OpenDoorsUSA reports that Chinese police raided an underground church Sunday school class, hauling 30 kids off to the station.
The youngsters started singing a hymn in the van, and you can imagine the surprise to the officials at headquarters when the children marched in singing.
The interrogator told them they would be released if they wrote "I do not believe in Jesus" 100 times.
Instead, the children wrote, "I believe in Jesus today. I will believe in Jesus tomorrow. I will believe in Jesus forever!"
The report states that the children were all eventually released.
Hats off to those boys and girls from the Sunday school. That's the kind of spunk we need when dealing with tyrants.
If only we could get Western politicians to emulate them on any number of issues, when the Communists would like a certain policy or statement to be written....
--
Curry Kenworthy is Vice President of China e-Lobby, your source for important news and original opinion on China and the Communist threat. Visit our site at china-e-lobby.blogspot.com or sign up for e-mail alerts here.
Showing posts with label china e-lobby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label china e-lobby. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Fred Hiatt: Burma and Olympics
Fred Hiatt suggests in Washington Post:
"And here's something else I would do: Tell China that, as far as the United States is concerned, it can have its Olympic Games or it can have its regime in Burma. It can't have both."
"And here's something else I would do: Tell China that, as far as the United States is concerned, it can have its Olympic Games or it can have its regime in Burma. It can't have both."
Thursday, September 27, 2007
America's worst enemies
Several times during the last weeks I've wanted to write about some of the 'bad news' that keeps showing up, but I just couldn't find the right words. It's hard to find a starting place when there so many issues. In fact, there is hardly room in a column to enumerate all the threats and challenges that we face as citizens of free nations who are supporting the cause of expanding liberty and human rights throughout the globe. And this time, I want to zoom in on America, which has long held a very important place in that cause.
A particularly ominous sign is the U.S. Dollar's downward slide. It's been the talk of the world for some time, even if it has become a topic in America only recently. Back when the trend was starting, I was shocked when I read that the administration actually welcomed a weaker dollar. America's overall strength for many years has benefited from the strength of its currency. If you haven't been keeping up with news of the dollar's plunge, it's time to have a look.
Militarily, there are new challenges all the time. (Although these may well be ignored by those who trust in the Post-Cold-War philosophy that all future warfare will be transformed to smaller-scale operations against rogue states and terrorists.) Losing satellites, facing mass cyber attacks, and dealing with EMP 'e-bombs' are just a few of the scenarios that are increasingly likely in a major war. America's Air Force, the initial enabler of almost all military missions, has had to make desperate adjustments to deal with lack of funding. We have about half of the new F-22 fighters that the Air Force believes it needs. Planes are being flown past their original lifespans. China is beefing up its Air Force, attempting to model it after the strong points of our own. For many months, like a broken record, we heard the J-10 compared to the F-16. Then, suddenly we found out that it was more like a Eurofighter. That looks like either the end of a successful disinformation campaign or a successful self-delusion campaign, and it probably helped the F-22's critics in their efforts to limit the program.
Socially and morally, America is challenged too. From the politically correct to the socialist to the greedy and the downright profane, we've been subjected to annoying, unhealthy, unproductive, and unwise experiments in media, institutions, business, and society. (Not that you'd get the busybodies and moneymakers in charge of those efforts to admit anything of the kind.) Politically, America is dangerously divided (remember the old wisdom of Divided We Fall?) and preparing to overreact to problems with a predictable pendulum swing that will bring about more problems. Also politically, we face the continuation of terrible policies with appeasement of major enemies to freedom and human rights. (Along with appeasement, politicians and officials are often deceived and sometimes bribed or blackmailed.) Culturally, America faces the problem of a widespread anti-Americanism throughout the world at precisely the time when it needs a global groundswell of friendship, understanding, support, and influence. And this is not such a profound mystery. To win hearts and minds, we don't need packaged PR campaigns. We need the real thing, in living color.
I could go on, but no matter what external threats may arise, you must understand that America's worst enemies aren't the Communists or the jihadists. No, the most terrible enemies are actually some of our fellow Americans—they are Americans in a great variety of types of influential positions who have done much to weaken our country in a multitude of ways: politically, economically, socially, culturally, morally, militarily.
