Thursday, May 26, 2005

Look, listen and learn II


In case anyone forgot. This is the famous picture of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.

Care to compare to yesterday's demonstration that was violently repressed by the regime, assaulting women in the process. Here are some facts from the Tiananmen Square protests for those who forgot:
  • 100,000 student and worker protestors
  • Daily marches and hunger strike
  • Martial law declared, yet demonstrations continued
  • The people advanced towards the army troops (talk about courage)
  • Red Cross reported 2,600 people were killed, and 30,000 injured (talk about violence)
  • And from this article: "the student leaders at Tiananmen were unable to produce a coherent movement or ideology that would last past the mid-1990s. Many of the student leaders came from relatively well off sectors of society and were seen as out of touch with common people."
Conclusion:
  1. The world can stand by with its hands tied, and regimes can get away with stuff like that.
  2. Where will Egyptian-style demonstrations alone take us?


Did I ever mention that I admire the Chinese. Oh, never mind :)

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There was a look, listen and learn I.

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