Posted on 07/25/2008 2:46:56 AM PDT by robertvance
While Mao’s body has been amazingly preserved since his death in 1976, it seems that his spirit has not survived the test of time. He may lie in eternal peace inside his Mausoleum but the world around him has changed considerably; China is no longer the gray and drab country that it was during Mao’s time. It is now a place where people can dream and then go out and make that dream come true. It is not like the old days. People other than just high government officials can drive cars. Chinese people can do business and store up wealth for themselves. Peasants can go to the university now; finding food to eat is no longer such a grave concern. Just around the corner from where Chairman Mao lies in State, the American restaurant chain McDonald’s is full of Chinese people enjoying greasy food and a cool environment. Inside homes, people can watch Western movies on DVD and even occasionally on state owned television. The world is just a mouse click away for the millions of Chinese people who have access to the Internet. Friends and family are no longer afraid of discussing politics with each other. It is even acceptable to criticize the government behind closed doors. All this is happening as Chairman Mao sleeps peacefully at Tiananmen Square. If only he knew.
(Excerpt) Read more at teachabroadchina.com ...
I called him a troll after he called me, what? A commie? I’d call that trolling for a response. Go back and look at the entire record of my posts and the dumb names I was called simply for offering a different view. Why, someone told me that no “real American” would ever travel to China. That’s just an ignorant slam against my character and patriotism.
I have seen the entire record of your posts. You’re a commie troll.
Let me just say that last night I had a terrific all beef hot dog with sauerkraut at the food court in the mall across the street. This was followed by a delicious frozen yogurt made with fresh blackberries.
So what? Last night no one in my country was murdered for their organs in a state run prison.
Killing prisoners just for their organs is abhorent, I’ve heard it happens here, and if so it is inexcusable. On the other hand, I have less problem with using the organs of executed killers.
And I had a real serious problem with the way blacks were murdered in Mississippi and other places in our earlier history. But we’ve changed for the better. I expect China to also continue to change for the better.
And let me clarify, when I say “happens here” I mean in China, for that’s where I am right now.
But it hasn't. It's still a murdering regime. There still is no excuse for you equating America's past with China's. And then lying about it.
That’s the rub—I see China as having made incredible dramatic changes over the past 20 years. If one had told me 30 years ago about the kind of religious freedom the Chinese people have today, I would not have believed it. Granted, it’s not at the level of America, but the change is stunning nevertheless.
Today, you can buy a Bible in many Chinese bookstores. Having a bible in your home would have meant a stiff jail sentence 30 years ago.
Today the average urban dweller either owns a satellite dish or has access to one. The stations they pull in report the kinds of accusations and violations of human rights you’ve been talking about. Do you not see how this kind of drip, drip, drip of freedom can change a nation and its government over time?
MI’ve met many Com. Party members and even a few officials! They are not killers and over time I believe their good character will rise upward, as it appears to have done over the past years.
The mascot for the Beijing Olympics. With the masks added for editorial comment.
Hopefully he at least learned we are not stupid.
But will ignore him from now on.
Se post # 100. This has become a pattern with you. You lie first, then lie about the lies, and then start insulting peopl when we point out the fraud that you are.
No, it’s not. You were the one that claimed to “understand” forced abortion by your ChiCom masters. Do you want me to expose you again by posting a link?
As mentioned earlier, this has ecome a repeated pattern with you. We’re not surprised because we’ve handled worse ChiComs than you over the years.
“Everyone except Kim Il Jong, Fidel Castro, Evo Morales, and Hugo Chavez has figured out communism is dead.”
And Hollywood.
Trollspeak!
I don't think they're necessarily government employees. Chinese coverage of Chinese issues is extremely biased. The Chinese have fought an unbroken line of Indian Wars starting thousands of years before us - and have continued fighting these wars in the modern era - wars in which they massacred or expelled entire populations of people. But Chinese propaganda tends to focus on our herding of the Indians into reservations, and fighting or capturing Indian combatants, as some kind of unique moral evil, while either glossing over or suggesting that Chinese massacres or expulsions of entire populations were not only necessary, but a moral good. It's the kind of arrogance, borne out of a feeling of innate racial superiority, that led the Qianlong (birthname Hongli) Emperor to order King George (yes, that King George) to "tremblingly obey and show no negligence", in regard to the Emperor's rejection of a British request for additional trading rights.
As it seems to happen so often, when one finds disagreement with another, the pile on starts. {{{{{sigh}}}}}
What is an acceptable ‘registration date’ on Free Republic? I’ve been here long enough to know that there were disrupters from those early months and that there are new Freepers that come in every day with great contributions. Why are so many so quick to pounce just because you don’t agree — and use a new registration date as proof of your accusations?
