[bootlegga]

ridenrain ridenrain:

There's nothing wrong with Chinese showing pride for their country but I'd think most here would agree that their leaders are more of a corrupt gang than a government.

Yes, a great many things have changed but I'd say it's for the benefit of the ruling class and their cronies than the average citizen. In fact, I was just reading about some small businessman who got thrown in jail after h he made a stink about his property being taken, without compensation, for olympic construction.
Their government has made no real movement on human rights since Nixon went over so just because tanks are not crushing people this week does not mean that their on the right path. They just might have run out of protesters.

I totally agree that their government is a bunch of goons. My point is that South Korea's, Taiwan's and other countries were too. However, with engagement and trade, they changed to something more democratic.

I'm not suggesting that the PRC will dissolve tomorrow, but eventually, if the Chinese people so decide, it will change just like Taiwan/Korea's corrupt and despotic governments did. That however is up to the Chinese, not us. China, like it or not, has been ruled for millenia by those we would consider tyrants. I think if economic growth slows/stalls, they could have a real problem on their hands.

As for the comment on the ruling class and their cronies mostly benefiting, I'd say the same could be said about Canada. The top 1-2% own 80% of the real estate and wealth in the country. I don't begrudge them that, but it's hypocritical to praise one form of capitalism and berate another. I think the average urban Chinese citizen is doing much better today than they were 20 years ago. They have better paying jobs, can afford nice things and are becoming consumers. Rural citizens, I agree, are not seeing nearly as much benefit as those in the cities.

[ridenrain]

I guess some show it in different ways:

$1:

Journalist threatened
4/14/2008

Vancouver columnist and broadcaster Bill Tieleman has received death threats to himself and his family. This after writing a column in 24 Hours last week suggesting we all boycott China instead of just the summer Olympics.

Tieleman received a flurry of emails from around the world but there was one from China that mentioned a weapon, "When I got the second email right in a row, I responded to it thinking that it was probably a fake email address and just said the police had been notified immmediately. And I immediately got another email back saying, "I have a gun and I'm waiting." So, at that point it became even more serious than I was initially thinking about it."

Another email from Mainland China said, " I am normal Chinese. I must kill you and your family."

http://www.cknw.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLo ... ID=1004228

Of course this isn't normal and these people are obvious cranks but it shows the level of simplicity and stupidity of the folks involved.

[ryan29]

to show support for china ?

anyways china really is on the verge of blowing there chance with these olympics . there chance to show the world they had changed and were a better country than in years past .

there coming across as the same or maybe even worse .

[Congio]

double post

[Congio]

Their point wasn't to show how they had became better country, but to show heir greatness and power. Like Germany in the Berlin Olimpics.

Imperial Politics.

[EyeBrock]

Rationalist Rationalist:

Haha, I was going to the library at my university and I saw a bus full of merry Chinese folk disembarking, holding miniature PRC flags. They were singing the Chinese national anthem. I went up to one and said 毛主席万岁！They seemed shocked that some white guy was speaking mandarin to them, however after a few seconds they laughed nervously and said in a heavy accent that they are also proud to be Canadian as well.

These people are pretty misguided, as they would not be able to hold such a protest in their own country. They have some points though, they seemed mostly concerned about the tarnishing of China's reputation in the media lately. I agree, there are plenty of countries that are worse than China but don't get any media coverage.

Still, it would be ironic to break up that demonstration with tear gas and batons.

Also, as a person with Polish background, I have to say Poland has a great human rights record for a post-communist country (but the vacuum was filled by insane radio maryja listeners), and you're right, these things don't happen overnight. China will take time, and they are more concerned about stability than anything else. This is a country that has gone through more civil wars and foreign invasions than most - only in the past 50 or so years have they had peace and constant economic growth, albeit under a oppressive government.

Another example of so called "new Canadians" who's real loyalty is to their countries of origin.

We had the same thing with all the 'plastic Canadians' who live in Beirut and couldn't give a toss about Canada until they were in the shit, more nof the same nonsense with ‘Canadian’ Serbs/Croats during the NATO action in Kosovo.

Why should we be surprised that more hyphenated 'Canadians' support a repressive dictatorship?
That’s what you get when you ask little of new citizens other than to be here for three years. The citizenship test is a joke.

But remember that China is now the #2 supplier of immigrants to Canada.
Nice to see they embrace our democracy and the freedoms it brings.

The caveat is, if you state the obvious about our immigrants you are ‘xenophobic’ or ‘racist’.

The emperor has no clothes but some of you seem happy with a naked old fat guy.