Another avenue of information shut off to China, because of toxic memetics laced within the information.

September 11, 2006 @ 1:14 am | Comment

If an “avenue of information” website repeatedly receives improper funding from branches of a western spy agency, directly or indirectly, is it still “free” information?

September 11, 2006 @ 8:11 am | Comment

Hey Jessica, here’s a thought: if freedom of information is such a powerful weapon, why doesn’t the Chinese government make use of it? Western people foolishly don’t believe in censorship, so there wouldn’t be anything they could do to stop China telling them how Falun Gong is an evil cult, Tibet is an inseparable part of the Motherland, America is an aggressive imperialist wolf and so on. If Western countries are able to use this against China, it ought to work for China as well, right?

Heck, if “foreign propaganda” is as potent as they obviously fear it is, they could easily destabilise American society, or even bring down the government. I know China’s spy agencies might not quite have the resources of the CIA, but I’m sure it wouldn’t bankrupt them to fund a few dissident websites and journalists.

September 11, 2006 @ 4:14 pm | Comment

Peter, have you realized that western people do not have the ability to read Chinese? If I post this comment in Chinese, can you understand me? Can the ghetto boy in his hoofty parking at the street corner understand me?

Less than 3 % Americans read a non-European language. Americans simply cannot communicate with non-European nations and cultures. The inability to non-European languages is the biggest barrier to stop non-European nations from telling westerners stories from a different side. Lacking the ability to learn foreign perspectives, American views are exclusively shaped by their local news and churches. I think you know what image western news and churches are depicting China. The current situation of ignorance works better than any censorship. If only the westerners are willing to learn non-European languages, there should not be such deep misunderstanding.

There are also culture differences. No one in China goes through the childhood brainwashing propagated by Christian parents and churches. Chinese culture is fundamentally open to new thoughts. In sharp contrast, the western Christian culture is closed rejecting anything foreign. As a side note, destabilizing America is not a joke. Do a search on Waco Holocaust. Also search for answers on Cincinnati Race Riot, LA Race Riots, etc. See for yourself.

September 11, 2006 @ 6:28 pm | Comment

YEs, it’s still free because anyone can add information to it. No one is arrested for speaking their view, and informaiton is freely put out there for the taking.

Western culture rejects anything foreign? What the crap are you talking about?????? Nearly every major scientific, economic, and technological breakthrough in America has been inspired by american citizens of foriegn origens. Brilliant and creative thinkers from India, Budapest, Hungary, Turkey, Argentina, Japan, Germany, Thailand, China (yep!! go to any graduate school and you’ll see), and the list goes on. These great people pursue their dreams, build an educational foundation for themselves in their home countries, and then come to america, an open and creative environment conducive to their further research, and then share their dreams with the world. Many of these individuals came to america simply because their own countries wouldn’t support their research (their ideas). Also, many of these individuals then return to their countries to share their knowledge and ideas. China has many nobel prize winners, but only after becoming american citizens (why’s that???). Could it be that china rejects not only things foriegn, but anything progressive within its own borders?

Americans can’t read chinese? true, but that’s why most news agencies have TRANSLATERS, dumbass.

the west doesn’t misunderstand china, China is just ashamed that bad things can be said about it. Would you rather the west adopt the same view of CHina that China has of itself? It’s going to take some convincing to get people to think that the Mao that caused the deaths of 30 million people, the near destruction of all chinese culture, and the retardation of the CHinese education system for an entire decase is “70% correct”. I’m sorry, I don’t think the west is brainwashed.

September 11, 2006 @ 8:20 pm | Comment

I really shouldn’t type when I’m angry, that was supposed to read “decade”

September 11, 2006 @ 8:21 pm | Comment

Jessica Copeland:
I assumed you were not chinese.
If you are not chinese, then you better go to china to experience the “Freedom” under CCP.
Without experiencing such stupid “Freedom” under CCP, you have no right to say anything like that.

September 11, 2006 @ 8:54 pm | Comment

Hahaha, thanks Jessica you gave me a good laugh. Let me just reply to a few of your points:

Peter, have you realized that western people do not have the ability to read Chinese?

