The Dress-Down after the Olympics

Now that the Olympics, including the Paralympics, are officially over, the Chinese authorities can have a sight of relief.

And to celebrate it, they have decided that the three parks in Beijing designated as "demonstration zones" will be shut down.

Not that the zones made any difference. During the entire Olympic charade, not one single demonstration was allowed to take place in these areas, or any other area for the same matter. And if you are familiar with 1984's "doublespeak," this statement by Xinhua, should be a candidate for the world's championship of twisted words:

"In future, relevant departments will continue to accept and handle demonstration applications in accordance with China's law on assemblies, processions and demonstrations as well as the law's implementation methods," said Liu Shaowu, director of the security department under the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games.

Wait, these people seem to have no shame. Hear this:

"During the Games, relevant departments received a number of demonstration applications from home and abroad. Except for very few cases that were not allowed by Chinese laws, all applications aimed at the settlement of some specific problems and issues," said the official.

Through consultations between relevant authorities and the applicants, all the problems and issues were handled and settled properly, and the applicants withdrew their applications voluntarily, he added.

Mind-boggling, really.