The subject is China today.
Has China come a long way since Mao’s death? Sure has!
Have individual freedoms come a long way since Mao’s death? Sure have!
Are there still horrors going on in the country? Yep!
But why can’t those subjects be discussed without the piling on and name calling.
Today’s NYTimes has an article about the growing internet users in China. That they have surpassed the US is not surprising, because of the sheer numbers in China. But it reminds me of the long way they have come.
Not to belabor my first trips in to China, but my use of a hand-held mini-recorder (to report to myself of what I was seeing and doing) was an object of curiosity. I rarely took my walkman out in public as I didn’t want to be seen as the ‘Ugly American’ sporting all the things she had and no one else had.
Over my other trips to China, I could see the electronic love and craze build up, the use of cell phones was becomming commonplace, and now this article in the NYTimes.
Those are just materialistic things, but they are examples of progress. But in those materialistic progressions are social progressions, too.
Those who criticize the “ChiCom” state and its oppression —— without having been there—— then you are denying yourself an open mind.
Of course I know that you don’t have to be ‘in person’ to know what is going on in any country, but why jump on someone who is simply reporting what he is experiencing. And those experiences are simply what he sees and does day to day. What is wrong with that?
They are not a perfect country — but what country is?
There is so much more I would like to say, but I almost feel “What’s the use?”
ROFLMBO...
It is also not surprising how many web sites China blocks from viewership..
China have over a billion MORE people than the US last I checked.. 1.32 Billion people... US 301 million..
220 million US internet users.. 72% of households
You said "sheer numbers" was the reason, well it is the only reason I can tell.
So, I didn't misread your earlier post after all.
China's primary goal is to increase the standard of living of it's people. And yes, in the process, it will become a powerful country (by the very fact that it is so large). But should the US or any other country impede the progress of another country simply because they may someday have an edge over you?
No country, including post war Japan is completely unarmed. Japan gave up it's overriding military ambition, but still had (has) one of the world's largest military budget merely by the nature of it' economic size.
They have significant espionage efforts in America - with a couple of dozen ethnic Chinese, or Chinese nationals charged annually.
I have read some of the cases. There was one case where an accused who thought a particular item that was made public was okay to bring to China. It cost him 30+ years. Some of them appear to have been poor judgement that resulted in extremely long prison sentences. I believe, when it comes to China, we are back in the McCarthy era.
The Chinese sell ballistic missiles to America's enemies. Chinese nuclear bomb plans showed up in Pakistani hands..
How long ago was that? BTW, the US appear to be more involved with Pakistan than China.
China props up North Korea's Kim Jong Il with economic aid.
And has also worked with the US on the six-party talks and have been praised by the Bush Administration (your own government).
It props up Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe with economic aid.
The US has done her share of proping of dictators. Don't forget, Russia also vetoed sanctions against Mugabe as well. And Russia has more nuclear missles (by far) than China. Russia also has openly and publicly stated that they will build a dozen or so SSBN's by the end of the next decade. Yet, China gets attention for having just one.
It supplied the Taliban with weapons after September 11.
How much? And are they still doing it? Is it a concerted government effort? There are people in the US that has done shady deals outside the juridiction of the government. I'm sure it has occured in China as well. But China has no incentive to aid the Taliban.
The Chinese Propaganda Ministry came up with a video - right after 9/11 - celebrating that event as a well-deserved blow against America. Heck - some Chinese journalists were booted out after being seen applauding at live coverage of the collapse of the Twin Towers, as they were being escorted around the city on a PR junket conducted by State Department staffers.
Are they doing that now? And do a few people define China? Do the NAZI party inside the US define who and what America is?
Another difference, Japan invaded all the surrounding countries throughout the pacific. Prior to, it went on a massive military build up that consumed it's entire industrial capacity. And China, like Japan today, use it's current industrial capcity for civilian pursuits..
I still stand by my conclusion. China is folding herself into the global economy. The development of a system that had a significant about of US influence. And now that they are practicing capitalism and free market, effectively joining the economic system of the free world, it isn't appreciated. I'm convinced some Americans would just prefer they return to communism where they could be kept in a bottle.
Observing the political spectrum for the last three decades, I can only conclude, that many American are simply uncomfortable with an industrialized non-Western country. If China had gone down the road and devoted her energies into other types of economic pursuits, like what Mexico did in building up Cancun or even what the Emirates did with Dubai, I'm sure China would not get as much flak as it does now. But because it chooses to build autos, airplanes, and launch satellites, it begins to tread on sacrid ground. Much like the Japanese did decades ago.
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