A strong America can resist any enemy. It will be prepared and focused. A weak and misguided America may be able to bring about its own undoing without much help from its enemies—of which there are many. But they are all too willing to help. If the current trend continues, I believe there is a distinct possibility that America will face a war with one or more major adversaries (including China under the Communist Party) in the next decade or so, against the backdrop of the ongoing challenge of terrorism. The chances of major conflict will increase if America's problems and weaknesses increase. And considering the current interests of America's self-proclaimed and would-be adversaries, there may be nasty and difficult surprises in store if there is such a conflict.
If America commits suicide, or loses a great deal of strength and influence through senseless actions against itself, the Communists and the jihadists will be closer to winning by default. With their main obstacle, the former leader of the free world, out of the game they would have a chance at exercising power on an even greater scale. Considering what they've done so far, it's not a pretty scenario to contemplate.
America is an amazing nation, and if you are American, I ask you to wake up and try to help turn things around. Let's stand up to some of America's most dangerous enemies—the ones right here at home—and stop the damage they have been doing to our homes, communities, institutions, industries, cities, states, government, military, and nation. Let's stop the unwise choices, the destructive policies. Let's make this nation a strong and shining haven of freedom and good values, healthy and extremely well-defended. Let's look seriously at what we need to do to ensure the well-being and safety of our nation and foster the light of liberty throughout the world. Finally, don't allow wrong-headed people to chart the future for yourself and your children. (And believe me, there are some wrong-headed people who want to do the charting.) Get involved, and help chart it yourself.
I believe it's still not too late to turn things around; otherwise, it would hardly make sense to write this column. America still has great strength and great values within it, just like a great person who's starting to come down with a serious illness or becoming engaged in a harmful addiction. But I do not speak lightly. It would take huge effort, not without difficulty and some sacrifice, to put things right in this country to the point where I would not feel compelled to issue warnings about potential crises lurking around the corner. There may come a day when it's too late, but for now, it's a time of enormous and urgent opportunity for change. (And no, I don't mean the kind of predictable pendulum change that some have in mind. I mean healing and repairing the nation from the inside out and addressing myriad problems, many of which have been covered here in China e-Lobby news and commentary.) The picture is not completely dark by any means; there are always good accomplishments too, and the future could be more certainly bright with a big of work. With a comprehensively healthy and well-respected nation, the threat of major war would be reduced, and the lives of the citizens enriched.
I'm sure many Americans would scorn a message like the one I'm wrapping up in this paragraph. It's easy to laugh off any idea of serious doom and gloom and any call to reform, repent, revive, and restore. Nevertheless, this is my responsibility as a commentator on the forces in the world in our time. If I'm wrong about the level of danger, my call to action will have done no harm, and will have helped strengthen the nation in other ways. If I'm right, there may be big trouble ahead if there is no action now. People laughed at the idea of jihadists on 9/10, but no one here (in some other countries that was not the case) was laughing on 9/11. Unfortunately, America is a society that lives always in 9/10 mode: always ready for the last big thing, never expecting the next big thing. God bless America—and stir its people up to revive their nation.
A particularly ominous sign is the U.S. Dollar's downward slide. It's been the talk of the world for some time, even if it has become a topic in America only recently. Back when the trend was starting, I was shocked when I read that the administration actually welcomed a weaker dollar. America's overall strength for many years has benefited from the strength of its currency. If you haven't been keeping up with news of the dollar's plunge, it's time to have a look.
Militarily, there are new challenges all the time. (Although these may well be ignored by those who trust in the Post-Cold-War philosophy that all future warfare will be transformed to smaller-scale operations against rogue states and terrorists.) Losing satellites, facing mass cyber attacks, and dealing with EMP 'e-bombs' are just a few of the scenarios that are increasingly likely in a major war. America's Air Force, the initial enabler of almost all military missions, has had to make desperate adjustments to deal with lack of funding. We have about half of the new F-22 fighters that the Air Force believes it needs. Planes are being flown past their original lifespans. China is beefing up its Air Force, attempting to model it after the strong points of our own. For many months, like a broken record, we heard the J-10 compared to the F-16. Then, suddenly we found out that it was more like a Eurofighter. That looks like either the end of a successful disinformation campaign or a successful self-delusion campaign, and it probably helped the F-22's critics in their efforts to limit the program.
