Freedom of (controlled) Speech

Filed under: China, Lead Story, Olympic Games — Claudia, Assistant Editor on August 1, 2008 @ 11:09 am CEST

China continues to demonstrate why they have not earned the right to host the Olympic Games.

Evidently the IOC didn´t learn from the 1936 Berlin games that bringing the games to a repressive regime needn´t lead to improvements in that society.

Despite all the talk about allowing greater freedom and bettering their human rights record for the games, China is talking the talk, but certainly not walking the walk.

First there were the Tibetan uprisings, which, if you recall, led to literally hundreds of Tibetans being hauled off to prison and detention camps. This crisis has not ended just because the media stopped reporting on it. China continues to massively arrest anyone who wishes to show dissent.

Freedom of the press is another pesky little issue that the ruling class of China seems to have problems with. There issues are both with the reporters themselves and with the objects of their interest.

For months there has been a tug-of-war between international press and the Chinese government about press restrictions. After the initially beautiful assurances about free press actually got them the games, China went about doing what they intended all along; total message control, not allowing anything like reality to “spoil” their games. Different reports show that press freedom has been at best spotty, with threats towards reporters “on the rise” and even intimidation of Chinese nationals they choose to interview. It´s also been reported that internet access has been restricted to reporters as well.

The latest twist that shows better than any protestor could how freedom is restricted in China is courses that Chinese are being required (Spanish site) to take where they are “coached” on potential questions from reporters…and the answers they are expected to give. They are being asked to memorize questions and answers in the interest of “showing unity” of course. Some examples of questions and their answers:

Question: What do you think of the uprisings in Tibet and the independence movement there?

Answer: Tibet belongs to my country and a handful of Tibetans don´t represent the majority.

Question: Do you think the rise in the prices of food and other products will affect the lives of people?

Answer: China is in a phase of rapid growth. Prices rise naturally. I think the government can keep it under control.

Question: Do you think the environment of Beijing corresponds to “Green Olympic Games”?

Answer: The environment is changing thanks to the efforts of the government. The Games have hastened the change in the atmosphere and we think it will only get better.

And so on and so forth…

You know your country isn´t in good shape when you have to be afraid of the sincerity of your people.

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1 Michael Merritt

August 1, 2008 @ 3:20 pm CEST

I don’t know, but some of the construction photos I’ve seen still have Beijing looking awfully smoggy.

2 joshua

August 1, 2008 @ 7:34 pm CEST

admin: personal attacks and anti-American bigotry are not welcome here

3 Chris

August 1, 2008 @ 7:42 pm CEST

Thanks Joshua for exercising that freedom of speech so often lacking in China. Be comforted in knowing that your comments are not likely visible on computer screens in China, either.

4 Claudia, Assistant Editor

August 1, 2008 @ 8:54 pm CEST

Joshua, I could erase the comment for personal insults, but since the post IS about freedom of speech, and because I find absolutely hilarious the phrase "shut up you foul mouth freedom fighter" it will stand.

You don’t even know if I’m white (I am, but could easily not be) but of course you insist that my opinions MUST be based on racism. In fact if the games were in Japan I would be fine with it (which, if you’re Chinese, probably only makes you angrier), or South Korea, for instance.

The sad fact is that you are pretending to defend the Chinese while promoting their own repression. I would love to see the games in a free and democratic China. The people of China are not my problem, but the (unelected) government most certainly is.

So no, I won’t shut up, and the beauty is, since I don’t live in China, you can’t make me. Also beautiful is that since you don’t live in China, you are free to say anything you like without a knock on the door. Enjoy that right, it is precious, and millions upon millions of Chinese can only dream of it for now.

5 Jason, Managing Editor

August 1, 2008 @ 8:57 pm CEST

Claudia,

I already erased it. Freedom of speech is freedom from government censorship, it does not obligate editors to publish every piece submitted to them. That is important to remember, since the alternative is to allow trolls to completely take over everything in sight by using a misinterpretation of "freedom of speech" as an all-purpose shield against any counter-reaction from actual contributors.

Trolls are intellectual vermin and we shouldn’t let an overall respect for life prevent us from controlling vermin, should we?