Wednesday, August 20, 2008

That's the Olympic Spirit!

Just in case you've forgotten exactly where the Olympics are taking place:

Two elderly Chinese women have been sentenced to a year of 're-education through labor' after they repeatedly sought a permit to demonstrate in one of the official Olympic protest areas, according to family members and human rights advocates.

The women, Wu Dianyuan, 79, and Wang Xiuying, 77, had made five visits to the police this month in an effort to get permission to protest what they contended was inadequate compensation for the demolition of their homes in Beijing.

During their final visit on Monday, public security officials informed them that they had been given administrative sentences for 'disturbing the public order,' according to Li Xuehui, Ms. Wu’s son.
'cause you know that it's the septuagenarians you have to worry about!

We may have the "protest zones" (coming soon to a political convention near you), but at least we haven't sent anybody away for "re-education." Yet.

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