Socially and morally, America is challenged too. From the politically correct to the socialist to the greedy and the downright profane, we've been subjected to annoying, unhealthy, unproductive, and unwise experiments in media, institutions, business, and society. (Not that you'd get the busybodies and moneymakers in charge of those efforts to admit anything of the kind.) Politically, America is dangerously divided (remember the old wisdom of Divided We Fall?) and preparing to overreact to problems with a predictable pendulum swing that will bring about more problems. Also politically, we face the continuation of terrible policies with appeasement of major enemies to freedom and human rights. (Along with appeasement, politicians and officials are often deceived and sometimes bribed or blackmailed.) Culturally, America faces the problem of a widespread anti-Americanism throughout the world at precisely the time when it needs a global groundswell of friendship, understanding, support, and influence. And this is not such a profound mystery. To win hearts and minds, we don't need packaged PR campaigns. We need the real thing, in living color.
I could go on, but no matter what external threats may arise, you must understand that America's worst enemies aren't the Communists or the jihadists. No, the most terrible enemies are actually some of our fellow Americans—they are Americans in a great variety of types of influential positions who have done much to weaken our country in a multitude of ways: politically, economically, socially, culturally, morally, militarily.
A strong America can resist any enemy. It will be prepared and focused. A weak and misguided America may be able to bring about its own undoing without much help from its enemies—of which there are many. But they are all too willing to help. If the current trend continues, I believe there is a distinct possibility that America will face a war with one or more major adversaries (including China under the Communist Party) in the next decade or so, against the backdrop of the ongoing challenge of terrorism. The chances of major conflict will increase if America's problems and weaknesses increase. And considering the current interests of America's self-proclaimed and would-be adversaries, there may be nasty and difficult surprises in store if there is such a conflict.
If America commits suicide, or loses a great deal of strength and influence through senseless actions against itself, the Communists and the jihadists will be closer to winning by default. With their main obstacle, the former leader of the free world, out of the game they would have a chance at exercising power on an even greater scale. Considering what they've done so far, it's not a pretty scenario to contemplate.
America is an amazing nation, and if you are American, I ask you to wake up and try to help turn things around. Let's stand up to some of America's most dangerous enemies—the ones right here at home—and stop the damage they have been doing to our homes, communities, institutions, industries, cities, states, government, military, and nation. Let's stop the unwise choices, the destructive policies. Let's make this nation a strong and shining haven of freedom and good values, healthy and extremely well-defended. Let's look seriously at what we need to do to ensure the well-being and safety of our nation and foster the light of liberty throughout the world. Finally, don't allow wrong-headed people to chart the future for yourself and your children. (And believe me, there are some wrong-headed people who want to do the charting.) Get involved, and help chart it yourself.
I believe it's still not too late to turn things around; otherwise, it would hardly make sense to write this column. America still has great strength and great values within it, just like a great person who's starting to come down with a serious illness or becoming engaged in a harmful addiction. But I do not speak lightly. It would take huge effort, not without difficulty and some sacrifice, to put things right in this country to the point where I would not feel compelled to issue warnings about potential crises lurking around the corner. There may come a day when it's too late, but for now, it's a time of enormous and urgent opportunity for change. (And no, I don't mean the kind of predictable pendulum change that some have in mind. I mean healing and repairing the nation from the inside out and addressing myriad problems, many of which have been covered here in China e-Lobby news and commentary.) The picture is not completely dark by any means; there are always good accomplishments too, and the future could be more certainly bright with a big of work. With a comprehensively healthy and well-respected nation, the threat of major war would be reduced, and the lives of the citizens enriched.
