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Ai Weiwei

Blackjack200

Blackjack200

Lifer
I didn't see another thread on this...

Ai Weiwei, for those that don't know (and I myself didn't until a couple of weeks ago), is an iconic Chinese dissident, and a world famous artist. For the last few years he has been obstinantly thumbing his nose at the Chinese creeps that spy on him, and doing everything he can to draw attention to the miserable and dystopic behavior of the Chinese government.

37 days ago he was led away from an airport in Beijing by police, disappeared and hasn't been heard from since.

IMO, it is ghastly for the US or any Western nation that claims to value human rights to continue normal diplomatic relations with China while Ai Weiwei remains 'disappeared'. This falls squarely on the shoulders of Obama and Clinton.

I predict nothing will be done.

Edit: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/may/09/ai-weiwei-arrest-protest-exhibition
 
when big business matters more than little people this will still be the norm.

are you really that surprised?


Where have you been for the last two thousand years...
 
manimal said:
when big business matters more than little people this will still be the norm.

are you really that surprised?


Where have you been for the last two thousand years...
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The US has more big business than anyone else and people don't just disappear here.
 
Blackjack200 said:
He was flying out of Beijing.
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He was living IN China while blasting them? Wow.. pretty brave, and stupid.. Kind of like going to Iran as a woman and walking around with a thong bikini on.. You are kind of asking for it.

Should have left China, then exposed them. 🙂
 
Fear No Evil said:
He was living IN China while blasting them? Wow.. pretty brave, and stupid.. Kind of like going to Iran as a woman and walking around with a thong bikini on.. You are kind of asking for it.

Should have left China, then exposed them. 🙂
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The man is the son of Ai Qing. He knew what the state was capable of, and that was why he did it. There was a PBS program on him, where he said said something along the lines of "People say I'm brave, but I am more afraid than anyone else. That is why I do this."
 
Clinton hurt the USA horribly when he removed practically all technology transfer prohibitions, but he had nothing to do with this. At most, he (and Nixon even more so) could be blamed for opening up China so that we are forced to see this, but it's a Communist nation: That's what they do.
 
werepossum said:
Clinton hurt the USA horribly when he removed practically all technology transfer prohibitions, but he had nothing to do with this. At most, he (and Nixon even more so) could be blamed for opening up China so that we are forced to see this, but it's a Communist nation: That's what they do.
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I think he meant Hillary.
 
crashtestdummy said:
I think he meant Hillary.
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Ah, my bad. I don't blame Mrs. (or really, either) Clinton or Obama for this - although I'm always up for anything that might help us reduce our massive trade deficit with China. I'm really more concerned about THIS country than about people in other countries. Although I do think human rights is an excellent reason to deny most favored nation trading status.
 
crashtestdummy said:
The man is the son of Ai Qing. He knew what the state was capable of, and that was why he did it. There was a PBS program on him, where he said said something along the lines of "People say I'm brave, but I am more afraid than anyone else. That is why I do this."
Click to expand...

Yes, I saw the Frontline piece on him, that's how I found out about him. Right when it ended I thought to myself 'oh man, I wonder how long until something happens to him?' Sure enough, 30 seconds later they did an update on the piece and said that he had disappeared.
 
We encouraged the collapse of the Soviet economy so the people would demand a change in government. However the Chinese peasants were so isolated and poor they didn't even have a clue what an economy was, much less human rights. Historically when they starved they rioted, killed the elite, and promptly replaced them. You might as well demand a primitive tribe respect human rights. At best with a lot of patience you'll convince them to stop practicing ritualistic cannibalism. They need to know there are alternatives and they just don't have to live like that anymore.
 
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China is no longer a small crappy country that can be cajoled into doing the right thing occasionally -- now it's a very large crappy country with a lot of power. There isn't a damn thing we could do about China's killing / jailing their citizens as they see fit. If you owe someone $10 Trillion dollars, you don't exactly have a whole lot of leverage....
 
Double Trouble said:
China is no longer a small crappy country that can be cajoled into doing the right thing occasionally -- now it's a very large crappy country with a lot of power. There isn't a damn thing we could do about China's killing / jailing their citizens as they see fit. If you owe someone $10 Trillion dollars, you don't exactly have a whole lot of leverage....
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You do realize that without the US market their economy would collapse, right?

Not that the US would do great without all that cheap manufacturing, but they are very dependant on us.
 
not necessarily...as the SNL sketch says:

Chinese President: "Where's Trillion dollars you owe me?"
Obama: "We will give it all back within a few short years."
Chinese President: "Then kiss me!"
Obama: "Eh...why?"
Chinese President: "Because i like being kissed when someone is trying to MAKE SEX TO ME!"

China is an out of control giant lead-infused plastic-monster.
 
Blackjack200 said:
You do realize that without the US market their economy would collapse, right?

Not that the US would do great without all that cheap manufacturing, but they are very dependant on us.
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I understand the mutual dependency completely, but that doesn't change the fact that we as a country have very very little leverage to really pressure the Chinese into anything. We had a little when we were arguing from a position of strength. Now that China is an economic power, the leverage is even less.
 
werepossum said:
Clinton hurt the USA horribly when he removed practically all technology transfer prohibitions, but he had nothing to do with this. At most, he (and Nixon even more so) could be blamed for opening up China so that we are forced to see this, but it's a Communist nation: That's what they do.
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has nothing to do with it, the unfair business requirements for western companies doing business in china were the problem. basically had to sell their soul to do business there, and we allowed it.
 
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