Comments on: The Truth Will Get You Blocked

By: Rhodo Zeb

Rhodo Zeb — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:36:25 +0000

I am sure there is a way to defuse this problem.

However it is highly unlikely that any steps to do so will be taken. Big organizations are like that.

The keep going till they collapse. Unfortunately a collapse is not a good result either.

By: eaa

eaa — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:36:24 +0000

I particularly like the way you expand the internet metaphors: “Flickr flickered off,” and “Twitter too has flown the coop.”

By: Whahaha

Whahaha — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:55:49 +0000

Jim,

Your speculation is a very possible scenario. I dont think that the mothers of those killed want LiPeng dies, they want him punished alive.

I herad that chinese government secretly gave money to those victims’ families. So it is likely when those who were involved in 6/4 are dead, chinese government will give people an answer, but very unlikely an answer that dissidents and West want.

By: Jim Gourley

Jim Gourley — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:25:39 +0000

What is clear is that all the blocks and official threats across the mainland-hosted internet are ensuring that many will continue to know about it. I must say that there are many young people (and older people too) in the Chinese countryside who still have no idea about the events of 6/4/89. That I know for a fact. The Chinese net folks, who number more than 300 million are now referring to June 4th as “Internet Maintenance Day,” the same way they refer to the censors as “river crabs” who battle the “alpacas,” know in Chinese as “cao ni ma,” which is homophonic term for “f*ck your mother.” The information is available, and the government’s continued piss poor handling of it will ensure that it will continue to be known. These things have a way of exacting a toll when least expected. It may take 25, 30 or 40 years, but there is still an outstanding debt and it will need to be paid. When Li Peng, one of the most hated men in China, dies, I expect that there will be an outpouring of happiness that will ‘shock’ the leaders. But then again, maybe not. “Money changes everything.”

As far as asking their parents, well, you’d have to ask someone Chinese. I can only speculate, and I think that that is a subject that is probably not often broached. It’s like riding a bicycle here: you don’t want to look back to see what it was that almost ran you over, since the “knowing” just might just scare you to death.

By: bhb

bhb — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:56:25 +0000

There must be young people asking their parents why are the soldiers guarding the university? Why are they keeping us out of Tiananmen Square? Why are we being made to leave the city for a few days? Like Passover, won’t these things beg the question, why is this night different than all other nights? And then answers will be given. An oral tradition will keep the history alive and the Communist Party are assisting memories.

By: Wahaha

Wahaha — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:03:32 +0000

As one of the students who participated democratic movement in 1986 and 1989, I am happy that our democratic movement failed.

Democracy is great on textbook, but a lousy system in realty.

Dont try to argue me with textbook, use facts to prove the greatness of democracy. What I see is that people in west are using the money that belongs to their children and grandchildren … in the name of human right, YUCK !!!

By: Bill

Bill — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:27:47 +0000

Yes, there must be harmony and no hurt feelings. There are 1.3 billion people thanking that switch thrower.