Charges Brought Against Hu Heckler

This story comes from Reuters.

I am sure that if convicted, her accommodations will be much better than they would be, if this had happened in China. She also would stand a much greater chance of keeping her organs intact, in a jail here. But this situation stinks. We preach freedom in the Middle East, but don't openly deplore the situation in China.

One area that Bush (the elder), Clinton, and now Bush (the younger) have been weak on, is China. Bush Sr. never made much of an effort to condemn Tiannmen Square, maybe because he had an affinity for China, having been ambassador there. Clinton never made much effort to keep them at bay, in fact, he even sold them technology that can/will be used against us someday. He saved them ten years of research. Maybe that was because they contributed money to his re-election campaign.

So, now we have George W. Bush thinking (maybe just wishing and hoping) that these people are somehow going to miraculously change a half century of corruption and outright oppression, just because they now have a free market economy? Somehow, being able to steal copyrights, using them on the open market, and presenting them as their own does not necessarily equal freedom. This, they do, while denying people their basic freedoms and rights.

A lot of conservatives think that it will all get better, if we do business with them. We all know that American businesses can compete better with goods, made with Chinese labor. And, many Americans can afford things that they would not otherwise be able to afford, no argument here on that one. But where I lose them, is the concept that as their economy expands and the people prosper more, the better chance they have at political freedom. Quite frankly, it doesn't make a lot of sense.

People are people. When things go good they resist change. Ordinary Chinese people that now find themselves more prosperous are not as likely to upset the status quo, when things are going good. Therefore, I believe they will be less likely to embrace political freedom, at the risk of losing that new car or that new house. The German people under Hitler were of that philosophy.

A lot of liberals will tell us that we have no right to withhold aid to them, because they are a sovereign nation that has a right to self-determination. Furthermore, they will say that this business of organ stealing is nothing more than propaganda and they will question our intentions, if we make an issue of it. "It's their culture", they say.

In my opinion, these liberals and these conservatives are both wrong on this one. It may be their culture and we may profit from labor and trade, but that does not mean we have to allow them free reign, free from criticism.

You see, China is sneaky. They want to beat us at our own game. They want to be the superpower. And, they are very content to let the Islamofascists and their leftist supporters weaken us, before they ever make a move. They are a patient people.

So now this brave lady, is facing charges that hecklers like Cindy Sheehan (and others that find their way into a Bush speech) never seem to face. I find this a bit hypocritical, how about you?


AC at Fore Left has some thoughts on China and Hu's visit.

Tom Bevan at RCP has a blog entry on China, short, sweet, and to the point.