poured fuel on unjustified China-bashing flames. We are here because we want the truth to be told and heard. We are here because our voice and frustration can nowhere be represented or channeled. We are here to protest rampant media prejudice which led to CNN anchor’s racist hatred remarks against Chinese people.

If beating, looting and arson ran amok on the streets of any U.S. cities, would such crimes be tolerated? Would a police crackdown not be justified? Would media still sympathize with the violent lawbreakers? What happened in Lhasa on March 14 was NOT a peaceful protest but violence against civilians and public safety. The Economist’s James Miles and other Western tourists from Finland and Canada witnessed and reported the horrified crimes in Lhasa. But sadly, their candid voices have been drowned out in a frenzied media fanfare of uncorroborated accusations and condemns against China.

Without credible evidence to support their harsh criticism, CNN and other media repeatedly used pictures and video clips of Nepalese and Indian police beating protesting monks as proof of China’s brutality (please see our photo collections on-the-spot and more on anti-cnn.com). We have been wondering loudly, where is the objectivity and fairness CNN claims to respect? Where are the basic professional decency and ethics of truth telling CNN and all media should cling to?

CNN and other media have closed the eyes to the passionate support of Olympics by the Chinese people around the world while tripping over each other in enthusiasm to shed light on all the attempts to disrupt the Olympic torch relay, a symbol of peace and friendship. The publicized images of attacks by “peaceful” protesters against a handicapped torch bearer in a wheelchair in Paris are not a shame to China, but a shame to all mankind who failed to protect her. CNN’s prejudice crossed the line when its anchor, Jack Cafferty, viciously denigrated the Chinese people as “basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years”, which has set off a massive on-line petition, 102,000 strong as of April 18, to demand an apology.

Simply put, Tibet has been part of China since Yuan Dynasty for over 700 years. It’s shortsighted and blind for CNN and the media to take on cold war mentalities and stereotyped ideological tactics to demonize a dramatically transformed China. We are here to appeal CNN and the media to stop peddling lies and distortion to mislead the public or risk losing all credibility and trust of people.

Thank you for kindly listening to our voice.

At Dearborn Plaza in downtown Chicago on April 24, 2008