What Did You Expect?

Amid all the cheering for the athletes and the enjoyment of the games, we should never lose site of the reality that China is as driven home by an article on China's purported plan to allow protesters.

The applicants? 77 of them for various causes, not the obvious ones we might think of (Tibet, religious oppression), but things such as development projects displacing residents, homeless, welfare.

How many of these protests have been approved? Zero.

Rights groups and relatives have said some applicants were immediately taken away by security agents after applying to hold a rally...

Now that's sort of chilling with a I-can't-believe-this-happens-in-the-21st-Century sort of way. The Chinese government response? As Wang Wei, VP of China's Olympic organizing committee said,

"We think that you do not really understand China's reality. China has its own version and way of exercising our democracy."

Their own version apparently involves rubber hoses, black cars, and state run media. Democracy, freedom, or rights in China?

Not bloody likely in my lifetime.

Once Again, With Feeling

More on how the Chinese handle protesters, this time at the consulate in San Francisco. One of the protesters hung from the outside of the Chinese consulate--considered sovereign Chinese territory--hence, the protester was on Chinese soil. Apparently, Nyendak Wangden fell 15 feet, fracturing her wrist:

The Tibetan rights group says their members were confronted on the roof. They claim a man pushed away one female group member from the climbing anchors, while a woman cut Wangden's rope.

She cut it while Wangden was still hanging from it. Nice. I'm telling you, these Red Chinese don't mess around, do they? If this is how foreign trespassers are treated, imagine what they do to their own subjects.

Americans "Shocked" at Chinese Oppression

Several foreign visitors to China voiced their opinions in Tiananmen Square: the expected "Free Tibet", government-mandated abortion, religious oppression, and the Tiananmen massacre. I commend these souls on their bravery. The Chinese government, of course, moved in and in an understandable show of restraint (given the media scrutiny), only showed the unruly visitors the square's exit after the usual "show-me-your-papers" song and dance.

...plainclothes security agents and police officers tried to block the banner with umbrellas and started shoving the group when they tried to walk around the square. The agents eventually pushed them out of the area and made them sit nearby for almost an hour, checking their passports, before letting them go...

The protesters reaction? Bordering on naive.

"It's so shocking being an American ... to see the blatant oppression," [one of the protesters] said.

It bears saying again. What part of oppressive government did we not understand? The leopard does not change its spots, even if the leopard (or, if you prefer, dragon or panda) is dancing for your enjoyment at the moment.

Freedom to speak is a great thing, let us; however, NOT fall into an ethno-centric trap and assume everybody else in the world enjoys the same things. Shocking, yes. Surprising...not so much.

Newsflash: Sky is BLUE!

In an "unexpected" move, China has censored web access for the media during the Beijing Olympic games.

...International Olympic Committee (IOC) press chief Kevan Gosper told Reuters that both he and the international media had been taken by surprise that some politically sensitive websites had been blocked.

Note to the Olympic committee and media: What part of the term, repressive government, do you not understand? It is easy to see how a country willing to ruthlessly and bloodily suppress Tibet (not to mention commit the brutality of the Cultural Revolution) would be more than willing to inconvenience a few journalists.

Did nobody expect this? How naive.

Face it, the Olympics may be a propaganda opportunity for the PRC, but it will do nothing to substantively change the character of that nation.

New Update

Three stories to share with today.

1. Florida needs energy (as does everyone else), but doesn't want to have oil rigs off its coast. Its ok for other States or countries to have them but Florida should be spared the sight of them.

Actually, replace Florida with California and the story could just as true here. But with $5 a gallon gasoline, maybe that view will change.

2. Oregon has depended upon the Federal Government for timber payments for much of its budget. Now those payments are ending and the local governments are crying. Here is a solution, allow more economic activities on your land and the budget problem can be solved.

3. A female Christian reporter wrote an article critical of some of the cultural practices of her community. The Christian community has denounced her saying she as a Christian woman has a duty to defend the faith and not say or write anything that may bring the Christian community into a bad light.

Of course if the above was true, the ACLU or the Canadian equivalent would be up in arms along with many secularists to protect this woman and the paper that dared to print the story.

However, replace Christian with Muslim and the above paragraph is true. However, I don't hear anyone coming to the defense of the reporter or the paper. Do you?

This is Canada???

If this can happen in Canada, it can happen in the US, our constitution notwithstanding.

A Christian pastor has been given a lifetime ban against uttering anything "disparaging" about gays. Not against anything "hateful", let alone something legally defined as "hate speech". Just anything negative.

But he must give a false sermon; he is positively ordered to renounce his deeply held religious beliefs, and apologize to his tormentor for having those views.