Chip’s already given you an excellent reply, my only question is why didn’t you think of it yourself? Can it really be that China’s failure to use the powerful and destabilizing weapon of alternative information is simply that it’s spy agencies, like you, don’t have the imagination to think of publishing in English?

American views are exclusively shaped by their local news and churches.

No one in China goes through the childhood brainwashing propagated by Christian parents and churches

Of course not. In China, only the CCP is allowed to brainwash people.

Chinese culture is fundamentally open to new thoughts. In sharp contrast, the western Christian culture is closed rejecting anything foreign

Throughout its history, China’s rulers have always been cautious and distrustful of new thoughts, particularly those of foreign origin. On occasions, China suffered badly because of this. I’m no expert, but it seems to me that those times of greatest intellectual creativity in China occurred when central government was either weak or non-existent (eg Spring & Autumn).

As for Western culture, if it really is as closed as you suggest then as soon as you expose Westerners to new ideas their whole worldview ought to collapse like a house of cards…. so what are you waiting for? Westerners always try to undermine your social stability, now it’s your chance to get your own back.

September 11, 2006 @ 9:14 pm | Comment

You know, not to diminish how shitty it is that the PRC is blocking sites and all that, but honestly, getting through to Wikipedia via a proxy is so totally trivial that the majority of my Chinese friends (at least, those who use the site) have actually got more difficulty reading the 繁体 traditional characters on the Chinese version of the encyclopedia than in actually accessing it.

Also, I have to say that Wales comes off as sounding either really disingenuous or just plain stupid. Take the bit where he says that he doesn’t understand why they’re blocked, because they have strict rules about neutrality: yeah, because the PRC has always welcomed more than one point of view on any facet of any period of Chinese history.

And it’s cute that he gets in a little swipe at Google, but I’m increasingly coming to find that the people who bash Google for censoring their Chinese search results really don’t know what they’re talking about. (1) A search on Google.cn returns results that won’t trigger the firewall, which means that if you’re searching for something innocuous, you won’t get booted off of Google for the next five minutes be the firewall. This is a big plus from a user perspective, trust me. (2) At the bottom of every search results page is a note saying “Oh, hey, by the way, your government is making us censor these results — you can get the full results by searching on http://www.google.com .”
Google’s defense – that by complying in letter if not in spirit with the government’s censorship demands allows them to be available in China, creating a net benefit for Chinese users – sounds weak, but is IMHO absolutely dead on. The alternative, as self-proclaimed hard-liners like Wales are finding out, is to have no presence at all.

September 11, 2006 @ 11:33 pm | Comment

one thing i don’t get is why wiktionary is banned as well. come on, its a freakin dictionary.

also, another thing to think about is that wikipedia is good for business. i know a lot of my time is wasted trying to find information online in other places that is right there in wikipedia…

September 12, 2006 @ 1:46 am | Comment

Jeff — it’s on the same server (wikimedia.org) as Wikipedia; hence the blocking.

Also, for reference, answers.com reposts a lot of Wikipedia content, as do other sites, so much of the time if you’re searching for an English-language Wikipedia entry you can find it there. And it’s still possible, albeit very slow, to make a secure (HTTPS) connection to the Wikimedia server at https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Main_Page . (Tip of the hat to Kevin Smith at http://kevinsmith.wordpress.com for pointing that one out.)

September 12, 2006 @ 3:31 am | Comment

Jeffery, you cannot speculate more freedom in the west if you have not lived there. I lived in both nations for very long time. From my personal and firsthand experience, I say the level of personal freedom is the same in both countries.

Peter, you are not the first one accusing me of an evil Chinese commy spy; and I promise you, you will not be the last one. It is so sad for me to witness prejudice so deeply printed in people.