I'm sure many Americans would scorn a message like the one I'm wrapping up in this paragraph. It's easy to laugh off any idea of serious doom and gloom and any call to reform, repent, revive, and restore. Nevertheless, this is my responsibility as a commentator on the forces in the world in our time. If I'm wrong about the level of danger, my call to action will have done no harm, and will have helped strengthen the nation in other ways. If I'm right, there may be big trouble ahead if there is no action now. People laughed at the idea of jihadists on 9/10, but no one here (in some other countries that was not the case) was laughing on 9/11. Unfortunately, America is a society that lives always in 9/10 mode: always ready for the last big thing, never expecting the next big thing. God bless America—and stir its people up to revive their nation.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Spring cleaning with Communist characteristics
by Curry Kenworthy
China's Communists are working hard to tidy up the country before hosting the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Of course, "cleansing" is nothing new for the heirs of Mao. Following other preparatory crackdowns, the latest project for the CCP clean-up crew has been getting rid of foreign missionaries.
Voice of the Martyrs reported on the expulsion of more than one hundred missionaries from April to June, marking the largest operation of its kind since 1954. The winds of this year's Operation "Typhoon No. 5" targeted religious workers from the United States, South Korea, Singapore, Canada, Australia, and Israel. Earlier reports this year noted increasing actions against Chinese Christians and house-church leaders, also motivated by the approach of the Olympics.
When Chinese citizens go "bad" (from a Communist point of view) and desire unconscionable things like freedom or faith, foreign influence always gets some of the blame. If we send the house-church leaders off to prison camp and then kick out the foreign church workers, the Reds may reason, we may finally put a lid on this thing.
But in truth, these problems worrying China's tyrants are movements that are very Chinese, carried out by China's own. The house-church movement is adding more than one million members per year. These people join despite facing incredible risks and mind-blowing persecution, and they are not passive members--they make huge sacrifices to spread their movement to others.
Far from being puppets of the West, some Chinese Christians actually question the state of their brethren's faith in Western countries such as the U.S. Why? Interestingly enough, because of a lack of persecution--at least at the severity level they are accustomed to seeing. The Bible speaks of persecution for believers, and they consider this a universal symptom, to be fully expected. In other words, Chinese underground believers are not going to be put off their faith by one more crackdown or by sending away the foreigners--they enter their faith expecting persecution as the natural result of their commitment, and the Christians of China plan to launch their own missionary movements to other parts of the world.
Falun Gong is another Chinese movement whose growth scared China's government, leading to massive crackdowns which have spread, rather than silenced, the beliefs and messages targeted. China's own political movements, too, have continued to press for freedom.
China's political and religious janitors are going to have their hands full scrubbing away at all the unsightly stains that keep spreading on their own, thwarting the shiny propagandistic veneer that the Communists would like to display at upcoming Games.
Curry Kenworthy is vice president of the China e-Lobby. Visit china-e-lobby.blogspot.com for China news, opinion, and action opportunities for making a difference.
China's Communists are working hard to tidy up the country before hosting the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Of course, "cleansing" is nothing new for the heirs of Mao. Following other preparatory crackdowns, the latest project for the CCP clean-up crew has been getting rid of foreign missionaries.
Voice of the Martyrs reported on the expulsion of more than one hundred missionaries from April to June, marking the largest operation of its kind since 1954. The winds of this year's Operation "Typhoon No. 5" targeted religious workers from the United States, South Korea, Singapore, Canada, Australia, and Israel. Earlier reports this year noted increasing actions against Chinese Christians and house-church leaders, also motivated by the approach of the Olympics.
When Chinese citizens go "bad" (from a Communist point of view) and desire unconscionable things like freedom or faith, foreign influence always gets some of the blame. If we send the house-church leaders off to prison camp and then kick out the foreign church workers, the Reds may reason, we may finally put a lid on this thing.
But in truth, these problems worrying China's tyrants are movements that are very Chinese, carried out by China's own. The house-church movement is adding more than one million members per year. These people join despite facing incredible risks and mind-blowing persecution, and they are not passive members--they make huge sacrifices to spread their movement to others.
