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Huh? I am rambling early in the morning or very late at night depending on how you look at time. It does not make much sense to listen to the silence of the protestors who just a few months ago were demanding that the West isolate China and boycott the Olympics. I hope they see now that China is not really an evil nation. It is a nation in transition and still recovering from the excesses the West, especially what Britain did to China for almost 200 years via the opium trade. I was in London on April 6, in London's Chinatown and there were anti-Chinese protestors all over the place crying about Tibet, a place most of them will never visit nor truly know much about, except what they fantasize this exotic place should be like based probably on the book/movie “Shangri-La.” It is an isolated and desolate land except for their towns and cities, which are quite small, compared to what you would see in the rest of the world. This also happened in San Francisco. The protestors wanted China to give up Tibet, give them their liberty or freedom or whatever it is that protestors want a sovereign country to do. Hmmmm, it seems to me they have forgotten what their own country has done to the original natives. Let me see, the British should let Wales go free. France? There are parts that would like to be more independent. Canada has a lot of land owned by Native Americans. Oh, do not forget Alaska, California, Texas, and even the island of Manhattan. Do you think we should give these back to whoever was there before? What is amazing is that for a brief period, a time when Chinese were proud of their country, regardless of where we were in the world, as we celebrated this western tradition of the Olympic torch passing through nations peacefully, protestors erupted around the world condemning China’s perceived evil treatment of Tibet. Here we are some six weeks later and it is a different kind of sound we are hearing, silence. Where have the protestors gone? I really don’t care. Most if was probably fueled by this fear of China, as it seems to awakening from a long sleep and becoming an economic power that must be respected and feared. American workers are mad because their jobs have been sent to China. Business owners, if they have not done so already, have either stopped making things in America and started to import similar products from China or have simply gone out of business. However, it is nice to know there are still good people in the world that care about other people in times of need or tragic events. What is even more interesting is watching how two adjacent nations are approaching their respective catastrophes. Burma/Myanmar at first refused outside aid and is now starting to allow aid to flow into the country. Chances are that most of the aid will end up on the black market and the profits going into the pockets of military dictatorship. On the other hand, China has opened its doors to the world to let them see how they are handling this tragedy. China is finally free and it is reasserting control over areas it feels belongs to China before the west came in and destroyed the old China. It is a good thing that China does not also claim the territory once held by the Mongols otherwise China would be claiming sovereignty over the Middle East I am proud to be Chinese. |
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6/22/2008 8:38 am |
While I agree with the general sentiment of your post, I'd like to offer one or two different views. The Tibetan situation, at least abroad, is a a confusing one. People support the Dalai Lama without actually understanding any of the real history of the region. They certainly don't appreciate the system of government in place prior to the Chinese government taking control in the 50's. There is something ironic about demonstratrs on the streets of London, LA & Paris utilising the democratic tools of free speech and a right to protest to support a regime that promotes theocracy and serfdom - about as far away from democracy that you can get. However, even if they knew the real history of the Dalai Lama, there is still that major sticking point - self-determination. While I truly do not support the Dalai Lama, I still believe in the rights of self-determination. And quite simply, the Tibetans in Tibet do not have that right. Your argument about the Welsh, the French Canadians etc omits one important element. Constitutionally, they have a right to express their desires and can choose to secede from the country if they so wish. (In my country, Scotland, support for independence is growing and our First Minister has expressed a wish for a referendum to be be held). The Tibetans have no voice - it may well be that with the recent improvements in living conditions that the Tibetan people would choose to remain as part of China but that may never be known under the present system. The protestors are voicing what they 'believe' to be the opinions of the Tibetan people. They believe they are supporting a denied democratic right. However supporting such a cause, one that they clearly dont understand makes a mockery of the defence of democratic values. What they quite clearly need to understand is that the situation is not going to change. Period. Whether people like to admit it or not, Tibet will be (and has been) better off under the Chinese flag. Time to move on and build. On a separate note, yes, China is still a country in transition. I agree that the country is still recovering from the worst that the British, French & Americans brought at the height of their imperialistic reign. However, I am still surprised at the way most Chinese have chosen to lay the blame for its slow progression (until the opening-up) at the hands of its internal history with foreign nations. There is a definite refusal to open their eyes and admit that the politics during the first 35 years of Modern China did a great deal more harm than the actions of the British and their introduction of opium from India. I was surprised at your closing statement that "It is a good thing that China does not also claim the territory once held by the Mongols otherwise China would be claiming sovereignty over the Middle East". If China relinquished its rights over the Middle East then it could also be argued that its sovereign right over Tibet could also be questioned since it was also taken into the Mongol empire in the 12th century. And thus, we are now discussing ownership of territories as a result of the Mongols colonializing ways. Which leads me to my last question - is there such a thing as 'good' colonialism? The British/Americans/French are the bad guys because they hurt China? (Certianly). And what of China, who is now defending its rights to land won by a warmongering Emperor 800 years ago. History is certianly ironic. (Mike, proud to a supporter of the great Chinese people!)