Translations are no solution to long held beliefs. They are highly subjective depending on the views of the translators. Culture differences and subtle arguments simply do not translate. As a result, translated articles seldom make sense. The results of “free translation” are even worse. You see there are still westerners like Chip who believe Mao directly killed millions of Chinese. Mao is a master of Chinese history. He does not have any order to mass murder the Chinese. Also, do you know you are not allowed to join the CPC unless you are 18 years old? In sharp contrast, children as young as 3 are pushed into church receiving indoctrination. How dare you compare the two fundamentally different practices?

And please, Peter, for the sake of your own credibility; do not talk about Chinese history; for you have not a clue what it is. From the established western music in Han court, to the Ching dynasty social political reforms, the Chinese path reflects a desire for constant learning. Confucius said: “Three people walking along; my teacher(s) among thy.” I am not posing him as absolute truth. I am quoting him showing in the fundamental open nature of the Chinese society. In contrast, Jesus said: “I am the only way. There is no truth above me.”

And yes, Peter, people see their stand falling apart in front of me. Here is a real comment by an American who is just opened up by me:

“Oh, for crying out loud, SHUT UP. If you want any sympathy for your point of view, you’d better learn that trying to force people’s beaks open and shovel it down their throats IN AN INAPPROPRIATE CONTEXT doesn’t work, just makes them mad. FWY, this is the first time I have been so openly rude in over 3 years, so that tells you how much YOU, have transgressed ordinary politeness.”

Also Brenda, talking about the stupid censorship, why the book of Mumia titled “my Straggle – the history of the Black Panther Party” is banned by the US government?

September 12, 2006 @ 9:12 am | Comment

“Jeffery, you cannot speculate more freedom in the west if you have not lived there. I lived in both nations for very long time. From my personal and firsthand experience, I say the level of personal freedom is the same in both countries.”

I have also lived in both places for years, so it’s pretty plain to me that you are either being intentionally misleading, or you are unusually dim-witted.

September 12, 2006 @ 9:50 am | Comment

Slim, there are a few differences. For example, you live in China without the ability to communicate with the Chinese in Chinese fluently. Also, think about the way your culture takes on others.

September 12, 2006 @ 11:21 am | Comment

Jessica, I don’t know the book that you’re referring to, and can’t find any reference to it online with a quick Googling, but given that Mumia has been able to publish other books and articles in mainstream American newspapers from prison, I don’t think that your comment is really relevant here.

September 12, 2006 @ 12:14 pm | Comment

Brendan, there is a Chinese word: Yan(3) Er(3) Dao(4) Ling(4). I hope you understand.

September 12, 2006 @ 12:34 pm | Comment

Yes, Jes, I am familiar with the idiom 掩耳盗铃. I think it applies equally to people who believe that this kind of thing is a game in which a bad thing on one side is cancelled out by a bad thing on another side.

September 12, 2006 @ 2:02 pm | Comment

Welcome back, Jes. Your return has livened up the discussions.

Also, do you know you are not allowed to join the CPC unless you are 18 years old? In sharp contrast, children as young as 3 are pushed into church receiving indoctrination. How dare you compare the two fundamentally different practices?

Too bad you grew up in the US; otherwise, you could have started out with the �й������ȷ��, shouting chants like ׼���ţ�Ϊ���� ������ҵ� �ܶ��� and reciting the pledge of allegiance to the CCP, �����й������ȷ�Ӷ�Ա�����ڶ��������ģ ����Ȱ��й���Ȱ�����Ȱ�� ��񣬺ú�ѧϰ���úö����׼���ţ�Ϊ�� ���� ����ҵ��������

As a teenager in China, you could have joined the �й������������ and learned correct thoughts by reading the �Ї������.

Translations are no solution to long held beliefs. They are highly subjective depending on the views of the translators. Culture differences and subtle arguments simply do not translate.

But Jessica. you are bilingual and view yourself as bicultural. You’re a blogger, and you comment on other blogs like this one.

And yes, Peter, people see their stand falling apart in front of me. Here is a real comment by an American who is just opened up by me:

Jes, there are hateful commentators in every language including Chinese, judging by some of the threads found in the international section of some major Chinese portals.

From the established western music in Han court, to the Ching dynasty social political reforms, the Chinese path reflects a desire for constant learning.