Far from being puppets of the West, some Chinese Christians actually question the state of their brethren's faith in Western countries such as the U.S. Why? Interestingly enough, because of a lack of persecution--at least at the severity level they are accustomed to seeing. The Bible speaks of persecution for believers, and they consider this a universal symptom, to be fully expected. In other words, Chinese underground believers are not going to be put off their faith by one more crackdown or by sending away the foreigners--they enter their faith expecting persecution as the natural result of their commitment, and the Christians of China plan to launch their own missionary movements to other parts of the world.
Falun Gong is another Chinese movement whose growth scared China's government, leading to massive crackdowns which have spread, rather than silenced, the beliefs and messages targeted. China's own political movements, too, have continued to press for freedom.
China's political and religious janitors are going to have their hands full scrubbing away at all the unsightly stains that keep spreading on their own, thwarting the shiny propagandistic veneer that the Communists would like to display at upcoming Games.
Curry Kenworthy is vice president of the China e-Lobby. Visit china-e-lobby.blogspot.com for China news, opinion, and action opportunities for making a difference.
Monday, June 25, 2007
A shortage of a crucial military asset, the F-22
There's an urgent issue I've been following for some time, and since there is mainly silence on this problem, I've decided to take up the cause myself.
America may not have enough modern fighter planes to ensure its defense during the coming years unless smart people make their voices heard soon. The Air Force believes we need 381 F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to provide air dominance for defending America and enabling its military forces. So far, the Pentagon and Congress have only approved funding for 183 Raptors--less than half of the number requested.
If no additional acquisitions are approved before the F-22 assembly line shuts down, the U.S. will be gambling with its ability to control the skies, trading a more secure future for a big question mark. It's that simple. Meanwhile, China continues to make substantial gains in air and space capabilities, building up for a future showdown. Weakening the U.S. force makes that showdown all the more likely. USAF Chief of Staff Moseley characterizes China's growing air power as "very, very capable." China's new J-10 fighter is just one piece of the modern PLA air force.
I've started a blog and information site about saving the F-22. The action items include a petition for more Raptors as well as a contact form to request critical Air Force funding. I hope you'll join me in this endeavor and help keep the free world strong.
America may not have enough modern fighter planes to ensure its defense during the coming years unless smart people make their voices heard soon. The Air Force believes we need 381 F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to provide air dominance for defending America and enabling its military forces. So far, the Pentagon and Congress have only approved funding for 183 Raptors--less than half of the number requested.
If no additional acquisitions are approved before the F-22 assembly line shuts down, the U.S. will be gambling with its ability to control the skies, trading a more secure future for a big question mark. It's that simple. Meanwhile, China continues to make substantial gains in air and space capabilities, building up for a future showdown. Weakening the U.S. force makes that showdown all the more likely. USAF Chief of Staff Moseley characterizes China's growing air power as "very, very capable." China's new J-10 fighter is just one piece of the modern PLA air force.
I've started a blog and information site about saving the F-22. The action items include a petition for more Raptors as well as a contact form to request critical Air Force funding. I hope you'll join me in this endeavor and help keep the free world strong.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
China 'arms surge' supports terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan
by Curry Kenworthy
Insurgents fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan will be happy to know that more help is on the way--as part of its 'Cold War II' strategy against the U.S. and its allies, China's Communist government is apparently working with Iran to arm terrorists.
According to a June 15 report by Bill Gertz in the Washington Times, intelligence indicates that China is selling large quantities of small arms and weapons to Iran for use in the Iraq insurgency as well as for the Taliban in Afghanistan. Not only that, but China is even helping to deliver the weapons to ensure that they reach their destinations successfully.
Need a better gun? Parts for an IED? An anti-aircraft missile, perhaps? Not to worry, Uncle Hu's got it all covered. Best of all, that includes delivery.
The Gertz report mentioned small arms, ammunition, sniper rifles, RPGs, and components for roadside bombs, as well as previously-reported HN-5 missiles. Gertz also states that the U.S. administration has been trying to hush or downplay this intelligence to maintain the image of China's government as a partner.
Too bad America is listening to the engagement crowd. Communist China is 'engaging' U.S. forces right now through the insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, and it has plans to 'engage' the U.S. much more directly in future conflict, as we will continue to show at the China e-Lobby.
