China to Stone: Cross Yer Legs & Shut Yer Yap

China responds to Stone comments
Actress suggested earthquake was karmic
By CLIFFORD COONAN
BEIJING Thesp Sharon Stone's suggestion that the Chinese earthquake which killed at least 70,000 people was the result of bad karma has prompted outrage in China, where relief efforts are still ongoing for the millions made homeless by the quake, and is facing a boycott of her movies.
Stone made her comments at Cannes, linking the recent disaster to China's treatment of Tibetans during anti-Chinese riots in March. "All these earthquakes and stuff happened and I thought, "Is that karma?" When you are not nice, bad things happen to you. I'm not happy about how the Chinese are treating the Tibetans, I don't think anyone should be unkind to anyone else. They're not being very nice to the Dali Lama, who's a good friend of mine," she said.
She also said how she cried when she heard of the quake and hoped to help the victims, but these remarks have received less attention in China than her karma comments.
Stone appeared at the Shanghai Film Festival last year and was well-received for her comments about life and love, as well as her praise for China's ancient civilization.
The timing of the "Basic Instinct" star's comments is poor, as China continued to mourn its dead following the 7.9-magnitude quake on May 12. The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who numbers Richard Gere and others among his friends in Hollywood, has praised the Chinese response to the quake, prayed for the victims and called for a suspension of demonstrations against Chinese rule as relief efforts continue.
"This actress does not deserve our attention. The best way is to ignore her. I will never watch her films in future," said thesp Liu Wei, while fellow actor Lu Qilong accused Stone of lacking respect. "Sharon Stone's remarks made all Chinese people and the world shocked and angry. She does not respect the Chinese people, as well as people's lives. Sichuan's earthquake affects everyone's heart," said Lu. "The earthquake is not only China's disaster, but a disaster for all of mankind. Sharon Stone's performance shows that not only does she lack love, but she lacks humanity? How could she say such things!" said thesp Tong Dawei.
Variety

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