Beijing Olympics 2008

While China aims to dazzle the world stage during this long-anticipated "coming out" party, millions of people, including athletes, across the world protest the Beijing Olympics on the basis of China's human rights record and foreign policy.

The contentious grounds shifted, though, following the catastrophic earthquake in China's Sichuan Province on May 12, which killed at least 60,000 people and resulted in a groundswell of sympathy for the Olympic host nation.

Sam Price set the Orato.com Beijing Olympics coverage ball rolling with a bang, when he was detained by Chinese authorities for unfurling a giant banner on the Great Wall, which read, "One Dream, One World, Free Tibet."

Since then we have heard from many world watchers who are witnessing the drama of the protests, the historic Games, and China's recent tragedy firsthand: