China jails Hu Jia, human rights dissident
Contemplated putting this in the Politicize the Olympics thread, but decided it deserved its own thread...
China jails Hu Jia, human rights dissident (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3674414.ece)
A young Chinese dissident who has advocated democratic rights, religious freedom and self-determination for Tibet has been jailed for three-and-a-half years in a sentence set to draw international criticism before the Olympic Games.
A Beijing court found Hu Jia, 34, guilty of inciting subversion of state power by criticising the ruling Communist Party.
Thoughts?
Gauthier
03-04-2008, 15:26
China doesn't give a shit. It knows it's a rising superpower and that it has most of the world by the balls or wallets.
Evenuality
03-04-2008, 16:20
Exhibitionists, propably can't get a career...
Yootopia
03-04-2008, 16:32
"American eats burger" would have been equally surprising news.
Yeah, they're socialist, this is what they do.
Contemplated putting this in the Politicize the Olympics thread, but decided it deserved its own thread...
China jails Hu Jia, human rights dissident (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3674414.ece)
Thoughts?
China's a police state?!
GAH! NO! Say it ain't so Dyakovo!
(¬_¬)*
I get it. I just don't find it surprising.
What I do find surprising is that the higher-ups in the Olympics saw fit to hold the games in said police state.
Do they do this on purpose? Seriously? Anyone?
China's a police state?!
GAH! NO! Say it ain't so Dyakovo!
OK, it ain't so... ;)
(¬_¬)*
cute
Lunatic Goofballs
03-04-2008, 17:09
Tell her to get to work on my new pair of sneakers! :mad:
((Oh, I am so going to hell. :p ))
OK, it ain't so... ;)
Much better, thank you!
cute
Indeed. Here's another good one.
<(^_^<)
Kirby wants a hug!
Okay, I've spammed enough today...
Barringtonia
03-04-2008, 17:19
In light of the discussion on what people find offensive, what we would consider an unacceptable opinion and what would be considered trolling, I think it's interesting to consider China's own thoughts on what a political troll is.
I think it's enormously sad, enormously...just heartbreaking to be honest, that a country would jail someone for such dissent, for speaking their opinion.
Yet there's no surprise that this is what the Chinese government does, it speaks of the fear they have of being called for what they are, what they know is a corrupt, indefensible regime.
I've lived there for a long time, I can speak Mandarin, I know the Chinese people to be hearty, conscientious and humorous people - I often find myself defending the country, even its government in the belief that knowledge brings understanding.
Yet this sort of repression, the repression of someone's right to speak, is just...it's just saddening.
Corneliu 2
03-04-2008, 17:21
China's a police state?!
GAH! NO! Say it ain't so Dyakovo!
(¬_¬)*
I get it. I just don't find it surprising.
What I do find surprising is that the higher-ups in the Olympics saw fit to hold the games in said police state.
Do they do this on purpose? Seriously? Anyone?
I wonder if people asked that question when Berlin became a police state prior to the Berlin games of 1936.
Much better, thank you!
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/Sarothai/Smileys/Dziekuje.gif
In light of the discussion on what people find offensive, what we would consider an unacceptable opinion and what would be considered trolling, I think it's interesting to consider China's own thoughts on what a political troll is.
I think it's enormously sad, enormously...just heartbreaking to be honest, that a country would jail someone for such dissent, for speaking their opinion.
Yet there's no surprise that this is what the Chinese government does, it speaks of the fear they have of being called for what they are, what they know is a corrupt, indefensible regime.
I've lived there for a long time, I can speak Mandarin, I know the Chinese people to be hearty, conscientious and humorous people - I often find myself defending the country, even its government in the belief that knowledge brings understanding.
Yet this sort of repression, the repression of someone's right to speak, is just...it's just saddening.
Well said...
Barringtonia
03-04-2008, 17:29
Well said...
Lol - ass.
Lol - ass.
What?!?
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/Sarothai/Smileys/Sinister.gif
The Veiled Widow
03-04-2008, 17:35
China's a police state?!
What I do find surprising is that the higher-ups in the Olympics saw fit to hold the games in said police state.
Do they do this on purpose? Seriously? Anyone?
I found an explanation at some point a few years ago that I feel explains this, somewhat. I apologize in that I do not have the reference and as such, consider this an opinion on the matter. One reason this is allowed, similar to why the EU allows/considers certain countries with questionable human rights issues, is that by calling more attention to these countries (and bringing business, and subsequently more influence) that perhaps they will be better urged to make progress. This is a very idealistic approach. Sadly, the world never seems to quite work out idealistically.
Regardless, China is a factory workhorse for many nations. To anger China is to cut in to....profit. It isn't so much "rights" as it is as I stated (I feel): Keep them happy, make our money, maybe they will change (while keeping our labor cheap).
_____________________________
Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of The Veiled Widow and are as such out of character.
Barringtonia
03-04-2008, 17:35
What?!?
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/Sarothai/Smileys/Sinister.gif
This is getting ridiculous...
If we're not going to play the game properly, I'm taking the ball and I'm going home, no-one can play. I mean it now.