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6/1/2008 3:52 am |
 I think there is nothing black and white, only gray in various degrees.
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Welcome to my blog. That is a very interesting point of view. I have never thought of that possibility before. I hope you don't mind if I use in in a future blog. The fact that we look to some form devine power to justify the right to lead people and a nation, do you think that perhaps that is because maybe an event occured far off in the distant past where maybe a spaceship landed on earth and somehow converted maybe the monkeys into humans through some sort of process. That this looking to a devine power for our authority to rule is perhaps in memory of the "gods" who made us human. Anyway, that was indeed a most interesting comment. I hope to read more in the future. VICKY amazed by this original point of view You sure can use this topic in any which way you want. I don't own it. I think the first time when I got aware of the way God plays in the lives of our lawful society was during a funeral I attended when I was a kid. We had a procession of over twenty limo. Then, as we were driving across town, I noticed how all our our limo can just drive thought the red lights, and no one was there that could stop us. Even the policemen there saw us, but did not halted our limo. Some policemen even help buy stopping off other traffics. I asked my uncle why our processions didn't have to obey traffic laws. The answer ? When a man finally is making his trip to heaven, the laws of man have to submit to the Laws of God. That small observation, rather insignificant to most, made me realized that there are various levels of law, and ultimately there is the Laws of God. Since then, I have also come to understand why the police and FBI cannot simply arrest many of the gangsters or mobsters whom arrived for their bosses's or underbosses's funeral. In a funeral, the law of man, even if its murder or kidnapping, have to yield to the Laws of God. This concept is so amazing to me even till today. Joey
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You know this is most interesting question don't you think? I mean, Chairman Mao says that power grows out of the barrel of the gun and I thinking some lawyers like to say that possession is 99.99999% of the law. Therefore, if a country takes over another country how much time do original inhabitants have to wait before they are requesting refund of their independence from the aggressor country. For instance, the Sioux Indian tribe, how long before they asking U.S. government remove the heads from Mount Rushmore. Alternatively, for that matter, the Eskimos asking all non-Eskimos to leave Alaska to leave and by the way, they are going to start hunting more seals and polar bears for their traditional food and go after the whales too for the nice blubber chewing gum. So let's project this down the road maybe 100 years from now. China is the predominate power in Asia and America is not strong in projecting it power into foreign affairs because of a series of bad decisions made by Democrat Obama, Edwards, Clinton, and etc. What is to keep China from bringing in Vietnam as a province along with the unified Korea, the rest of South East Asia, and part of Central Asia? And regarding if it was the Mongols or the Hans, or the Manchu who projected power in the previous dynasties, don't you think if that power was projected from Beijing the present occupiers of that seat of power would not want to reproject that power again through either economic power or force of arms to bring them back into the Chinese hegemony? So give me your point of view. This could be interesting. Vicky Using Dragon dictate p.s. I am proud to be American, too. But I still enjoy things Chinese more then things European. I do not deny that any power, western or eastern may want to reproject hegemony to reclaim prior empires or expand beyond previous borders to satify their perceived manifest destiny. Japan was once attempting to create a Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere in the 1930's. But I doubt that force of arms is a viable avenue (Kuwait, 1990; Falkland Islands 1982; Korea, 1950; but see Iraq 1990 vs. Iraq 2003-?). Would the west allow transfer of Taiwan back to the PRC? But I also think you must consider whether such absorbed political entities have their own independent nationalistic feelings, based on religion (Northern Ireland, India/Pakistan, Yugoslavia, Sunnis/Shiites), or perhaps separate ethnicity (Vietnamese, Korean, Serbs). My superficial reading of Vietnamese history is that Vietnam has often tried to separate itself from outside hegemony, be it chinese, japanese or american. So merely because there maybe a desire to return former or desired lands to the fold, there are other considerations. I also think there is a distinction between economic domination maintaining separate political entities and absorption of the entity within one's borders. While I think the former is perhaps politically acceptable, I doubt the latter is politically acceptable (see the Falklands, Kuwait, Korea). There are also assumptions, surprising from your previous posts, that Obama or Clinton will be elected. Furthermore, considering what the world was like in 1908, I would not want to project what any political entity, Chinese or American, would be like. Who is to say whether the present chinese business establishment will be viable in 100 years. Although Joss Whedon shares your view of future Chinese domination(see the Firefly series). Lastly, I wonder what are Chinese things or European things...Are the fashions you wear/design/sell chinese interpretations of western fashions or replications of traditional chinese fashions? If a woman is guilty of adultery, would you never again acknowledge her existence [reference to The Woman Warrior:Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts; Maxime Hong Kingston] Do you prefer driving a car or riding a bicycle? Are there specific cultural aspects, such as the "traditional" chinese practice of binding feet? Is it one child per family? Is it birth control? Is "chinese" life/things, life/things in the PRC? In Taiwan? In Hong Kong? Is present day life/culture in Hong Kong/Shanghai an evolved British/Western model? Is life in rural PRC the real chinese life/real chinese things? just food for thought jpollock
