Even if Cafferty the Daft was in fact referring to the Chinese government, who's he to say? Goons and Thugs pertains to people with brute power and strength that are hired to bully and beat up on smaller, helpless people. Hmmm, looking it up in the newspapers I wonder which country''''s government it is that is going around outsourcing - bombing and killing and maiming other people in their own countries? Certainly it isn''''t China. So who''''s the real Goons and Thugs here?

In response to your question, Cecilia, now you can be sure: I lived in China for several years, spent substantial time in Tibet, and have a fairly good idea how the ethnic groups have come to live together in fear and terror of the awful power of the Chinese state. Real Han (Nan tse Han) oppose the Beijing government with vehemence equal to the Tibetans. All people in China hate the Chinese government, but almost all are too terrified by the retribution that will be handed out -- not only to themselves, but to all members of their extended families, their loved ones, their friends, and a few innocent bystanders for good measure -- to speak out against it.

I note that you include your name and e-mail address here, Ms. Tang, in the hopes that your work unit leader will credit you for your loyalty to the party. If you overheard a fellow Chinese speaking out against the Government, I have little doubt that you would report the individual to the Chinese authorities -- even if he or she was living in the United States -- so that their family could be punished back on the mainland. The monkey is killed to scare the chicken.

Everyone in China knows that it is a capital crime to suggest that there is any daylight between the policies of the central committee, Chinese culture, and the will of the Chinese people. As the Gov. of China has now made clear, CNN has shown great cultural insensitivity by asserting that you can criticize the government of China without criticizing the entire ethnic group known as, "Chinese". The attitude of the Chinese government is racist at its core. Who will have the courage to oppose it?

I am not sure whether all the people who support the independence of Tibet has ever been to China. You have no idea what Tibet is like and how Tibetans are living, and you have no idea how hard it was for people of all ethnic groups to finally peacefully live together. If you hasn't really seen what a real China is, then you have no rights to comment!

China has no right to occupy Tibet. Free Tibet now, as they have suffered for half a century. Stop Tibet exploitation as these simple people deserve their own self-determination.