Bush Takes China to Task on Free Speech
Aug.06, 2008 in
Politics From the Anarchist P.O.V.
On eve of Games, Bush raps China on rights:
“We press for openness and justice not to impose our beliefs, but to allow the Chinese people to express theirs,” he said.
I would love it if the official Chinese reply were along these lines:
Yeah, sure Mr. Shrub, we’ll let them express their beliefs – in carefully guarded FREE SPEECH ZONES located well out-of-sight from any Olympic visitors!
Wikipedia on “Free Speech Zones”
Baltimore Chronicle on “Free Speech Zones”
ACLU on “Free Speech Zones”
American Conservative Magazine on “Free Speech Zones”
August 8th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Protests in Beijing? No sign of any at designated parks. The city’s Olympic Organizing Committee last month designated three zones where demonstrators can gather as long as they give advance notice. One activist says, ‘It is a trap.’
I perfectly understand the reticence that opponents of any current administration might have, when told that they can protest - so long as it’s done with prior approval, disclosure of their identities, and a vetting of material content. OF COURSE it’s a trap.
Heck, a large part of the reason Shrub went to China was to see, and learn from, the Chinese suppression techniques in person, and to have beaucoup security staff there to learn from them as well.