Criticize China by standing with them, not against them

(best account so far of this issue: http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/747/38634)

There is a better way to criticize another country's faults. If our criticism is laced with hatred and ego, then actually more harm will be done than good. If on the other hand we are humble, and admit our own faults, our criticisms of others will be respected more and listened to.

Helen Zia puts it more articulately here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/08/ED2F100FMV.DTL&am...

So, instead of standing against the Chinese people, let's stand with them as well as the Tibetan people, and all peoples.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• olympic
• torch
• relay
• protests
• human
• rights
• abuses
• freedom
• of
• speech
• china

[Grandelbart]

Stupid What You are talking about? Are you basically Attacking U:S:A ? You are a really Dog !  Why don´t you GO BACK?

[fp00n]

Love for a person or for a country does not mean turning a blind eye to their flaws.

[Louis781982]

Many protestors also protested against their government invading Iraq (like me). Westerners tend to differentiate between the government, the people and the country so they don't feel they are opposing China or Chinese by protesting.

[fp00n]

Some segments of Westerners do a good job of differentiating the gov't, people, etc., but not all. Ever since Beijing was awarded the 2008 Olympics I've heard many voice their opinion that "China has no business hosting the Olympics" This is a hypocritical sentiment I think, would the US's right to host Olympics be criticized as harshly on account of the Patriot Act or the occupation of Iraq? Probably not.

My criticism is not intended as a blanket statement against Western criticisms though.

[Louis781982]

There is also a saying in party culture "before you can correct others you have to do well yourself". This is also incorect. Just because I used to smoke I shouldn't tell my children to not smoke?

Another thing is that the torturers from Abu Ghraib most likely weren't protesting against the torch relay.

[fp00n]

I think your smoking example doesn't work because China is not the West's child. Instead, it'd be more like me criticizing another parent for not quitting smoking when I myself smoke, which is ok, sure, unless I'm dishonest about my own smoking problem. About the Abu Ghraib torturers, agreed. But the general US population thought of it as an abomination to a generally righteous war, while they haven't been as forgiving and understanding towards the CCP.

[leoachilles]

exactly! I have very close contact with relatives in China, and none ever had problems like the westerner think. I am sure many chinese will tell you the same thing.

stability is the most important things for China, it was never easy to control 1.3 billion people with 5000 years of culture. there are many things the westerner should learn about China, instead of listening to their media and hate china for nothing.

ask how many American thinks they will be attack by china somehow?

[leoachilles]

I agree the western countries has many things are better than china, but try to criticize China base on the fact that USA>China is ignorant.compare China today with China 50 years ago please.

when talk about china's human rights problems please show objectivities.

it's funny how you guys criticize china from the other side of world, without even going to china yourself. How come me and my family going in and out of china, never had to fear of being torture or kill or jail?

[a15862187230]

no one can break us apart!!!!!!!! hail to one china!

[tenpalkyi]

wht the super fuck!..Tibetans are not dumb, like you. you knwo wht, you should better learn something from one year child. coz i think u r uneducated. I wish god will put u in jail. don say anything about tibetans, u don have any knowledge about those tibetans who are suffering inside tibet from bloody chinese government. Better shut your mouth. mind your own bussines..LONGSHO TIBETANS..FREE TIBET..LONG LIVE DALAI LAMA.

[sacausa]

Tibet was independent country until it was occupied by china .. China = dictator , evil .. America = 14 trillion dollars in debts and no longer has control of it own destiny..

[SuperCoolPaki]

No, jail all Tibetans, I hate them.

[SuperCoolPaki]

Burn Tibetan flags ppls, they are terrorists. Tibetans are sub-humans, they are not real ppl. Please arrest them all, please, they are bad ppl, please put them in jail, please do it.

[pleasantlysurprising]

Tibet was colonized by the British and has been part of China since 12th century.

[pleasantlysurprising]

long live Tibetan Chinese as good citizens of China. Long live China.

fp00n need to learn Chinese history.

[Yalf111]

I'm really sick of people on both sides lashing out. If this is about human rights that a good thing! Why so harsh then? I think wonderful things of China and have to try and filter out the rubbish ones that type angrily before they think about how it will be received. I cant wait until the world stops viewing itself as this country or that country. We are all EARTH! GO EARTH!!!

[jenbecht]

you are a stupid retard, get your facts straight, Tibet was never an independent country, Tibet was part of china since before 1800!!!! Tibet was ruled by theocracy!!! That means the monks control and enslave 95% of the tibet populations!!!!! stupid retard

[cathmcl]

You are a moron.

Terrorism - the use of violence and/or intimidation to achieve ends.

America/Iran - oil

America/Afganistan - Opium poppies

America/Korea - sorry I can't remember

America/Japan - They couldn't overpower with brute strength so they bombed innocent civillians.

America/rest of the world - how many of it's allies have been killed by FRIENDLY FIRE.

America/America - The top brass keep spouting rubbish and pushing human soul after human soul to destruction.