Olympean Measures

Olympian measures by the Chinese government. An independent writer and member of an underground church movement, Yu Jie, Tribune Op-Ed:

Each time I needed to go out, the security guards and the driver would run in to the command center and report my request to the police officers. Then the officers would come out and inquire about the destination of my trip or the nature of my errands. Following their permission, the driver would start the car and politely invite me to get in. They would drive my wife and me to the supermarket, and even help us carry groceries.

I guess I shouldn't complain too much about this "privilege." Compared with other dissidents in the city, I'm in a much more comfortable situation.

During the past weeks, Beijing police have rousted many Chinese people seeking to complain about government mistreatment. Some were out-of-towners who had come to the capital to file petitions against injustices committed by local governments. Some were Beijing residents whose houses had been demolished by developers without proper compensation. They were all forced to leave Beijing so as not to become an eyesore during the Olympic Games.

And the Chinese denied entry to American Olympian Joey Cheek. We welcome the competition, dialogue and spectacular pageantry, but continue to watch China warily.