This One is Sweet

Article at the New York Times:

China Lists Dos and Don’ts for Olympics-Bound Foreigners

HONG KONG — Do not bring any printed materials critical of China. Do not plan on holding any rallies or demonstrations in China. Do not think that you are guaranteed an entry visa because you hold tickets to an Olympic event. And do not even think about smuggling opium into China.

That is some of the eclectic advice issued by the Beijing Organizing Committee on Monday, in a document listing 57 questions that foreign visitors to the Olympic Games in August may have: “Does China have any regulation against insults to the flag or national emblems?” “After eating or drinking at restaurants or hotels, if you have diarrhea or vomiting symptoms, how do you lodge a complaint?”

By KEITH BRADSHER

Published: June 3, 2008

Okay, just out of curiosity: do Americans know what's asked from us when applying to a regular tourist visa? Stuff like:

1. Are you a terrorist?
2. Are you a Nazi?
3. Did you were part of the Nazi Army during World War II?
4. Have you commited war crimes?

This are the ones I remember from 2000... before the Twin Towers thing. Okay...

1. Do you think I'd say "yes" if I were? If giving a false answer would be punishable by revoquing the visa, don't you think that by answering truthfully to this, in case of a terrorist, and say "yes" would also mean to deny visa? Or are you giving the visa to a terrorist because "he admited to be one"?
2. I'm a half-blood Hungarian! How could I be Nazi!? Plus, I was born in 1976. No Nazis. (Those you think of are called neo-nazis)
3. Yeah. I came to the world 37 years before being actually born and joined the Nazis. Get real.
4. Wouldn't you have me in a list if I did? The only war I've been in, and even then as an expectator, was the Pepsi-Coke brand war.

I'd suggest journalists and other commentarist to check on what their own country does before criticizing what other countries demand from visitors or their own people. Kinda quoting a great figure of history, "don't look at the wire in your brother's eye, but look at the entire telecommunication network in yours".