The risks of not ‘walking the talk’

In communication we learn that not practicing what you preach, gives an important message. The communication residue of this message is arrogance and is mostly counter-productive. For all the Chinese who wonder what is happening to their Olympics of ‘One world, One dream’, I have ten thoughts to reflect on:
1. The Olympic idea is not just sports, it is based on the concept of peace, and peace is based on human rights
2. Granting the games to China implied the world trusted the China of the 21st century would understand the Olympic idea and would live up to it
3. The recent events proved China is not living up to its promises of improving the human rights situation and freedom for the press
4. The events around the Olympic Torch communicate: the world sees that China does not understand the Olympic idea, does not live up to it and misuses it
5. The issue of Tibet did not arise yesterday but more than fifty years ago: it is China that does not honor the autonomy granted to Tibet after ‘liberating’ it in 1951
6. Demonstrations are not just in the 'Autonomous Region of Tibet', but especially in adjacent provinces with Tibetan minorities, who also feel less than second rate citizens
7. By demanding the 'Dalai clique' should give up their claim of independence China seems blind for the fact that the Dalai Lama only asks for genuine autonomy
8. Tibetans do not misuse the Olympics, after all these years they just cannot bear any longer the charades China is putting up and trying to get away with it
9. The protests do not ask to boycott the games or the opening, they just ask China to enter into a dialogue with the Dalai Lama about meaningful autonomy
10. When China enters into a dialogue with the Dalai Lama all the problems it has now will be over and the Games can become the most brotherly in history.