Scholars who ran afoul of the court were put to death along with their descendents. The control of ideas and dissemination of information has a long, long history in China from the first emperor, Jin Shihuang’s massacre of hundreds of scholars and the burning of their writings critical of his rule to Mao’s Let 100 Flowers Bloom ‘smoke ’em and shoot ’em.”

Confucius said: ��Three people walking along; my teacher(s) among thy.�� I am not posing him as absolute truth. I am quoting him showing in the fundamental open nature of the Chinese society. In contrast, Jesus said: ��I am the only way. There is no truth above me.��

Apples and oranges. Confucianism isn’t really a religion as it does not deal with God/gods or the afterlife. Confucius was a philosopher and ethicist, not a prophet and certainly not a diety. His Western counterparts are the Greeks Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates.

One of Confucius’ great legacies to northeast Asia is the value of obedience and subordination – son to father; wife to husband; junior to senior; citizen to ruler. He believed in a strictly defined social hierarchy in stark contrast to the socialist ideal of the classless society.

Confucius was also very big on ritual and got bent out of shape if court officials didn’t wear the right costumes or play the right music at ceremonies.

September 12, 2006 @ 8:13 pm | Comment

Hi Jess,

Peter, you are not the first one accusing me of an evil Chinese commy spy; and I promise you, you will not be the last one.

I didn’t really think you were a spy. If you were, you’d be too busy tracking down old men and women practising breathing exercises, dissident poets, cheeky reporters and other threats to the Chinese government to be arguing here.

Translations are no solution to long held beliefs. They are highly subjective depending on the views of the translators. Culture differences and subtle arguments simply do not translate. As a result, translated articles seldom make sense.

I don’t know, Lin Yutang was a pretty good translator don’t you think? He was able to write in English as well as any native speaker. But that was before Mao launched the GPCR. I’m not sure that there is anyone in China of his calibre today.

The results of ?free translation? are even worse. You see there are still westerners like Chip who believe Mao directly killed millions of Chinese. Mao is a master of Chinese history.

Yes I’m sure Mao did intend to be a “master” of history, in charge of writing it. Unfortunately for him, the truth has a way of coming out.

He does not have any order to mass murder the Chinese.

As I understand it, Mao never had any orders from anybody, except perhaps early in his career from the Cominterm. He launched the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution on his own initiative. Millions died as a result, and China’s development would have been set back at least twenty years. I don’t think China has completely recovered from it. Whether to use the word “murder” in relation to those people who died for no reason or not is a matter of choice – personally I think it’s inadequate. One or two people being beaten to death or starved is a murder. For the actions of someone like Mao, Stalin, Hitler, Hirohito or Pol Pot, “murder” doesn’t begin to do justice.

Also, do you know you are not allowed to join the CPC unless you are 18 years old? In sharp contrast, children as young as 3 are pushed into church receiving indoctrination. How dare you compare the two fundamentally different practices?

I know you need to be 18 to join the CCP but I also know that for children there is the Young Pioneers, and after that the Communist Youth League. Sort of like Sunday School for Communists I guess. Anyway, Communist parties have always believed in starting people off young.

And please, Peter, for the sake of your own credibility; do not talk about Chinese history; for you have not a clue what it is. From the established western music in Han court, to the Ching dynasty social political reforms, the Chinese path reflects a desire for constant learning. Confucius said: ?Three people walking along; my teacher(s) among thy.? I am not posing him as absolute truth. I am quoting him showing in the fundamental open nature of the Chinese society. In contrast, Jesus said: ?I am the only way. There is no truth above me.?

