It was the dawn of a new day; a day when China's children of the 1980s took charge of their motherland's image in the Western world.

As a brisk, gray morning on Sunday gave way to warmth and sunshine, red and white collaged with red, white and blue as Chinese and American flags, T-shirts, banners and balloons decorated lower Manhattan next to City Hall. Digital connectivity begot a rock concert setting, only this one was all about China and its young people speaking about what makes them tick.

With the theme "Go Olympics, No Politics!" a rally to support China drew more than 7,000 participants and onlookers, as young Chinese students and professionals took to microphones and loudspeakers to inspire their fellow countrymen in the Olympic Spirit. In doing so they indulged in history, staging this rally exactly 89 years after the May Fourth Movement of 1919.

This rally focused on maintaining the Olympic ideals of peace, love, and celebration of diversity rather than the issues of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, Darfur or human rights, its organizers said.

Many denounced CNN commentator Jack Cafferty for his comments about China last month. Several signs called for an apology from the network. Random shouts included "Go to China, and stay there a while and interact with the people. And for that matter go to Tibet and see the situation firsthand before judging."

Ma Jing, a young Chinese from New Jersey, said: "Some groups want to use the Olympics as a weapon. The importance of this activity is to show the American people that sports is just sports, don't mix politics with the Olympics.

"Leave the Olympics alone."

She said there had been a general negative perception of China since she came to the US seven years ago.

"They don't know what we know because of the culture," she said, referring to some of the American public.

Xing Sheng, a volunteer working the outer perimeter of the rally, had a similar take.

"They think that we (the Chinese) are brainwashed. We're letting them know that, in our opinion, we're liberal and outspoken Chinese youth," she said.

Event organizer Lawrence Wong, who has lived in the US for five-and-a-half years, summed up the message of these newly vocal leaders.

"We came here to get out the word that Chinese people love peace - we don't like violence. Olympics are just about the Games - there's no connection to politics or anything else," Wong said.

(China Daily May 7, 2008)