Just for the record, so far I still have free, direct, unfettered access to New Zealand media. I’m just about to start checking, but so far, apart from one or two hiccups which were soon resolved, even articles containing a multitude of k3ywørds have come up poxy-free. Ah, yes, still not tripping any k3ywørd f1lt3rs. So my recommendation for anybody looking for easy access to foreign media from inside China is to think: Small countries generally manage to fly under the radar.
Now, this next bit won’t carry any links cos I really don’t want to give these clowns any publicity: I am not surprised, but still thoroughly disgusted, to read that the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand supports racially-motivated violence- at least when the violent party is a member of one particular ethnic group inhabiting southwest China which has a very vocal band of liars and propagandists working out of a small hill town in India, and the victims are members of other ethnic groups in China. Unlike the Greens, I have certain principles I stick by, one of which is non-violence. I do not, under any circumstances, support or condone violence, especially when such violence involves members of one ethnic group targeting members of other ethnic groups, their businesses, and their places of worship.
It really is very strange to watch Labour react more intelligently to an issue than the Greens, but there you go.
Oh, and all comments will be moderated, and all will be edited to minimise the risk of tripping any k3ywørd f1lt3rs.
I think you’ll find a particularly notorious band liars and propagandists on the other side of the issue aswell. Why afraid of c3ns0rship? unless i’m missing something here your point of view would be welcomed by b31jing. It’s the other side of the debate they are paticularly afraid of sharing with the people.
You’re absolutely right about liars and propagandists, but you won’t find me supporting either side in this dispute. I do not condone violence, that’s that. Also, I’m pissed off with the get out of jail free card that members of a certain ethnic group have been handed by NZ’s political class. Nothing justifies violence, and even less justifies targeting people because of their ethnicity.
As for censorship, I don’t know how serious it’s been down south, but there’s been a noticeable escalation up here. I’d prefer to keep my blog on this side of the wall, if you don’t mind.
Two thoughts @ Chris:
First, I’m always struck by how certain left-wingers, who would deem Bush and his ilk anti-democratic theocrats, not to mention the Middle Eastern crazies, yet nonetheless bend over backwards for an honest-to-God anti-democratic theocrat. Your country’s Green Party is no exception, sadly.
Second, I think the blackout is actually doing Beijing a disservice if many of the reports hold up. It’d be far better for Beijing internationally if they could point to the violence, unschmensored, and say, look at what we have to deal with. Instead, they push it all behind a black wall and nobody will believe their assessment of the situation even if they’re telling the truth.
@Nick: Like Chris says, any wrong combination of keywords is enough to shut down his BSP unless he proxies, and proxied blogging is a pain in the ass.
Wangbo – The Greens are not pacifists, though we proudly count many of them among us due to our principle of non-violence. “Non-violent conflict resolution is the process by which ecological wisdom, social responsibility and appropriate decision making will be implemented. This principle applies at all levels.”
I suppose the D@l@i L@m@’s non-violent protest of Chinese øccüp@tion for nigh on 50 years stands for nothing, in the face of severe and violent Chinese r3press1on?
The Green Party does not condone the violence perpetrated by parties on either side of this debacle. We do, however, stand in solidarity with the people of T1b3t and their right to self-determination.
Mr Stinson: Absolutely right on both counts. Actually, what’s got me so annoyed about the Greens is that I agree with so much of their policies.
Frog, I appreciate the response and clarification. I hope you understand I’ve messed around with the spelling in your comment so as not to attract any undue attention. The net nanny seems to have gone extra paranoid and hyperactive lately. Not pacifist, but non-violent, good. And I suppose those parts of Keith Locke’s statement in which he clearly opposed the violence were conveniently dropped by the media? Because this is the first I’ve heard of any Green opposition to this particular round of violence. And why is it that the Green statements I’ve read on this issue bear no resemblance to the reports I’ve been reading (see the first part of this post to get an idea of how much open access to “neutral” media I’ve been enjoying)? See, it’s not the history or politics of that region I’m ranting about, just the current outburst of violence and apparent Green support for it.