And then that pastor is ordered to declare to his entire city that he has renounced his religious views, even though he has not.

Life in the UK

Two stories about life in the UK, both point to the same thing, the downward spiral of a once (and still) proud people who are giving up the freedoms their fathers and forefathers fought and died for.

In the name of convenience and security, let the government take care of every problem. But to do so, the government must have more and more power. So in the end, the government is blamed for everything bad that happens and the people have no freedoms left because the government needs the ability to snoop to solve the problems. Why do we (humans) always seem willing to trade our freedoms for convenience or supposed safety and security?

Next, I thought the UK had freedom of religion. They may have it on paper, but not in practice.

Photo Assignment: Berkeley

Summary of the Berkeley protest in pictures with commentary at zombietime.

Powered by ScribeFire.

The importance of free speech

Mark Steyn wrote a book that some people who claim to be Muslims found offensive. So these people are trying to get Canada to punish Steyn for upsetting them rather then suing him for libel. Of course these people won't sue him because what he said is true, just not flattering.

If we do not watch out in the US, we can end up with the same restrictions on what we can say and not say because it might hurt others feelings.

Endings and Beginnings

We had our last fellowship meeting for the year on Saturday. For one family, our Youth Pastor, it is likely their last time at the fellowship as he is taking up a new position as a Congregational Pastor in January at another Church.

On Sunday we also commissioned a couple who will be heading towards Asia next year. It was hard in some ways, commissioning them means saying good bye soon to dear friends. But as they said, it should be a time of rejoicing because our Church as trained up, equipped and sending out another team to continue the work. So there is joy with the sadness as they end this phase of their life and get ready to embark on another.

This Thursday my mom is having surgery for breast cancer, we hope and think it hasn't spread so hopefully the surgery and radiation will take care of it. Her smoking is a concern because her lungs have been damaged by the decades of smoke. My wife is going out on Wednesday evening and I will join her on Saturday morning. When my sister arrives and if things are going well, wife and I will be going to Vegas for our last trip of the year. If things don't go well on Thursday, we will be staying with my mom instead of our trip of course.

With all of that (more then you most likely wanted to know), on to the news.

Mark Steyn has a very good contrast on how outrage is handled in the West today compared to Sudan and much of the Muslim world.

The Democratic leadership in Congress have failed to do anything and if the voters return a Democratic Congress in the 08 elections, it will be in spite of and not because of what this Congress has accomplished. On the other hand, if the voters return a Republican Congress in 08, it will because of their and President Bush's work in frustrating this Congress.

College Football. I admit I do not follow the sport very much. I let my wife take care of that and it works out fine. She enjoys watching football while I get bored and can do something else. But even with my non interest, I have to agree with Gene Wojciechowski at ESPN the current ranking system is a total joke.

Finally a Czech heroine verses a Czech tyrant. A very moving story about the mercy shown by the heroes of the Czech Republic towards the tyrants and the price some of the heroes had to pay. May they rest in peace knowing their dream of a free Czech Republic has not only come but the country is thriving.

Have a good day.

A Good Friday to You

I thought about sending this to people, but didn't want to lose all my friends so post it here. Work safe and funny . . . . well the first time.

Will the folks in SF put their money where their mouths are? Trying to get a 10 cent surcharge on gasoline to pay for global warming. As a resident of LA I say why stop at 10 cents, SF should make the extra tax $5 a gallon if they want to do something. This is only for the SF area which is why I support it.

Not sure how I feel about this one. On one hand I see the point of the organization they have the right to fly the PRC flag. On the other hand I see the protesters point that the flag represents a State that killed millions of its own citizens and thousands of Americans directly or indirectly (Korea and Vietnam).

A few days ago on Jeopardy, there was a question on Presidential succession. I got it wrong so looked at the Constitution and then had to look at the Presidential Secession Act of 1947. I'm so glad the web makes finding even information like this easy to get too. It also helps to remind us how close we are to President Pelosi.

Another example for those who stay at home on election day void their right to complain about the government.

Finally, space and last 50 years.

Have a good weekend.

Imus

Radio shock jock Imus gets the ax for an ill-advised and crude remarks about the Rugter's team. Was he wrong? Yes. Was his remark hate filled? Yes. Is he within his rights to say those things? Yes.

Protected speech, as odious as it might be, is still free speech; although one is free to speak, one is not free of the consequences. Still, I can't help but suspect that his firing will bring a chill on like media, where other personalities are forced by the specter of job loss to toe the societal line and cave in to a vocal wing. It isn't official censorship, but a societal one.