Best ways to care for the disabled

Chinese volunteers working for the upcoming Paralympics have learned some hard lessons from the rebuff they've received for trying to lend a helping hand to some of the wheelchair-bound athletes.

From the TV news footage, I can sense the volunteers' uneasiness as they stand by, while the athletes haul their own luggage.

Both the rebuff and the uneasiness reflect a profound cultural difference. For many visiting Paralympians, respect for personal independence - mental as well as physical - overrides all other concerns.