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May 24, 2013
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Chinese Official: Björk ‘Hurt Chinese People’s Feelings’Posted on Mar 7, 2008
Pixieish provocateur Björk sparked the ire of Chinese officials by voicing her support for an independent Tibet at the close of her concert in Shanghai last Sunday. According to China’s Culture Ministry, the Icelandic chanteuse broke “Chinese law and hurt Chinese people’s feelings” by chanting “Tibet, Tibet” at the end of her protest song “Declare Independence” (which she’s frequently customized to suit other countries’ bids for independence). In her own statement, Björk said, “[T]his song was written more with the personal in mind but the fact that it has translated to its broadest meaning, the struggle of a suppressed nation, gives me much pleasure.”
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By chaster, March 29, 2011 at 7:46 am Link to this comment
In her teens, Björk was influenced by punk; at 14 she formed the all-girl punk band Spit and Snot, shortly followed by the jazz fusion group Exodus in 1979. In 1980 she graduated from music school. In 1981 she and bassist Jakob Magnússon formed another band called Jam-80, which later became Tappi Tíkarrass (which means “Cork the Bitch’s Arse” in Icelandic), and released an extended single, “Bítið Fast í in the same year. Their album, Miranda, was released in 1983.Björk collaborated with Einar Örn Benediktsson and Einar Melax from Purrkur Pillnikk, and Guðlaugur Óttarsson, Sigtryggur Baldursson, and Birgir Mogensen from Þeyr. After writing songs and rehearsing for two weeks, the new band, KUKL (“sorcery” in Icelandic), developed a sound described as Gothic rock. Björk began to show indications of her trademark singing style, which was punctuated by howls and shrieks.kitchen cabinets Orange County
Report thisBy marvenniffi, March 24, 2011 at 9:45 am Link to this comment
Its all about countries , banner design , Yes!! I have read all about it.
Report thisBy Paracelsus, March 27, 2008 at 10:24 pm Link to this comment
http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html
I object to uninformed romanticism. I was speaking about Tibet, and you equate Tibet to Buddhism. Interesting. I suppose you have just admitted that old Tibet was a theocracy. I would like the Tibetans to be free of the Chinese, but please don’t invoke the old Tibet with all that “spirituality”. It makes my ribs hurt with laughter.
Report thisBy Paracelsus, March 27, 2008 at 10:16 pm Link to this comment
http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html
Yeah, right. I am ignorant. I don’t know a damn thing. I need education. Please rescue me oh high and holy liberal. That’s the answer. “Edumacation.” Because a contrary opinion in liberal land is always born of idiocy. For the sake of do gooders everywhere, I will debase myself with epithets to my reactionary, authoritarian and fascist id with words such as caveman and troglodyte. The Frankfurt School is right. I have an authoritarian personality. Someone please medicate me now!.
Report thisBy kesa, March 20, 2008 at 8:52 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Bjork isn’t american, you know. She is from Iceland, and when was the last time they invaded a country?
Report thisBy xdrfox, March 20, 2008 at 8:13 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
If these forms of dissidents were going on in any State or City here, as in the past our Gov. would be stepping in with heavy hand and people that doing these things would be dealt with just as they are there, Is our memory so short to forget the past here. Any Gov. has the right to quail such disturbances in their land. I know there is always a manner of restraint on the Gov. side and non on the protesters. What should be peaceful protest turns into a defiance of many to do the peaceful and disband when told to do when it gets to a point of danger to all. Go home or get hurt is the norm. How many times has this happened in America ! Not safe for anyone and this is what works in the dissidents favor. Violate the peace and the riots begin. Any Gov. Will do the same. It is not peaceful when people do as they please. Chaos pursues. March on Washington DC and see what happens if you force and issue and do not do as asked by the troops sent in.
Report thisBy myfandango, March 20, 2008 at 4:15 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
slow down buddy! I practice Buddhism but don’t get so hung up on semantics…many would say their religions are truly philosophies…Just think to your self want IS the difference between the two? Is it Dogma? Because Tibetan Buddhism is full of it, though don’t get me wrong I believe their tradition is beautiful but you shouldn’t try to split things into binaries…Peace!
Report thisBy Bill Blackolive, March 17, 2008 at 1:39 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Bjork, I dig your sound and I dig what you say about beautiful Tibet too. My sense is to expose the 20th century global larger killer, this US of A, firstly by exposing the 9/ll coverup. Go to patriotsquestion9/ll and see how our side has the advantage in numbers. Then help tell the timid numbers what they have now, today. Thus to kill the larger fascists, which is in the US governing past century, shock the world and China’s freer spirits can gang up on their would be global rulars already.
Report thisFear really ought to be but fear, for we are the great power.
By Douglas Chalmers, March 16, 2008 at 11:05 am Link to this comment
Mostly, they are California trendies and NY politically-correct poofs, Zhu Bajie…... and more interested in the value of their own real estate, uhh!
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, March 16, 2008 at 8:48 am Link to this comment
True, drfox, safer in many Asian countries than in any Western city after midnight, uhh.
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, March 16, 2008 at 8:44 am Link to this comment
I’ve heard about that but do you have anything on the net to give us some more background info, please, Zhu Bajie? There has been suppression of Moslem minorities and regions for a while too, huh?
The authorities in BeiJing seem to have a different view and it is hard for the local regional (Chinese) authorities in Tibet to show restraint when BeiJing wants firm action. Tibetans killing ethnic Chinese in Tibet will force things, though, sadly.
Pity that the PRC wants to learn the hard way. Tourism will cease in Tibet and fall across China. Trade negotiations will toughen up again. It will be harder for ordinary people in China as a result.
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, March 16, 2008 at 8:29 am Link to this comment
Good point, bachubhai, but she would have to do so with out Barack Obama’s permission, uhh…..
“I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies.” Obama said on Friday…. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/14/barackobama.uselections2008
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, March 16, 2008 at 8:24 am Link to this comment
Typical American thug! You think that you’re going to solve all the world’s problems by rushing out and punching someone, Gomerspile, uhh…....
Report thisBy Zhu Bajie, March 16, 2008 at 3:33 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
I’ve no doubt that once blood-thirsty do-gooders get tired of slaughtering Muslims, they will turn to slaughtering Chinese people, and probably kill lots of Tibetans in the process, much as they have more or less exterminated the Assyrians in Iraq.
Report thisBy Zhu Bajie, March 16, 2008 at 3:29 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
FoTibet independance types never seem to support the Hawai’i independance movement or the Sioux effort to recover the Black Hills.
Report thisBy bachubhai, March 15, 2008 at 11:08 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
This empty gesture does not amount to anything. I am sure she was paid for her show. And when is she going to shout Iraq, Iraq from stage in the US?
Report thisBy John Hanks, March 15, 2008 at 7:32 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
My compassion is felt most when my enemies are in jail. Hatred is the source of all thought and action.
Report thisBy drfox, March 14, 2008 at 4:44 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
we are people, and in light of this remeber we do not always agree with other countries action. Many times this is left up to their Gov. As is ours, When Bu$h Military was marching into Bagdad, I wrote him an email. “If you are goiing to do this tou meed to get all the people out of there first”.
Report thisAs many Gov. do the people are egnored. The Chinese people are wonderful people. I always have a wonderful time there. I love walking in the Park at midnight. Wish I could do that here.
By Jaded Prole, March 14, 2008 at 4:46 am Link to this comment
Tibet is the cause of the well-meaning but largely ignorant well-to-do set who know nothing of what it was like before. The genocidal oppression ofPalestine on the other hand is something the US is directly responsible for.
Report thisBy God?FreeDumb?, March 13, 2008 at 7:40 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
and in the end destroys the notion of my interest
as independent from others interest.
so true. independent? freedom? what is it?
Report thisGod never said that we were free.
in the KJV or any bible . this is what God Commanded:
16 ¶ And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
It is true that Knowledge does kill. life is the purpose God Created us, not Death.
http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/genesis_2.html
By GrammaConcept, March 12, 2008 at 12:49 pm Link to this comment
Compassion is unconditional, undifferentiated, and universal in scope.
Through love, through kindness, through compassion we establish
understanding between ourselves and others.
The more we desire to benefit others,
the greater peace and happiness we experience.
This is how we forge unity and harmony.
When we reach beyond the confines of narrow self-interest,
our hearts become filled with strength.
Peace and joy become our constant companion.
Compassion breaks down barriers of every kind
and in the end destroys the notion of my interest
as independent from others’ interest.
Love and compassion are the source and the fruit of forgiveness,
tolerence and all virtue.
They constitute non-violence in action.
Love and compassion are the source inner and external peace,
and they are fundamental to the continued survival of our species.
-the Dalai Lama
Report thisBy David, March 12, 2008 at 8:01 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
The People in China does not have the underlying structure that is to check on everything they buy from other country’s like USA is suppose to o and fails so often. American companies are just as responsible.
Other countries are are limited just like any country. Look at our own FDA, EPA, Many Gov. branches for safety and fail to do their jobs.
Where do you suppose China bought the paints and chemicals from. Do you suppose they were written in Chinese for them to read.