This is getting ridiculous...
If we're not going to play the game properly, I'm taking the ball and I'm going home, no-one can play. I mean it now.
You're mean!
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/Sarothai/Smileys/Cry.gifhttp://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/Sarothai/Smileys/Cry.gif
OK, I'll stop
after this one
What?!?
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/Sarothai/Smileys/Sinister.gif
We don't need none of your sass!
We don't need none of your sass!
LOL
Barringtonia
03-04-2008, 17:41
You're mean!
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/Sarothai/Smileys/Cry.gifhttp://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/Sarothai/Smileys/Cry.gif
OK, I'll stop
RIGHT! That's it, I'm taking the ball, game over, don't say I didn't warn you, you brought this one yourselves, I've had enough of this and I'm telling my father on you.
Don't think I don't see your 'white text' either, I've had enough of it!
Leave me alone!
LOL
We'd best stop before we get spammed out.
I found an explanation at some point a few years ago that I feel explains this, somewhat. I apologize in that I do not have the reference and as such, consider this an opinion on the matter. One reason this is allowed, similar to why the EU allows/considers certain countries with questionable human rights issues, is that by calling more attention to these countries (and bringing business, and subsequently more influence) that perhaps they will be better urged to make progress. This is a very idealistic approach. Sadly, the world never seems to quite work out idealistically.
Regardless, China is a factory workhorse for many nations. To anger China is to cut in to....profit. It isn't so much "rights" as it is as I stated (I feel): Keep them happy, make our money, maybe they will change (while keeping our labor cheap).
At risk of enacting Godwin's Law, I'll just say this: The world has cowtowed to dictatorships before, with less than favorable results.
Hell, all it's history this is what we've been doing. Not saying that war is the option...rarely is...but China seriously needs to gets its act together with this whole "big brother" thing, if the world is to accept their "Superpower" status.
We'd best stop before we get spammed out.
I wonder how many people will not realize what we've been doing and think that there are several new posters?
China jails human rights dissident. In other news the sun rose in the east today and research at MIT has found water is wet.
I wonder how many people will not realize what we've been doing and think that there are several new posters?
'T'would be droll indeed.
Barringtonia
03-04-2008, 17:52
At risk of enacting Godwin's Law, I'll just say this: The world has cowtowed to dictatorships before, with less than favorable results.
Hell, all it's history this is what we've been doing. Not saying that war is the option...rarely is...but China seriously needs to gets its act together with this whole "big brother" thing.
I sort of agree - there's a point at which we just need to call things as they are and disregard political sensibilities. To some degree I feel that to embarrass China over the Olympics is self-defeating but on another I feel that we, as a world, just can't let them grow bolder in acting the way they feel like it.
It's a conundrum and one hopes the right balance can be struck but, really, China has learnt that it can do what it wants and the world will mildly chastise yet do nothing.
It's a dangerous period of time, most Chinese people simply want respect and I can guarantee that most are ashamed of their government's actions, something that jars with their pride in China - there should be a means of appealing to one aspect and shaming the other, whether it can be done is another question.
I wonder how many people will not realize what we've been doing and think that there are several new posters?
'T'would be droll indeed.
I rather like that one :D
I sort of agree - there's a point at which we just need to call things as they are and disregard political sensibilities. To some degree I feel that to embarrass China over the Olympics is self-defeating but on another I feel that we, as a world, just can't let them grow bolder in acting the way they feel like it.
It's a conundrum and one hopes the right balance can be struck but, really, China has learnt that it can do what it wants and the world will mildly chastise yet do nothing.
It's a dangerous period of time, most Chinese people simply want respect and I can guarantee that most are ashamed of their government's actions, something that jars with their pride in China - there should be a means of appealing to one aspect and shaming the other, whether it can be done is another question.
I'm fairly certain that any relatively sane person in the western world realizes that China is a dictatorship, so no prettying up on their part is going to sway anyone. I seriously doubt that the Olympics will be any sort of propaganda victory for the PRC government.
But then as you said, there is that conundrum. China can't stay on this path. I'm sure they'll continue to be an industrial powerhouse, with or without democratic reform, and as long as their churning out low-cost goods for the rest of the industrialized world, we'll put up with their nonsense on a global scale.
But that doesn't mean that one day they won't slip up. At some point they will do something so outrageous that the global community will unite against them, or internal factions will tear them apart.
Probably won't happen any time soon. But I sense the Chinese are getting a bit fed up.
I rather like that one :D
Thank you sir.
Barringtonia
03-04-2008, 18:14
*snip*
Well, I should sleep now.
Until next time my arch nemeses, when the advantage will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.
Well, I should sleep now.
Until next time my arch nemeses, when the advantage will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.
We'll be waiting, with MECHSUITS!
Well, I should sleep now.
Until next time my arch nemeses, when the advantage will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.
Rest well...
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/Sarothai/Smileys/Sinister.gif
New Manvir
03-04-2008, 18:46
Not surprising...it is "THE PEOPLE'S" Republic after all.
"American eats burger" would have been equally surprising news.
I hate burgers. They repulse me almost as if by magic.