The Olympic Flame in Canberra

A quick follow up on the Olympic torch. Canberra was different. As the news media has reported far and wide all went reasonably well here. The rent-a-crowd of supporters bussed in by China were so great in number they swamped the human rights activists. There were reports that some activists felt intimidated by the sheer force of the Chinese waving their red flags.

China missed a great opportunity in not supplying their rent-a-crowd with the Olympic flag and taking the games out of the political agenda. How much more we would have admired them and how much more focus they would have directed to the games and not their human rights record.

I believe now, after viewing this demonstration of force, the games is simply a vehicle for China to show their Might and Power.

In Canberra they missed a great public relations opportunity !