The housing market is another example of selling bad goods to China as in Loans and Setting up for poor people here to own homes and then raise the FED rates so the bottom fell out and stuck China with Massive amounts of unrecoverable debt.
When a Congress and the President set this up in Congress through Frankie and Fanny May after 911. Did they had a hidden agenda. Was it to give America’s home but or try to bring down the growth of China supper power rise of double digit growth and that ours was in trouble at that time.
The toys are to get people to hate the Chinese People so to be able to create an screen as any group does to calls rise to be able to get others behind them that are really the problem, then the currency issue and deficits have been on the books for a long time. China has been an Alia of our for many years. Great time for distraction to to address an issue with a mark of Self Righteous indignation.
As in recent yesterday to talk and say many things about them that our own Government is Guilty of.
China has a right to guard it exchange rate to its economy as we do. Way should they make there people suffer with inflation and high prices.
Well It all Backfired and we are in the Tank instead of China. Yes it hurt them but the rate of growth has calmed. As well as their ability to do the other thing they told the world they would do to strengthen their country.
It is very important to notice the rhetoric from the White House and thereof at times the people here are looking at their problems. A deflection of what is really going on.
With a War that is going poorly again and is not being held to the light for people to see as it was.
This country has major problems and we need to work on solving them and not be doing as we have for the past 45 plus years. Keeping nothing in reserve for our on infrastructure in all areas of America.
We are being overrun from the south and 44 million are living off the backs of the American Tax payer, and there are 300 million Americans here, so this is 1/6 the population.
What they are paying into Social Security with the fake SS # does not out way the cost, only put money into another area of gov. that they take back from elsewhere. ie, food stamps, education, housing, welfare and free College educations for illegals.
We have no further to look than our own front yard and backyard. Why look across the borders of this country, The ones we elected are doing that and giving them our manufacturing jobs so impacts our deficit trade balance.
WE are makers of our situation to be asleep at the wheel trying to keep food on the table, roof over our heads and gas in the car. These are all distraction. Remember looking for food to hard we become the food. We have had it good for a long time here why should not other countries try to become self supporting in their own ways if they are not making war or taking what does not belong to them. There are them in all country that work on greed for them selves as we have here. We have a justice system in place to deal with it sometimes but many times the Powerful know where the holes are in the laws that where not well thought out and they end up seeming to win. We can but they can’t It will never work, that is not Democracy.
Report thisWell I have to go and clean my house, I will not clean my neighbors with out a price.
This should be leaned on the Hill and in every home.
By Tim Ed Anshabby, March 11, 2008 at 8:06 pm Link to this comment
The power of art, and of the artist. China should be worried about the fires it can light.
BTW poisoning our children with toys made by slaves hurts my feelings.
Report thisBy Ron Ranft, March 9, 2008 at 10:14 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Yes, ignorant people are always amused. That is the way with people like you. Have you watched, “Cry of the Snow Lion?” Have you ever listened to the Dalai Lama speak? Have you actually read anything on the history of Tibet? While you are sputtering I will answer for you, of course not. If you had you wouldn’t post such stupid remarks. And you must go to church every Sunday and be reminded that those evil Catholics bugger children. Consquentially, you think that the Buddhists must do it too. You don’t know the difference between religion and a philosophym do you.
For the Chinese government to say Bjork hurt their feelings is akin to Geaorge Bush saying the terrorists hate our way of life. Chine obliterates the Tibetan language, culture, and history and fools like you can only drool and speak gibberish.
Report thisBy God?FreeDumb?, March 9, 2008 at 3:12 pm Link to this comment
Why does FreeDumb Hate us sooo Much????
Report thisBy God?FreeDumb?, March 9, 2008 at 3:10 pm Link to this comment
By Douglas Chalmers, March 7 at 8:31 pm #
Report this(2351 comments total)
I totally Agree !
Lefty, Guess how Chinese peoples would respond to your Comment? !
Maybe something like this perhaps?
Why does Lefty hate us soo much??
By Paracelsus, March 9, 2008 at 10:38 am Link to this comment
With the invasion of Tibet we had the taking out of a theocratic despot by a communist tyranny. I would put forth that the main talent of these monks of old was the forced buggery of young boys. Richard Gere is such a useful idiot. Bjork I will excuse for naivety. The Chinese should not be scolding. They should see this as a free speech moment that they could use to their advantage. They could say “We came and invaded a country of benighted starving peasants hagridden with the rule of monks and priests. We gave them an iron rice bowl.”
Report thisThat is not to say Chinese rule was democratic or liberating in the traditional western sense. This is all very amusing.