I think you mean “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man goes to the Father but by me”. You sure have a bee in your bonnet about Christians don’t you? Actually it’s highly debatable whether Jesus actually said that or not. That particular gospel was written hundreds of years after his death, and in a style quite different to the way he appears to actually have spoken. Anyway, to return to the subject: if Chinese society is so fundamentally open, why does the CCP need to run an army of web censors and a Great Firewall to keep the Chinese people from reading certain information? if Western society is close-minded and unable to accept anything other than mainstream narrative, why is it that we can get by without these things and can basically read anything we like on the Internet? Al Jazeera is often accused of being not merely biased, but an actual enemy organisation during a war. Yet I’ve never heard of any Americans asking for their website to be blocked in the US, and if anyone were to make that suggestion they would be condemned from all sides. As you must know, there are literally hundreds of websites and individuals who claim that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were carried out by the US government. In addition there are thousands more who are less wacky but just as hostile to the US government. No doubt all these dissident voices cause them a great deal of inconvenience, but it’s unthinkable that they could be silenced. That is how important openness is to American and Western culture. Compared to this, how open is China?

September 12, 2006 @ 10:51 pm | Comment

Peter, a wonderful comment. So it hurts for me to tell you this: If you are expecting any serious dialogue with “Jessica,” you’ll be sorely disappointed. Jessica is a thug, a depraved insect who makes lighthearted jokes about imprisoned bloggers and who will tell you the Chinese enjoy more freedoms than the Americans. (I always respond to such idiocies by pointing out very few Americans are risking their lives and paying snakheads their life savings to be smuggled into China. Alas, to no avail, as Jessica isn’t here to learn but to to taunt, not to engage but to incite. In other words, Jessica is a piece of shit, and that’s not really being fair to shit, which at least serves some purpose.)

September 12, 2006 @ 11:13 pm | Comment

Richard, can you not tell the difference between financial immigrants and political immigrants? There are millions of Mexicans who pay snake heads to come to the US. Have you noticed that Mexico is a democracy??? Calm down and think about it.

Quote Peter “If you were (a spy), you’d be too busy tracking down old men, …poets, cheeky reporters, …”

I have no clue what Chinese spies are doing, have you? If you have, tell me how you learn about these? Your statement reflects the gross misinformation fed to you by the biased western media. Are you really brainless to such a degree?

For your argument on translation, you are not making any valid point. Remember, you are trying to dismiss my argument of “translation does not work”. You set up one example of Lin Yutan and then attacked Mao. You forgot what you were talking about. You know, Colin Powel dated a few white women, does that mean there is no racism against the blacks in the US?

You also misread my comment on “Mao is a master of Chinese history.” I say that because Mao read the complete 24 books of Chinese history and the first book of history by Simaqian. He learned the art to approach politics with soft power. Unlike, Stalin, he never directly ordered any mass murder. What you are accusing Mao is a result of poor economic policies – like these happening today in democratic thirdworld nations in Eastern Europe, Africa, Central and South Americas.

Peter, if you are a Chinese expert, you should know Mao’s last wife Jiang Qing is the real designer of culture revolution. Mao was an old dummy completely controlled by the beautiful and fiery young woman. I say you have poor understanding of China. Do you see it in this case? Besides, culture revolution was way way overblown in the west. Compared to the lengthy war era those generations grew up in, culture revolution was nothing. It is more like the McCarthy purge in the US, except for that it is led by youth.

It is just as laughable for you to claim Young Pioneers are indoctrinated with communism. What can I say? You never experienced this yourself. You speculate these organizations by their name. You do not understand that Chinese culture profoundly rejects childhood indoctrination. You do not understand it.

Quote Peter “if Chinese society is so fundamentally open, why does the CCP need to run an army of web censors and a Great Firewall to keep the Chinese people from reading”

You are talking in cycles. The Great Firewall is your imagination. Then you use it to support your argument. I have explained the reason of Chinese censorship to you in the first 2 posts above. Being open does not mean we have to take malicious abuses. Remember the Asian Financial Turmoil in the 80s. One American congressman caused the whole thing by exploiting the freedom of Asian financial institutions. How can we deal with such malign westerners? You think about it.

Peter if you want to show me how important openness is to American and Western culture, then you should honestly talk with me about Waco Holocaust, Cincinnati Race Riot, LA Race Riots, and the latest book of Mumia – my struggle. Are you really open?