Insurgents fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan will be happy to know that more help is on the way--as part of its 'Cold War II' strategy against the U.S. and its allies, China's Communist government is apparently working with Iran to arm terrorists.
According to a June 15 report by Bill Gertz in the Washington Times, intelligence indicates that China is selling large quantities of small arms and weapons to Iran for use in the Iraq insurgency as well as for the Taliban in Afghanistan. Not only that, but China is even helping to deliver the weapons to ensure that they reach their destinations successfully.
Need a better gun? Parts for an IED? An anti-aircraft missile, perhaps? Not to worry, Uncle Hu's got it all covered. Best of all, that includes delivery.
The Gertz report mentioned small arms, ammunition, sniper rifles, RPGs, and components for roadside bombs, as well as previously-reported HN-5 missiles. Gertz also states that the U.S. administration has been trying to hush or downplay this intelligence to maintain the image of China's government as a partner.
Too bad America is listening to the engagement crowd. Communist China is 'engaging' U.S. forces right now through the insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, and it has plans to 'engage' the U.S. much more directly in future conflict, as we will continue to show at the China e-Lobby.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
McGuire discusses China on Nyquist radio show
China e-Lobby president D. J. McGuire talked about China developments on the Jeff Nyquist radio show earlier this month. Nyquist is a geopolitical columnist, author, and host who has raised awareness on post-Cold War threats to the free world, including strategic deception on the part of enemies of the West.
On the program, McGuire and Nyquist discussed the Communist China military threat, support for terrorists and anti-Western regimes and movements, religious persecution in China, the geopolitical significance of India, and more. This interview provides an excellent opportunity to learn about threats to freedom and hear two very knowledgeable commentators presenting their views. You can listen to a podcast of the show here.
On the program, McGuire and Nyquist discussed the Communist China military threat, support for terrorists and anti-Western regimes and movements, religious persecution in China, the geopolitical significance of India, and more. This interview provides an excellent opportunity to learn about threats to freedom and hear two very knowledgeable commentators presenting their views. You can listen to a podcast of the show here.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Beware the cult of engagement
by Curry Kenworthy
I love Japan. Each free nation in Asia is infinitely precious, and Japan is one of several beacons of light in that region of our world.
As my bookcase testifies, I'm a big fan of Doraemon. (As well as a fan of his favorite snack, Dorayaki, which at times I've often eaten almost as enthusiastically as the cat-shaped cartoon robot himself.) I like Japanese noodle soup, and yakisoba too. (In fact, I've eaten noodle soup in Narita airport, where Wei Jingsheng recently had a surprising experience.)
Japanese influence on worldwide art, entertainment, and technology has been stunning, and its culture is fascinating. From creating trends in cell phones and electronic devices, to changing the face of characters in our cartoons and games, to igniting global crazes for inexplicable but cute fashions like Hello Kitty, to providing many of the cars we drive, and even to fielding walking, talking robotic servants, Japan has made its mark during the decades of reinventing and rebuilding after the Second World War. Its traditional philosophy and martial arts have also provided interest and influence in the world. The Japanese seem to lend a unique style to everything they do. I once saw a documentary on business in Japan showing a fast-food franchise where a customer might receive one of dozens of different styles of greeting based on the perceived type of customer.
But freedom is by far the most important characteristic of modern Japan. That island nation is not only shining a light in Asia, it also is an important military and cultural ally of the free world.
That's why it was a bit depressing to receive alerts from the Wei Jingsheng Foundation about Wei's detention by the Japanese government, preventing him from attending a Tiananmen Square commemoration event in Tokyo, where he was scheduled to deliver a speech.
Wei Jingsheng finally was released, a few days later, and is now out of customs and in Japan. (Update: and he's now on the way back home, if all goes as expected.)
I'm not sure exactly what chain of decisions led to Wei's detention. We may hear more about that, or it may remain somewhat obscured. But since it was a problem for this man to step out of Narita airport before June 4th, but not a problem to step out into the streets of Japan after the event had safely passed, it's reasonable to assume that this was the issue.