By Douglas Chalmers, March 8, 2008 at 11:14 pm Link to this comment
By PuddinTain, March 8: “Sounds to me like a couple of folks who want China to be “right” about Tibet, are just waving their arms, and saying “The U.S. does dumb things, so let China oppress Tibet!” Sure, the U.S. does some stupid stuff…”
The USA has so discredited itself by its own actions in Iraq (twice) and in Afghanistan as well as its support for Israel’s bombing Lebanon (50% Christian) and its bombing and forcing out of Palestinians (again, many Christians) and its support of military regimes like that in Pakistan that it is virtually disqualified itself from being able to have a genuine voice or position on anything that happens in any other country in the world.
That is also something which countries like Britain and Australia have done to themselves by slavishly following the Neocon “you’re with us or against us” and their gun-totin’ “coaltion of the willing” gangsterism. Only by a change of government and a change of policies have those countries been able to begin to redeem themselves in the eyes of the world. The USA still has a long way to go, uhh.
No, it is NOT an attempt to justify what China has done in the past, what it is doing now in various ways - but things are still improving there, all the same. That CAN’T be said for the USA which lurches from one inept disaster to another. Perhaps in January 2009 you would like to continue this conversation, PuddinTain…...?
Report thisBy PuddinTain, March 8, 2008 at 7:17 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
I don’t know what a U.S. Navy attack on a position in Somalia has to do with China’s policy of propping up genocide in Sudan and Darfur.
I guess you could say “Some Africans died” so its “the same thing”, but the circumstances and the strategic stances of these actions are completely unrelated.
It is a pretty naive thing, to try to compare the Somali and Sudanese situations in general. Especially naive to compare the firing rockets into a believed hostile location in a country with no central government (Somalia) - to compare that to the idea of deliberately and methodically propping up a central government which is griding up people for mulch (Sudan) - well, its quite different.
It may look like “death is death” and “blood is blood”, but the things that are actually going on are quite easily differentiated.
As for China’s laid back policy of “Buddhism in Tibet”(?) Sure, as long as you want to pray to the installed prophet which Beijing hand-selected. The carefully controlled puppet who is directly selected by the Chinese Communist Party.
As for “China and Japan own the USA now but they DONT come over and rudely tell you what they think of you….”
Ummmm… if you live in Tibet, then YES, yes, China DOES, in fact, come over and rudely tell you what THEY think of you. Furthermore, they ORDER you to think the same way too. Depending on their mood, they torture and/or kill you if you disagree.
Sounds to me like a couple of folks who want China to be “right” about Tibet, are just waving their arms, and saying “The U.S. does dumb things, so let China oppress Tibet!” Sure, the U.S. does some stupid stuff, but that makes China’s actions in Tibet not one iota less evil.
Playing games by trying to say “Sure China is evil, but let it slide! After all, other countries do bad things, too.” Well, that sounds like an interesting tack, until you think about the actual lives at stake in Tibet, and the freedoms at stake in China, too. (referencing the actual article we’re commenting on)
Report thisBy KIM MASAS, March 8, 2008 at 3:27 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
I love Bjork but I love much more after this concert in China. Freedom for Tibet and freedom for Bjork talent!!!
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, March 8, 2008 at 3:00 am Link to this comment
By the way, which country’s navy fires missiles at innocent villagers in Somalia, etc etc???
“Residents and police in the town said a home was destroyed and at least eight people, including four children, were seriously injured….” http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/03/world/main3898799.shtml
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, March 8, 2008 at 2:53 am Link to this comment
They’re most probably supporting Hillary Clinton too, uhh…..
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, March 7, 2008 at 9:50 pm Link to this comment
In the performance, it wasn’t such an obvious statement - but nothing goes unnoticed in China - especially on a public platform. See video clip http://www.china.org.cn/entertainment/2008-03/05/content_11685710.htm
One thing that Bjork failed to understand was the sensitive political nature regarding potentially ‘renegade’ provinces in China. As long as Taiwan remains separate and continues to be manipulated (or seduced) by the USA, that attitude won’t change.
Another thing is that many people inside China also suffered during the years of Mao’s communist gang take-over and the subsequent invasion of Tibet. It may take another 50 years to solve that issue. In the meantime, Buddhism and Daoism have reappeared and flourishing in China.
Effectively, the Dalai Lama has already won his battle with the PRC and they have had to change as well as improving things in Tibet. It is rather precious, though, to complain about Bjork just after a huge sex scandal in Hong Kong over a number of famous singers and actors/actrresses http://shanghaiist.com/2008/02/05/edison_chen_bob.php
“Some artist deliberately turned a commercial show into a political performance, which not only broke Chinese law, but also hurt Chinese audiences’ feelings.” http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/china to impose regulations on performers after bjorks tibet chant_1061816
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