September 13, 2006 @ 8:39 am | Comment

Mao was an old dummy completely controlled by the beautiful and fiery young woman

Check out what a hottie Madam Jiang was in the 1960s:

http://rwor.org/i/china/chiang1.jpg :b

It is more like the McCarthy purge in the US, except for that it is led by youth.

Many people were harassed, unjustly interrogated, fired, and a few even committed suicide during McCarthy’s witchhunts, but there were no struggle sessions, no violent beatings, no brutal murders, no destruction of irreplaceable cultural relics. Throughout human history, people have pillaged and destroyed their neighbors’ lands, but the Cultural Revolution was unique in that the Chinese pillaged and destroyed their own treasures. Look around you, Jess. Try to find one physical relic of McCarthyism. Next time you visit Beijing, check out the newly restored Ming city wall, demolished by the Red Guards in the 1960s. McCarthy, BTW, drank himself to death at the age of 48 after being censured by the US Senate. Too bad Mao never met a similar fate. China would have been so much better off.

It is just as laughable for you to claim Young Pioneers are indoctrinated with communism.

The Young Pioneers slogan:

“Be prepared, to struggle for the cause of Communism!”

The Young Pioneers pledge:

“I am a member of the Young Pioneers of China. Under the Pioneers Flag I promise that: I love the Communist Party of China, I love the motherland, I love the people; I will study well and keep myself fit [lit. exercise well], to prepare for: contributing my effort to the cause of communism.”

The Young Pioneers anthem:

“We are the heirs of communism,
Inheriting the glorious tradition of the forebearers of the Revolution;
love the motherland and the people,
While the crimson red scarf flutters at our chests.
We do not fear hardship, nor the enemy,
Studying hard and struggling with resolve;
Towards victory, we courageously advance,
Towards victory, we courageously advance,
Towards victory, we courageously advance;
We are the heirs of communism.

We are the heirs of communism,
Along the glorious path of the forebearers of the Revolution;
love the motherland and the people,
“Young Pioneer Members” is our proud name.
Ever be prepared, to contribute ,
And to destroy completely the enemy.
For our ideal, we courageously advance,
For our ideal, we courageously advance,
For our ideal, we courageously advance;
We are the heirs of communism.”

and the latest book of Mumia ? my struggle

I easily googled this website dedicated to freeing Mumia Abu-Jamal. The “resources” link provided a list of publications by or about Mumia. All are available for purchase through alternative media in the United States:

http://www.freemumia.org/resources.html

Amazon.com has a good selection of works by or about Mumia:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=br_ss_hs/103-8916408-7754250?platform=gurupa&url=index%3Dblended&keywords=mumia+abu-jamal&Go.x=8&Go.y=12

If the link doesn’t work, input “Mumia Abu-Jamal into the search box on the homepage at http://www.amazon.com

An open, uncensored internet makes it easy to prove someone wrong. Say it, Jess: I was wrong. The US government never banned any book by Mumia Abu-Jamal. This is an indesputable fact, not a cultural difference or something lost in translation. If you even try to blab on about this figment of your imagination, you’d better prove it with a link. I want to see an actual picture of this banned book. It is hard to be open with someone who keeps pathetically clinging to a lie without offering any evidence.

September 13, 2006 @ 7:57 pm | Comment

The posts made by Jessica Copeland leave me aghast. It defies belief that someone can write such utter tripe and expect to be believed. Presumably these propaganda vignettes are aimed at readers who have never lived in China. For those of us who have, Chinese or foreigner, they are such gross distortions of the truth they are barely worth commenting on.

However, just for form\\\’s sake!:
I spent twelve years working as a journalist for both State and commercial media organizations in a liberal democratic western country. I now live in China and work in a well-known Chinese media organization.

Every day this organization receives orders from the CPC on what can and cannot be broadcast. Obviously, these orders do not cover every item of current affairs – that would be far too time consuming. Instead they usually deal with the main news stories of the day.

