A Steady March to China
Most newspapers have as part of their op-ed section spaces for non-journalists to express opinions in column form. Sometimes the articles are written by people with special credentials, like politicians or former politicians who provide analyses of current events, or lawyers who comment on a current case and its implications. The ones I enjoy most, however, are written by people without any special credentials. These pieces gives me a chance to see what my fellow citizens are thinking. Whether I agree with the conclusions reached or not, the insights tend to keep me honest and grounded in reality.
Last night I read one such piece in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. I think this woman positively nailed what is going on in this country, and does so from the unique perspective of someone who recently spent several years living and teaching in China.
I walked about the cities of China with a freedom I didn't have in America; I had no fear of being a victim of a violent crime. I worried about pickpockets and, indeed, my billfold was stolen twice without me knowing it, but I never needed to worry about a gun, or even a club, being used on me.
However, I was not able to access the New York Times or the BBC on the Internet. I tried again and again, but those websites were blocked. My university students explained to me with heated sincerity that censorship was good for Chinese people; it was necessary for national security.
I was impressed with how the Chinese government used fear to convince the people that what it did was for their own good.
...There is nothing so good at teaching appreciation of one's country as living in another country, and China in particular taught me. The Chinese needn't fear their neighbors but they do need to fear the government. It can spy on its own citizens, imprison people without charges, and torture the prisoners. It can decide what information people should have. The Chinese government can do this; there is a constitution but the government doesn't follow it, and there is no check and balance system. A Chinese friend once explained to me how lucky Americans were to have a good constitution and a government that had checks and balances.
The months that followed Sept. 11, 2001, were the beginning of the end of America the beautiful, the land of the free. Since then, we have been on a steady march to China.
We have found we have a president who doesn't allow people who disagree with him to attend his speeches. We have found we have a government that uses fear to justify holding prisoners without charges, and we have allegations and proof that prisoners have been tortured. We have a government that is teaching some of its citizens to treat other citizens as untrustworthy because they may have minds that are different.
This year we found we have a government that spies on its own citizens and says it is good for us and necessary for national security. Like the Chinese, we now have a government collecting our phone records and reading our Internet messages. [Emphasis added]
The writer of this piece, Reva Rasmussen, is described at the end of the article as someone living in St. Paul. I find it heartening that people in the Midwest get it, that it's not just us coastal wonks who are worried about the state of our democracy. I also find it heartening that a Midwest newspaper finds room for its citizens to voice those worries.
Last night I read one such piece in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. I think this woman positively nailed what is going on in this country, and does so from the unique perspective of someone who recently spent several years living and teaching in China.
I walked about the cities of China with a freedom I didn't have in America; I had no fear of being a victim of a violent crime. I worried about pickpockets and, indeed, my billfold was stolen twice without me knowing it, but I never needed to worry about a gun, or even a club, being used on me.
However, I was not able to access the New York Times or the BBC on the Internet. I tried again and again, but those websites were blocked. My university students explained to me with heated sincerity that censorship was good for Chinese people; it was necessary for national security.
I was impressed with how the Chinese government used fear to convince the people that what it did was for their own good.
...There is nothing so good at teaching appreciation of one's country as living in another country, and China in particular taught me. The Chinese needn't fear their neighbors but they do need to fear the government. It can spy on its own citizens, imprison people without charges, and torture the prisoners. It can decide what information people should have. The Chinese government can do this; there is a constitution but the government doesn't follow it, and there is no check and balance system. A Chinese friend once explained to me how lucky Americans were to have a good constitution and a government that had checks and balances.
The months that followed Sept. 11, 2001, were the beginning of the end of America the beautiful, the land of the free. Since then, we have been on a steady march to China.
We have found we have a president who doesn't allow people who disagree with him to attend his speeches. We have found we have a government that uses fear to justify holding prisoners without charges, and we have allegations and proof that prisoners have been tortured. We have a government that is teaching some of its citizens to treat other citizens as untrustworthy because they may have minds that are different.
This year we found we have a government that spies on its own citizens and says it is good for us and necessary for national security. Like the Chinese, we now have a government collecting our phone records and reading our Internet messages. [Emphasis added]
The writer of this piece, Reva Rasmussen, is described at the end of the article as someone living in St. Paul. I find it heartening that people in the Midwest get it, that it's not just us coastal wonks who are worried about the state of our democracy. I also find it heartening that a Midwest newspaper finds room for its citizens to voice those worries.
posted by Diane at 3:57 AM
3 Comments:
You know I've been snarkily saying this at the Eschaton now for a year and a half. I just haven't gone back from China to my roots in the midwest.
Dear Tired Old Woman -- I am another and am truly heartened to see that the commentary I published in the Star Tribune in June has another life in your blog. Thanks! But a bigger thank you for being a partner in naming what is happening. Maybe we can stop it? That's such a tall order, but bearing witness matters. It is all that has ever mattered, in a sense. Saying, this is what is happening, this is my view. Our voices are so important, its our way of being responsible to and for each other.
Well, it is late October and the outlook has improved since June. Evangelicals have awakened and organized and they are saying, "My religion has been hijacked."
So let's keep paying attention, writing about it, supporting each other, believing in each other.
Reva
I'm writing more about my time in China at http://blog.revarasmussen.com
and about America at http://anotherdayinthelastsuperpower.blogspot.com/
Reva
Post a Comment
<< Home