Whether China asked Japan specifically to detain Wei, or whether Japanese officials imagined that it would be the polite and cautious thing to do, and whatever reasoning was invoked in the process, I think someone has been listening to the dangerous lies of the engagement/appeasement cult theology.
This is the idea that keeps popping up everywhere, that the enemies of freedom, human rights, and so on can be placated and turned into our bosom friends if we just dialogue, give a little, listen to their demands, and treat them like decent people. Even if they are ruthless dictators, mass murderers, or wild-eyed radicals looking to blow themselves up in your presence. So, if we detain Wei for just a few days, it won't hurt Wei much, and China's government may hate us a bit less, right?
I'd say wrong, on both counts. China's leaders will still despise Japan, and the latest word is that Wei's health hasn't been so good.
Engagement sounds nice, I know. We like a positive-sounding approach. It also reflects the attractive idea of high expectations leading to positive behavioral outcomes. But we need not only high expectations, but realistic expectations, which make sense based on what we know from previous observations. Expecting a hardened criminal to become your buddy and the pillar of your community if you pat him on the back and give him a little of what he demands is a flaky dream. We all know better. And while engagement may be positive-sounding in rhetoric, its results are negative in practice.
Engagement generally only changes the people who are trying to do the engaging. Like a cult, its ideas can appeal to good, well-meaning people. They dream of easy solutions and polite, politically-correct interactions to defuse problems. They start to blame themselves (and others) for aggressions on the other side--absent any real provocation, they imagine that not giving in to unreasonable expectations is itself provocation and aggression. It can all sound so persuasive at first. The next thing you know, you find yourself doing strange things. Like providing development aid to a neighbor who builds up a dangerously capable military force and keeps hyping up popular opinion campaigns against you. Or like detaining Wei Jingsheng for a few days when he comes to give a speech.
We shouldn't pick on Japan in particular, of course. Not by any means; this cult of engagement has been all around the political circles of the world. I'm sure these pernicious beliefs were at work (as well as the government-as-god tendency that develops as our nations become increasingly socialized) when Wang Wenyi was detained in the U.S. for interrupting an event to speak out against a terrible dictator. Which do we hold more sacred, the integrity of the rituals enacted at our political events, or the notions of liberty and justice upon which a nation was founded? U.S. policy is riddled with mistakes deriving from these cult-like beliefs, from the One China policy to the free trade fiasco. Many other countries have gotten taken in by the cult, too.
So, this is not about Japan-bashing. To the contrary, this is about telling our dear friends in Japan to keep shining a light in Asia, and that means not listening to the insidious teachings of the engagement/appeasement cult. It won't help you, and it's dangerous. It leads to policies that weaken and undermine free nations while empowering those who threaten them. And there's a pattern everyone should notice by now: placating the bullies never results in attaining their respect. It only places them in control and gives them, if possible, even more disdain for those they manipulate. When you're dealing with geopolitics, such ideas can have terrible consequences. Engagement is not only a strange belief system, it's potentially suicidal.
Curry Kenworthy is an advocate for China and world freedom. His writings on China issues can be found at http://china-e-lobby.blogspot.com.
I love Japan. Each free nation in Asia is infinitely precious, and Japan is one of several beacons of light in that region of our world.
As my bookcase testifies, I'm a big fan of Doraemon. (As well as a fan of his favorite snack, Dorayaki, which at times I've often eaten almost as enthusiastically as the cat-shaped cartoon robot himself.) I like Japanese noodle soup, and yakisoba too. (In fact, I've eaten noodle soup in Narita airport, where Wei Jingsheng recently had a surprising experience.)
Japanese influence on worldwide art, entertainment, and technology has been stunning, and its culture is fascinating. From creating trends in cell phones and electronic devices, to changing the face of characters in our cartoons and games, to igniting global crazes for inexplicable but cute fashions like Hello Kitty, to providing many of the cars we drive, and even to fielding walking, talking robotic servants, Japan has made its mark during the decades of reinventing and rebuilding after the Second World War. Its traditional philosophy and martial arts have also provided interest and influence in the world. The Japanese seem to lend a unique style to everything they do. I once saw a documentary on business in Japan showing a fast-food franchise where a customer might receive one of dozens of different styles of greeting based on the perceived type of customer.