Sometimes we are told to ignore certain stories- no matter how big they may be (example: the death of the Pope went unreported for days because the CPC is piqued that the Vatican has ties with Taiwan)

Sometimes we are told we must lead with a certain story – no matter how inconsequential they may be (example: Endless repetition of Hu Jintao/Wen Jiabao/ Wu Bangguo etc. \\\”hailing the raising of friendly bilateral relations with country x to a new high…blah blah\\\” or embarrassed ambassadors or leaders of tiny inconsquential countries around the world being forced to trot out the CPC mantra of \\\”We support the one China policy, we agree that there is only one China in the world and that the Government of the People\\\’s Republic of China represents the only legal government of all of China…..)

Sometimes we are told we must edit a story in a such a way that it gives the Chinese (i.e. CPC) point of view, even if this means throwing out balance and contravening all basic journalistic ethics and norms. (Example: Virtually any story dealing with Chen Shuibian, the Dalai Lama, Falun Gong etc.)

There are also standing orders in effect which are similiar to \\\”house style\\\” in a western publication (athough interestingly enough there is no \\\”house style!\\\”) These do not have to be repeated daily as they are well known and understood, although they are somethimes reinforced at \\\”sensitive\\\” times. (example: never mention Richard Gere – even if it\\\’s an entertainment story, no international meeting of leaders attended by Taiwan may be called a summit, no mention of the Islamic revolution in Iran, never quote an opposition or organization banned in any country – no matter how unsavory the \\\’legitimate\\\’ government etc.

Sometimes we are given stories which are outright lies (example: no pollution in the Songhua river for several days when it was overflowing with benzene) – although admittedly the latter are less common than the prevous \\\’truth-benders\\\’ and usually only used in extremis (or when there\\\’s no chance of being found out – bad call on the Songhua incident!)

However much of the censorship is actually self-censorship by workers who know damn well what will happen if they cross the line. As the line is very often left purposely blurred, those who wish to keep their jobs – or good standing with the party – will, through fear, err on the side of caution.

This is particularly wise with regard to the party\\\’s betes noires, the four Ts; Tibet, Taiwan, Tiananmen and Turkestan. In addition as the political line of the day may well change on the latest whim of the powers that be tells it can be prudent to be vague when in doubt.

My colleagues are not necessarily bad journalists, nor do they agree with what they have to do. While there are some party fanatics, most are just putting their heads down and bending with the wind – and who wouldn\\\’t when career and salary and \\\’face\\\’ are on the line?

Jessica Copeland, please, crawl away, shut up and stop insulting me and thousands of Chinese journalists!

September 13, 2006 @ 7:59 pm | Comment

Well said, Joseph! I would like to add my two cents:

Mao was an old dummy completely controlled by the beautiful and fiery young woman

Check out what a hottie Madam Jiang was in the 1960s:

http://rwor.org/i/china/chiang1.jpg :b

It is more like the McCarthy purge in the US, except for that it is led by youth.

Many people were harassed, unjustly interrogated, fired, and a few even committed suicide during McCarthy’s witchhunts, but there were no struggle sessions, no violent beatings, no brutal murders, no destruction of irreplaceable cultural relics.

It is just as laughable for you to claim Young Pioneers are indoctrinated with communism.

The Young Pioneers slogan:

“Be prepared, to struggle for the cause of Communism!”

The Young Pioneers pledge:

“I am a member of the Young Pioneers of China. Under the Pioneers Flag I promise that: I love the Communist Party of China, I love the motherland, I love the people; I will study well and keep myself fit [lit. exercise well], to prepare for: contributing my effort to the cause of communism.”

The Young Pioneers anthem:

“We are the heirs of communism,
Inheriting the glorious tradition of the forebearers of the Revolution;
love the motherland and the people,
While the crimson red scarf flutters at our chests.
We do not fear hardship, nor the enemy,
Studying hard and struggling with resolve;
Towards victory, we courageously advance,
Towards victory, we courageously advance,
Towards victory, we courageously advance;
We are the heirs of communism.

