The Chinese Threat to American Speech

The New York Times ^ | Oct. 19, 2019 | The Editorial Board

[FewsOrange]

China’s assertive campaign to police discourse about its policies, even outside of its borders, and the acquiescence of American companies eager to make money in China, pose a dangerous and growing threat to one of this nation’s core values: the freedom of expression.

The Communist state is becoming more and more aggressive in pressuring foreign companies to choose between self-censorship and the loss of access to what will soon be the world’s largest market. An old list of taboo topics, sometimes described as the “three Ts” — Tibet, Tiananmen and Taiwan — has been joined by newer subjects that must not be mentioned, including protests in Hong Kong and China’s mistreatment of its Muslim minority.

This month, China responded to a tweet by Daryl Morey, ...by demanding Mr. Morey’s firing and by canceling broadcasts of N.B.A. games,)...

For the first time since the end of the Cold War, the United States finds itself in a contest of ideas and principles with a country in its own weight class. But this time is different. The United States and China are economically intertwined: The trade volume between the two countries is the greatest of any between two countries in the history of the world.... But far too many American companies have shown that their values are for sale. They don’t even haggle much over the price. Last year, the Chinese government demanded that foreign airlines remove references to Taiwan from their websites, ... the airlines complied with China’s orders. Other recent examples of capitulation include the fashion retailer Coach destroying T-shirts that read “Hong Kong,” rather than “Hong Kong, China,” and Marriott firing a social media manager in Omaha for “liking” a tweet posted by a group that backs Tibetan independence....

[FewsOrange]

The NBA has gotten most of the recent headlines but numerous American companies will do whatever the Chinese government tell them and some of our politians will suck up to them when they feel the need.

[BuffaloJack]

I think the Liberals pose a bigger risk to our free speech than the Chinese.

[fishtank]

They work hand in hand.

This morning, my daughter called us in tears — her commie prof was cooperating with a Chinese student to humiliate my daughter’s pro- American patriotic presentation . My daughter dissed the CCP, and the commie prof and the chicom student spent the rest of the class on the warpath...

[Pajamajan]

Bookmark

[WKUHilltopper]

And yet the NY Slimes thinks Mao is great...

[FreedomPoster]

This is not an either/or situation, it is both/and.

[Tzimisce]

The biggest media cheerleader of Antifa is lecturing me about the evils of censoring others?

[isthisnickcool]

I was in a VERY popular sporting goods place today. I was in the shoe section.

The person with me asks: “What are you looking for?”

ME: “Anything but this Nike crap!”

Four other guys around me trying on shoes: “Yea!”