But freedom is by far the most important characteristic of modern Japan. That island nation is not only shining a light in Asia, it also is an important military and cultural ally of the free world.
That's why it was a bit depressing to receive alerts from the Wei Jingsheng Foundation about Wei's detention by the Japanese government, preventing him from attending a Tiananmen Square commemoration event in Tokyo, where he was scheduled to deliver a speech.
Wei Jingsheng finally was released, a few days later, and is now out of customs and in Japan. (Update: and he's now on the way back home, if all goes as expected.)
I'm not sure exactly what chain of decisions led to Wei's detention. We may hear more about that, or it may remain somewhat obscured. But since it was a problem for this man to step out of Narita airport before June 4th, but not a problem to step out into the streets of Japan after the event had safely passed, it's reasonable to assume that this was the issue.
Whether China asked Japan specifically to detain Wei, or whether Japanese officials imagined that it would be the polite and cautious thing to do, and whatever reasoning was invoked in the process, I think someone has been listening to the dangerous lies of the engagement/appeasement cult theology.
This is the idea that keeps popping up everywhere, that the enemies of freedom, human rights, and so on can be placated and turned into our bosom friends if we just dialogue, give a little, listen to their demands, and treat them like decent people. Even if they are ruthless dictators, mass murderers, or wild-eyed radicals looking to blow themselves up in your presence. So, if we detain Wei for just a few days, it won't hurt Wei much, and China's government may hate us a bit less, right?
I'd say wrong, on both counts. China's leaders will still despise Japan, and the latest word is that Wei's health hasn't been so good.
Engagement sounds nice, I know. We like a positive-sounding approach. It also reflects the attractive idea of high expectations leading to positive behavioral outcomes. But we need not only high expectations, but realistic expectations, which make sense based on what we know from previous observations. Expecting a hardened criminal to become your buddy and the pillar of your community if you pat him on the back and give him a little of what he demands is a flaky dream. We all know better. And while engagement may be positive-sounding in rhetoric, its results are negative in practice.
Engagement generally only changes the people who are trying to do the engaging. Like a cult, its ideas can appeal to good, well-meaning people. They dream of easy solutions and polite, politically-correct interactions to defuse problems. They start to blame themselves (and others) for aggressions on the other side--absent any real provocation, they imagine that not giving in to unreasonable expectations is itself provocation and aggression. It can all sound so persuasive at first. The next thing you know, you find yourself doing strange things. Like providing development aid to a neighbor who builds up a dangerously capable military force and keeps hyping up popular opinion campaigns against you. Or like detaining Wei Jingsheng for a few days when he comes to give a speech.
We shouldn't pick on Japan in particular, of course. Not by any means; this cult of engagement has been all around the political circles of the world. I'm sure these pernicious beliefs were at work (as well as the government-as-god tendency that develops as our nations become increasingly socialized) when Wang Wenyi was detained in the U.S. for interrupting an event to speak out against a terrible dictator. Which do we hold more sacred, the integrity of the rituals enacted at our political events, or the notions of liberty and justice upon which a nation was founded? U.S. policy is riddled with mistakes deriving from these cult-like beliefs, from the One China policy to the free trade fiasco. Many other countries have gotten taken in by the cult, too.
So, this is not about Japan-bashing. To the contrary, this is about telling our dear friends in Japan to keep shining a light in Asia, and that means not listening to the insidious teachings of the engagement/appeasement cult. It won't help you, and it's dangerous. It leads to policies that weaken and undermine free nations while empowering those who threaten them. And there's a pattern everyone should notice by now: placating the bullies never results in attaining their respect. It only places them in control and gives them, if possible, even more disdain for those they manipulate. When you're dealing with geopolitics, such ideas can have terrible consequences. Engagement is not only a strange belief system, it's potentially suicidal.
Curry Kenworthy is an advocate for China and world freedom. His writings on China issues can be found at http://china-e-lobby.blogspot.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)