The Trumpet Sounds of Chinese Revolutionary War?
The Chinese Government continues its determined efforts to restrain the activities of its 100 million netizens.
Earlier this week, The State Council Information Office decreed as follows:
“We need to better regulate the online news services with the emergence of so many unhealthy news stories that will easily mislead the public. The State Council Information Office must give its approval before established news organizations can publish stories from other sources and non-news organizations must also seek permission prior to putting news stories on their sites.”
The China Daily noted: “Sites by news organizations that only carry their own stories must now register at the (State Council’s) main office or provincial information offices. The regulation also spells out that media attached to the central government or directly under provincial governments are not allowed to provide any stories to other online news sites without approval.”
Having already rendered the world’s most populous nation an “Island within the Web” by blocking access to the rest of the Internet, the Chinese Government in 2005 is behaving predictably — following the path of every Totalitarian state before it.
First, you isolate from outside influence, then you homogenize within.
Perhaps, the situation in China is too familiar…
“We’ve seen this all before — no? — just in different places involving different names.
Inevitably, the conflict dissipates, one side (often both) records their righteous victory and commit to their subjective History the virtues of their Cause.
Was not America, herself, once a young Nation, inspired and led by passionate ideals?
It has not escaped my notice… there is such exquisite irony: The United States (Government) is squeezing down on Liberty, afraid of what the Web’s Free Pipes may bring to every home. While, there is China…
… imminently legendary, for understanding better than we ever did, the same Ideals we claimed defined America when we first started out.
Suddenly, I am not so worried for China, or for the prospect of the First Amendment ever being written, ratified, enacted in Chinese.
I am getting quite the vibe, in fact.
I look around — I don’t see anyone so zealous to the exercise of Voice as the Chinese (the Netizens, especially)…
Get some popcorn. Grab a seat. This could be really, really good.
2HP
china
free speech
revolution
internet