French Senate President Christian Poncelet yesterday gives Jin Jing "the smiling angel in a wheelchair" who lost her right leg to cancer as a child, an apology from French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in Shanghai yesterday, she was attacked carrying the Olympic Flame in Paris two weeks ago.In his letter, Sarkozy expresses his apology to the 27 year old wheel chair Fencer saying, "I would like to express my deep feelings to you towards the way you were shoved in Paris on that day you were holding the Olympic flame...you showed outstanding courage, which honors you and through you, all your country."
Some have suggested that the Chinese government was behind the attack on Jin Jing, using provocateurs to stage violence and then blame it on Tibetan protesters. I disagree.
While protesters have managed to turn the Torch Relay into a public relations disaster, I agree with EastSouthWestNorth, that the Chinese government, "...are unlikely to ever accomplish this level of success no matter how hard they try. Faced with the beautiful heroine with one leg, how is any liberal dissident on behalf of Tibet independence going to work inside China? This was a bonanza handed to China...by pro-Tibet protesters."
On the 31 March, I wrote here that I am opposed to the protests and calls for a boycott of any part of the Olympics. Boycotts are ineffective and only serve to create bitterness between people.
Jin Jing said yesterday subsequent to receiving the letter of apology, "...when I joined the torch relay in Paris, I not only passed on the Olympic flame but also the Chinese peoples friendship..."
