www.James-Strocel.com

Hello Everyone!

James Strocel here. I’ve just spent the last week compiling the myriad of contact information I’ve gathered over the years. This message is to make sure all of it works. This list is a combination of my family, friends, co-workers at the various jobs I’ve had, and classmates at the various schools that I’ve attended. That being said…

Wow. Look at you all.

There are almost 300 of you in this contact list. I can’t believe I’ve had the privilege of associating with such extraordinary people. You’ve been all over the world, all six populated continents. If any of you out there has done a jaunt to Antarctica, let me know. Some of you have been to Africa to help out. A couple of you are bringing kids home from there. Some of you are at sea. Some of you have served, will serve, are serving in the Military. Some of you are scientists, trying to figure out what’s happening to this planet. Some of you are selling houses, others are protecting them through the fire department. There’s at least one of you in every branch of the media, be it print, film, music, cartoons or video games. There are mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, and even a few grandparents. Some of you I haven’t always seen eye to eye with. Some of you may even be wondering why I bothered with this e-mail at all. But I guarantee you this: Each and every one of you in some small way has made me who I am. Even the people I have known only a short time. There is nothing without meaning, and so much meaning is yet to come.

Now that the obvious facts are out of the way, let’s get down to business. As you may know, I got married last month to the sweetest, most beautiful girl in the whole wide world. I want to thank again everyone who showed up. The pictures can be seen at

http://www.james-strocel.com/gallery

It may be old news for some people out there, but I’ve received some requests for them after I first posted them on the website, so I’m covering those of you who I may have missed. I have assumed the duties of managing our yearly Christmas letter. If you’re reading this message, you are going to get one in your e-mail. If you don’t want one, please let me know! Don’t just set up your spam filters and think I won’t notice! I’m also trying to set up a mailing list for my blog, so if you actually enjoy hearing me shoot my mouth off please let me know as well. The blog will also contain any important family announcements I may have. I hope all of you are enjoying the weather, wherever you are.Call me up and tell me your life story some time!

Sincerely,

James Strocel

I only used to deal with Free Tibet every time there was a club day at my University. I regarded it with the same curious sidelong glance that I would give “Free Mumia”, “End Circumcision” or any other pet issue that required more charity than sense. Now that Beijing has decided to enter the first world and host an Olympic games, the Free Tibet issue has now plopped into everyone’s cornflakes and everyone seems to have their own opinion on it. You have the Free Tibet movement that wants everyone to boycott the games, the Chinese government and many immigrants who say nothing is going on in Tibet, the Tibetans themselves who are peacefully protesting and getting truncheoned for their trouble, the athletes who just want to participate, and everyone else in between. I guess it’s time for me to weigh in.

First off, no one has anything to gain by boycotting the Olympics. Not the Chinese, not the Athletes and most certainly not the protesters. Free Tibet tried to block Beijing’s bid to the games, but the move seems silly in retrospect. By taking a fire extinguisher to the Olympic Torch Free Tibet has gone from annoying buzzing sound to the elephant in the room. They couldn’t have garnered more international attention if they tried. Once the games are on, there’s a good chance they can actually be heard within China itself, whether it’s through smuggling propaganda or calling on a few athletes to make their voice heard.

And as for China, I have no sympathy. They want to have open trade and relations with the free world, yet the government believes it can pull all this Soviet-era crap on its own people. They cannot have it both ways. Their actions in Tibet may make sense to them. It may have been an authoritarian Theocracy before they took over. Foreign powers may have used dissident provinces of China against the nation at large in the past. But if they truly want to join the first world, they’re going to have to learn that the last thing you want to do to malcontents is make martyrs out of them and then lie about it to a media-savvy world.

I believe that the games are a wonderful venue for the world to come together in a spirit of friendship and competition. I also believe that engagement can do much more than trade embargoes and boycotts ever could. However, there is no place for secret police and national firewalls in an increasingly democratic world. When one country engages in such practices, it affects everyone. Companies and individuals are made to kowtow to a dictatorship that they never voted for. Sure, China’s a different culture, but at the end of the day we have to accept that some things work and some things do not work. China’s response to Tibet is not working.

As promised, I have posted photos of our wedding and our Honeymoon to Victoria on the website. Check them out at this link or click “photos” on the website sidebar.