We are the heirs of communism,
Along the glorious path of the forebearers of the Revolution;
love the motherland and the people,
“Young Pioneer Members” is our proud name.
Ever be prepared, to contribute ,
And to destroy completely the enemy.
For our ideal, we courageously advance,
For our ideal, we courageously advance,
For our ideal, we courageously advance;
We are the heirs of communism.”

and the latest book of Mumia ? my struggle

I easily googled this website dedicated to freeing Mumia Abu-Jamal. The “resources” link provided a list of publications by or about Mumia. All are available for purchase through alternative media in the United States:

http://www.freemumia.org/resources.html

Amazon.com has a good selection of works by or about Mumia:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=br_ss_hs/103-8916408-7754250?platform=gurupa&url=index%3Dblended&keywords=mumia+abu-jamal&Go.x=8&Go.y=12

If the link doesn’t work, input “Mumia Abu-Jamal into the search box on the homepage at http://www.amazon.com

An open, uncensored internet makes it easy to prove someone wrong. Say it, Jess: I was wrong. The US government never banned any book by Mumia Abu-Jamal. This is an indesputable fact, not a cultural difference or something lost in translation. If you even try to blab on about this figment of your imagination, you’d better prove it with a link. I want to see an actual picture of this banned book. It is hard to be open with someone who keeps pathetically clinging to a lie.

September 13, 2006 @ 8:13 pm | Comment

Another thing to consider is that blocking of this site on the mainland means that most of the content added in Chinese will come from other Chinese communities such as HK, singapore, TW, the US, etc, and this means that the public definitions of most things Chinese available on this site will come from the periphery. So basically what it means to be Chinese (within the limits of wikipedia) will be defined to the rest of the world by that group of people, and the mainlanders won’t have a say. A similar thing happened with literature during the pre opening up years.

September 13, 2006 @ 11:27 pm | Comment

How sad, Joseph, my posts are banned by this website of US freedom. I cannot continue my discussion with you because my conscience is offensive to the brainwashed. Would you mind telling us which “liberal democratic western” news agency you worked for 15 years. To be honest, I know exactly what is happening in fox news, NPR, abc and CNN. Are you still insisting on the American news agencies are “different” than the Chinese one you worked for?

And I don’t get your point by posting a bad picture of Jiang Qing. Why are you so mad about the simple fact: Jiang Qing was a very attractive women? Go get a right picture.

September 14, 2006 @ 9:32 am | Comment

As for your translation of Young Pioneers, I say this is a superb example showing translation reflects nothing but what the translator wants.

September 14, 2006 @ 9:35 am | Comment

Also, on Mumia, songai, where is he? Is he not LOCKED UP by the US regime? Is he freed now? How about Cincinnati Race Riot, LA Race Riot? They never happened. Why people are rioting against such a “free” government? The evil Chinese commy made that up!

September 14, 2006 @ 9:41 am | Comment

As for your translation of Young Pioneers, I say this is a superb example showing translation reflects nothing but what the translator wants.

Then please provide an alternative translation. There are several commentators with native and native-like proficiency in Chinese.

BTW, where’s that link proving the existence of Mumia’s banned book? Say it, Jess: I was wrong. I lied.

Your latest posts are the verbal equivalent of a drowning person flailing their arms and legs in the water, trying to stay afloat.

September 14, 2006 @ 3:34 pm | Comment

Why did the Tiananmen Square Massacre happen in the first place?
Democracy is not welcome in Red China and neither is freedom of information, open dialogue, debate or even shared international information.
Communism is a destructive force that leads to suffering, fear and pain.
Anyone who supports it is power hungry, revengful, ignorant or all three. Wouldn’t you agree? What good could possibly come from it?
Me? I am nobody’s nobody, not on Earth at least. Freedom is essential. Unite with mankind. Love your fellow man. I am a Christian man living in Western Kentucky, USA, the Western Hemisphere. Here we are proud to live in freedom and to have the right to examine any idea and to do so publically without recourse. We encourage the rest of the world to do the same. In Kentucky our State Motto is “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”. IMHO all counties around the globe should adopt this slogan. What a wonderful world it could be. Peace.

September 16, 2006 @ 7:13 am | Comment