the respected brother

Nicholas Kristof’s a New York Times reporter. Very famous. I usually don’t agree with him when he’s talking about China because he sometimes has the most pompous and self-righteous attitude towards China. A very old-fashioned foreign attitude that claims to know what’s best for China and her people. I get offended and I’m not even a Chinese person! I suggest there is an alternative way to befriend China.
If Kristof is talking about other regions of the world, like Darfur and Sudan, then I’m just relieved to see press about that important issue. If we forget about Darfur and pretend it’s not there, then the murder goes on without control. “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing,” said Edmund Burke. If people don’t call the injustice an injustice, then those people perpetuate that injustice, says this American.
But I love a good protest. As I’ve said in born in the usa, citizen of the world, Americans are pretty used to the idea of protests and protestors. We see them all the time and just about anywhere, people protesting just about everything you can imagine. Peaceful assembly is, afterall, in the Bill of Rights of the US Constitution. The Bill of Rights’ intent is to restrict the guhment by empowering the people, so naturally Americans think this is cool.
Naturally, American Nicholas Kristof did a story about the official designated protest areas the Chinese guhment established during the 2008 Summer Games. It’s a hilarious story. Watch the video too and you can really see the fallacy come to life.
But before you criticize and judge China as Nicholas Kristof does so well and often, take a look at some of the police-state mentality in the good ol’ US of A. At the recent Republican National Convention, journalists–those watchful eyes and ears of a democratic public–were being searched, arrested, harassed, and jailed without warrants. Here’s a video of a journalist being subdued by police. At news of this journalist’s arrest, a colleague attempted to investigate and was herself arrested. You can listen to the story if you’d prefer.
The news agency of mention is a liberal rag known as Democracy Now! They are on the radio, TV, and online and have a national and loyal following in the US. One might argue that they’ve sensationalized their arrests to promote their political views and/or business interests. Regardless, it is clear that these and other reports show a rather extreme use of force and suggest that the right of peaceful assembly in the US is not in the best interests of a guhment that does not wish to be restricted.
And that’s why I’ll always love a good protest in America. True, I’ve witnessed far more protests than I’ve ever participated in, and I’ve probably disagreed with the protesters more often than I’ve agreed with them, but it’s still the right of the American people to peaceably assemble and petition the US Government for a redress of grievances. The idea is just a very thoughtful and intelligent idea to an American because it keeps power in the hands of the people and restricts guhment. Peaceful assembly is a vital and essential part of being an American. It’s a duty. An obligation. An honor. A Constitutionally protected right. It’s not a Chinese thing.
What China does is for her people to decide. What my country does is my business. Nicolas Kristof believes that people should continue to criticize China, to positively influence that country’s politics. I recognize this straightforward American approach, but suspect my Chinese friends would call it “aggressive.” I disagree with Nicolas Kristof again about China. I would suggest that the USA set the example and lead the life that the Chinese people would admire and want to emulate. The Chinese are strongly influenced by their environment. They are quick to notice beautiful things and incorporate those things into their lives for the well being of their families. Rather than being so hypocritical and judgmental, I suggest that the US instead be the well-behaved brother in our international family. China would be friends with a respected brother.