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5/21/2008 12:44 am |
I am so fascinated by histories. Everytime I read about an era, I ask myself all sort of questions about 'what if', and 'what could have been'. Its so strange that no matter where humankind lived, we always needed to justify that the origin of our power is ultimately ordained from God. China's Emperor has its Mandate of Heaven. Europe's Kings are ordained by the Pope. America's elected official are sworn in by the Bible. We cherish the value that it is 'In God We Trust'. Judges submit to Canon Laws as above Constitutional Laws. We are a government of the people, but we are governed by divine laws. That is a very interesting point of view. I have never thought of that possibility before. I hope you don't mind if I use in in a future blog. The fact that we look to some form devine power to justify the right to lead people and a nation, do you think that perhaps that is because maybe an event occured far off in the distant past where maybe a spaceship landed on earth and somehow converted maybe the monkeys into humans through some sort of process. That this looking to a devine power for our authority to rule is perhaps in memory of the "gods" who made us human. Anyway, that was indeed a most interesting comment. I hope to read more in the future. VICKY amazed by this original point of view
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I am so fascinated by histories. Everytime I read about an era, I ask myself all sort of questions about 'what if', and 'what could have been'. Its so strange that no matter where humankind lived, we always needed to justify that the origin of our power is ultimately ordained from God. China's Emperor has its Mandate of Heaven. Europe's Kings are ordained by the Pope. America's elected official are sworn in by the Bible. We cherish the value that it is 'In God We Trust'. Judges submit to Canon Laws as above Constitutional Laws. We are a government of the people, but we are governed by divine laws.
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5/20/2008 2:47 pm |
1) since I have been labeled the ultimate banana, I have never considered myself as an overseas [pick an asian nation]. I would rather say that I am proud to be an american, despite all its faults. 2) ironic that "china" is now more strongly asserting itself internationally as a result of adoption of western capitalism as opposed to exerting Han dynastic principles and fundamentals. 3) I did not equate the ethnic Mongols with "Chinese" (Han chinese?). I thought the Great Wall of China was to separate the Manchus/Mongols/ from the "chinese" (Qin, Ming Empires... those with the "Mandates from Heaven"), not to welcome assimilation into the Mongolian/Manchu Empires. 4) Does the Mandate from Heaven condon the assimilation of Vietnam, Korea, Mongolia (last I checked, a separate nation state) into the PRC? Just some things to think about. jpollock So let's project this down the road maybe 100 years from now. China is the predominate power in Asia and America is not strong in projecting it power into foreign affairs because of a series of bad decisions made by Democrat Obama, Edwards, Clinton, and etc. What is to keep China from bringing in Vietnam as a province along with the unified Korea, the rest of South East Asia, and part of Central Asia? And regarding if it was the Mongols or the Hans, or the Manchu who projected power in the previous dynasties, don't you think if that power was projected from Beijing the present occupiers of that seat of power would not want to reproject that power again through either economic power or force of arms to bring them back into the Chinese hegemony? So give me your point of view. This could be interesting. Vicky Using Dragon dictate p.s. I am proud to be American, too. But I still enjoy things Chinese more then things European.
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5/20/2008 2:36 pm |
You when I was in the high school and taking the debating class we have to argue all sides of the questions regardless of our own personal feelings. And when I am attending the University I enjoyed the debating team and I am thinking that is also helping me to looking at the other side of the issues at hand. So maybe sometimes here in the blog I am saying things I really not meaning but just say that to start the conversation rolling. Vicky using Dragon Dictate
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1) since I have been labeled the ultimate banana, I have never considered myself as an overseas [pick an asian nation]. I would rather say that I am proud to be an american, despite all its faults. 2) ironic that "china" is now more strongly asserting itself internationally as a result of adoption of western capitalism as opposed to exerting Han dynastic principles and fundamentals. 3) I did not equate the ethnic Mongols with "Chinese" (Han chinese?). I thought the Great Wall of China was to separate the Manchus/Mongols/ from the "chinese" (Qin, Ming Empires... those with the "Mandates from Heaven"), not to welcome assimilation into the Mongolian/Manchu Empires. 4) Does the Mandate from Heaven condon the assimilation of Vietnam, Korea, Mongolia (last I checked, a separate nation state) into the PRC? Just some things to think about. jpollock
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5/20/2008 6:46 am |
wouldn't it be great if every thing was black and white
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wouldn't it be great if every thing was black and white
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