What is the big deal with Tibet? Every country has its minorities and fare of separatists. And every country, western or not, democracy or not, is more often than usual mistreating its minorities. Macedonians and Turks in Greece, Armenians and Kurds in Turkey, Basques and Catalonia in Spain, native Indians in Canada, the Aboriginals in Australia, Gypsies in the whole of Eastern Europe, even Hawaii has its own indigenous people who were never Americans in the first place. Why would one support a "Free Tibet" more than a "Quebec Libre" or a real "Kurdistan" state?

The root issue at stake here is really China's answer. How to encourage China and all other countries to engage constructively with their minorities? Obviously patriotic classes and muzzling of the press is the childish answer, and this is where China can really show whether it has reached the maturity level of a world actor - not just economically or militarily, but also in terms of mindset.

What is the big deal with China hosting the Olympics? This was approved some years ago and China's track record in human rights was already known then. Now that the Olympics were given to them, isn't it somewhat unfair to contest it? By the way America's track record of human rights is not exactly a beacon of humanity. Can we use the Olympics to stop pointing fingers at others and all take our responsibilities as countries and address together the real humanitarian problems we all face?