One of the more interesting dynamics (or exhausting rituals, depending on your perspective) surrounding this summer's Olympics in China is the near-constant songs of protest surrounding China's human-rights policies. Thrust onto the prominence of the Olympics' international stage, China suddenly faced criticism over its policies in Tibet, its approach to Darfur, and its sometimes-tyrannical approach to internal critics. Then, you know, a devastating freaking earthquake happened, and as many as 50,000 of China's citizens were killed. Thousands more are injured. Even more are displaced. As the Wall Street Journal notes today, it's pretty tough to imagine criticizing China now:
"The tone of advocacy has to change because of the earthquake," says Jill Savitt, director of Dream for Darfur campaign, which has been protesting China's support of the Sudanese government. "It would really be unwise and unstrategic to continue to pound on China and not to realize that there have been hundreds of thousands of people who have been killed and wounded. It would be foolhardy."
