Scríobh Jiong Sheng:
Is this a humiliation or prejudice against all Chinese? A bunch of robbers? If you have no understanding of real China, and only got all your false impressions of China from newspapers or magazines, then you better shut up.
Look back on history, though China had the most powerful navy and army since the 10th century, we did not want to conquer the whole world. Only the whites would go all around the world robbing and killing.
Yup. I'm white, and my people back in the tenth century were most certainly going about the world looting and robbing every poor non-white nation that we could get our hands on.
Except, whoops, no we didn't, we just sat on our island and eventually got conquered by the British. Thanks for putting us all in the one basket though!
Also, the status of Tibet 100 years ago is irrelevant. What matters is that right now, the PRC (not "the Chinese") are embarking on a campaign of repression against the Tibetan people and way of life, including but not limited to, acts of violence, ethnic cleansing, and trying to breed out the natives. At the same time, they pursue blustery threats against the democratically elected government of Taiwan, they set up quasi-democracies in Hong Kong and Macau, and unfortunate things happen to people who express opposition to their rule. No matter what their other economic successes (and I do agree, the economic growth in China recently has been phenomenal), these things will forever overshadow it.
None of this is criticism of the "Chinese" as a people - it's criticism of the Chinese government as an institution, and I don't think that Wikipedia give in to the demands of such a bunch of thugs and brutes. Free, unbiased information is a threat to the Chinese government, and it's understandable, if disappointing that they want to attempt to smother it. I reject strongly the implication that we should try to satiate them, however. The people of China really deserve better than us becoming another mouthpiece of the PRC government, masquerading as a source of unbiased information.
Regards, - Craig Franklin
------------------- Craig Franklin PO Box 764 Ashgrove, Q, 4060 Australia http://www.halo-17.net - Australia's Favourite Source of Indie Music, Art, and Culture.
I. On 26 Sep 2004, at 06:51, Craig Franklin wrote:
No matter what their other economic successes (...), these things will forever overshadow it.
Sorry to say it, but I consider that cultural defeatism. Especially the "will _forever_ overshadow" bit.
OUW GAWD, OUW GAWD. TEH WOARLD EEZ DOOMED. It's going to hell in a handbasket and things ain't NEVER gonna get better. OH PUH-LEEZE. ;-D
NB: PERPETUALLY denying your fellow human beings the chance to be full equals is not healthy. You may want to reconsider this point.
II. How much do you know about the Chinese government? Are you aware that many, many Chinese "ordinary Joes" are government officials? From low-low levels right through to the top? Are they all "irrevocably evil pedophile child-eaters"? And what do you propose? Burning a quarter of China's working population at the stake? (Number is made up for the sake of rhetoric, but you're getting my drift.) "The Chinese government" is a widespread community thing. (And yes, there is an etymological relation between "communism" and "community" -- think of that what you will.) Yes, we regret the deaths on Tiananmen Square. Believe it or not, many, many people ''of the Chinese government'' regret them, too. But how much do you really know about this--honestly? Have you actually talked to people who were there? Because a friend of mine was. And no, your wholesale damnation of a group of humans that conveniently doesn't include yourself is not the answer.
III. You may want to make it clear that you were referring to Ireland (you were, right?) as regards "sitting on your island". Because otherwise people will get confused because of your Australian address. Speaking of Ireland, I was in Dublin--resident in Dublin--when the first ever foreigner to die from a racist attack was killed in Ireland: It was a Chinese person. Yes, I too still love Ireland but you nevertheless may want to exercise a tad bit more healthy restraint. Being openly disrespectful will just make you temporarily feel better because of the venting opportunity but it will make a lot of our Chinese contributors feel a lot worse -- and needlessly antagonize people and not help anybody.
-- ropers [[en:User:Ropers]] www.ropersonline.com
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