I had never heard of the Uighurs (WEE'-gurs) until yesterday, when two members of this ethnic Muslim group in western China attacked Chinese border guards, killing 16 and wounding 16 more.
These attacks are escalating as the Olympic Games approach their 8-08-08 start.
The Olympics are an awesome sporting event, and I always feel a thrill to see the world's best athletes giving it their all. I've got my satellite network's high-def channel all programmed and ready to go, although I won't watch even a fraction of the 1,000+ hours of coverage that will be broadcast.
Having the games in China has shined a harsh light on that nation's human rights record.
Tibetans and Tibet sympathizers protested vociferously when the torch was carried around the globe, even though the Dalai Lama spoke out against such protests and urged his followers to allow the games to go on peacefully.
Now the Uighurs are using the world's spotlight on China to make a statement about their situation, and they did it by spilling blood. That puts them on equal footing with other atrocity-minded terrorists and won't get much sympathy or support from the world's citizens.
Other Muslim terrorists also have warned of pending attacks on the Olympic games, and said spectators should steer clear -- especially Muslims.
I'm hoping and praying that the games go off without incident. It would be a tragedy to turn a wholesome sports competition into an excuse for political violence, as happened at Munich.
Let the athletes hold their competition on the field, and keep the politics and hate-filled agendas out of it -- for the sake of the whole world.
As the IOC said today, the goal of the Olympics is to promote peace and harmony and to bring countries together in a positive setting. It's a noble goal and one that should be allowed to blossom and bear fruit.

Sylvania, Ohio
Aug. 5, 2005