What a hero (tweet).

[applegrove]

Link to tweet

[Irish_Dem]

1. Things are slowly changing in China.

Two decades ago these people would have been in serious trouble for leaving notes and flowers.

[applegrove]

2. They are doing really bad things in China right now. There is a database

of all the people where notes are taken on any behaviour deemed not pro communist party. People are rated. That and the ethnic cleasing of minorities and crackdown on Democracy in Hong Kong are really scary.

[Irish_Dem]

3. Oh absolutely. The Chinese government is a horrific authoritarian regime.

Guilty of many atrocious crimes against the people.

But my point is that two decades ago the people leaving notes would have been arrested on the spot.
And perhaps never seen again.

The fact the police are allowing them to even leave the notes and flowers is a big change.
The fact the people can even afford to buy flowers is a big change.
But yes I am sure their names are being taken down.

The point I am making is that at least on the surface, once you are outside of Beijing, the police give the people more space than in the past. The extreme smothering of the people by the police has changed.
The people have more breathing room.

All of this is a calculated move on the part of the government. Not that long ago the Chinese people lived in abject poverty, starving, totally repressed in every way imaginable, Americans could not even imagine what is was like. Then China decided that keeping a country with a billion people in total misery was asking for trouble in terms of an uprising. Their economic policies swiftly brought wealth to the country and the standard of living was dramatically increased for the common person. And the constant hostile police presence was reduced.

I have spent time in China before and after, so have seen it first hand, with my own eyes. Not just reading propaganda.

[applegrove]

4. I am glad some bad things are less. No doubt developing a middle class

is the most important thing that can happen in a country. That and human rights.

[Irish_Dem]

5. On my second visit to China I was astounded at the transformation.

There was a middle class, literally tons and tons of food everywhere, education, more freedom.
The day to day Chinese had a lot more space from the previous horrendous government control.

When the American insurrectionists talk about needing freedom from American tyranny I wish they could be transported the China of 20 yrs ago. They would not last two days. They would be killed fairly quickly by the police.