Posted on 09/25/2019 1:41:29 PM PDT by Jagermonster
Why We Wrote This——Hong Kong’s government has withdrawn the bill that first sparked protests last spring. But to pro-democracy protesters, that’s not the same thing as being heard – and many are willing to push the envelope until they are.
Wearing a black T-shirt, black pants, and a surgical mask to hide her face, Valerie folds a delicate pink origami crane, crafting the bird that represents happiness together with thousands of other pro-democracy protesters packing a Hong Kong mall on Sunday.
The group quickly fashions more than 1,000 of the paper cranes, a tradition to make a wish come true. With the little figures, they build one huge, multicolored bird that they hoist skyward to the cheers of the gathered crowd.
But the day that begins with a peaceful shopping boycott and a wind ensemble playing the protesters’ anthem, “Glory to Hong Kong,” ends with Valerie and her fellow demonstrators building fiery barricades and clashing with riot police.
“At first I was only for peaceful protest,” says Valerie, a nursing student at the Open University of Hong Kong, asking to withhold her full name. But her views shifted after months of peaceful activism and mass rallies met with government intransigence. “The government is oppressing our freedom,” Valerie says. “It’s very important for us to increase the level of action to show the government we won’t stop until we get what we want.”
Far from abating, Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement is showing signs of radicalization as it combines its nimbleness, creativity, and flair for symbolism with selective acts of property destruction and violence. As the government steps up arrests and other measures to thwart the movement, protesters are escalating their response, driven by a deepening ...
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
“Freedom is in our mind.” Seems like the right attitude.
Handover of Hong Kong to China was a death sentence to its inhabitants.
No one wants to live under communist rule.
They were shafted and still have the chance to speak out.
Any free people who understand they have been consigned to live under despotism would do this.
“Handover of Hong Kong to China was a death sentence to its inhabitants.”
That’s why they’re doing this now.
And they were not the one’s who asked to be put under communist authority. UK just did it.
Agreed.
However, the British had to relinquish control of Hong Kong in 1997 because their 99 year lease expired over what were referred to as the New Territories.
Sometime back in the 80’s, the British and Chinese agreed that when this lease expired, China would assume all of Hong Kong and not just the New Territories.
I guess Britain could have said to the Chinese back then “Sorry chaps, we understand the lease will be coming to an end in a decade or so - but we have great concerns for the personal and property liberties of the residents of Hong Kong. We won’t be turning Hong Long over to you as planned”.
it’s hard to say what would have ensured if Britain had done this? Diplomatic impasse? Chinese blockade? War?
The sad part is that the Chinese proved themselves to be liars when they more or less abrogated the treaty they signed back in the 80’d to maintain a hands-off attitude towards Hong Kong.
Oh true, Britain basically shat the bed on its empire to join the globalist EU. The same monstrosity that is trying to kill Hong Kong has taken Englad hostage as well.
Oh strue, but to be fair China as a communist natino had no credibility to begin with.
Interesting. I’d never thought of the EU trying to destroy Hong Kong but it makes sense.
God Bless Hong Kong... Protect these brave souls.
Oh I think Britain was maneuvred by the communists in Britaim and Europe to untie itself of the last vestiges of its Empire, and to encourage it away from any kind of indipendency from Europe and the movement to create a new Socialist superstate.
chicom long-term strategy would be to demonstrate to the world that Hong Kong no longer has the ability to govern itself... These protests (while politically/morally justified) have accomplished nothing but guaranteeing the early total political integration of Hong Kong into the communist mainland...
Better dead than Red applies to everyone who is or has been free.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.