Don’t bother to read this article

by: Dann Veldkamp Monday, November 2nd, 2009

I just spent three weeks in China. Three weeks without having to listen to political news. No Glen Beck telling us the President is driving the country in the wrong direction. No Nancy Pelosi claiming to follow the “will of the people.” I enjoyed good movies, good food, worked in a modern office and spent my nights in a wonderful hotel. Sure, I had some problems with the internet, I couldn’t get to Facebook, Twitter or this site for that matter, and Google was gagged, but these were just minor inconveniences.

  • There I noticed from the paper, the Government only does good things. And the people don’t have to be “constantly vigilant.” They live decent product lives. Few complain. Sure, if I did bring up politics, sometime their voice would turn Sotto, as if someone was listening, and the conversation never lasted long. Soon, it was back to business and a discussion of where we were going for lunch.

    • I also saw the movie “The Founding of a Republic” celebrating the victory 60 years ago by Chairman Mao’s leadership of the revolution that liberated China and found the People’s Republic of China. When I visited the place where the Chinese Communist party first met I noticed that one of the four founding principles was that the people had to “accept the dictatorship of the proletariat until all class distinctions were eliminated.” From what I saw, I don’t expect they will see the end of Communist rule anytime soon.

  • But I am getting off track. I just want to bask in the ease of not having to worry. Someone else will take care of it and, anyway, if I did raise my voice a bit too loud, I might be told to quite down by a man with a gun. So why worry. Enjoy the burgeoning economic freedom and let the politics go.

  • Now, I’m not saying that I would act any differently if I was living under those conditions, but I am thankful I am not. That is one of the reasons I have take so much of my time over the last year contributing to this web site, because I think it is important as citizens of a free country to participate in the political process, even at the most local level. Unfortunately, I don’t feel there are many others that share the passion. They are comfortable going about their business day-to-day. Off to work, Kids to soccer. Maybe sometime in the gym and then its home and get the kids to bed. No time to really get involved in something that could change their lives and the lives of thousands of others.

    Again, in no way am I comparing anyone involved in any way with the reorganization effort to any of the leaders in the People’s Republic of China, but like government leaders everywhere they lead best if they are watched and they hear from the people. In our case they want to hear from the people, but to a great extent, as evidenced by the lack of participating in the public meetings for example, the people are failing to hold up their end of the bargain. I hear complaints about the emerging results of the year-long study, but I don’t hear positive alternative solutions.

  • While our fundamental freedoms are not at risk in this decision, I would like to close with a quote from Y. C. Hong, the First Chinese American Attorney in California:

    All the liberties enjoyed in America today were not bought with only one payment, but were purchased anew in many installments, regularly and periodically, by each new generation. History has shown that many men had tried to take away from others their basic human rights. Many others are trying to do the same thing today, and many more will try to do likewise in the future. Where there is wanton disregard for the rights and freedom of others, your own will soon be jeopardized too. Preservation of our liberties requires constant vigilance, energy, and self-sacrifice.
    – Y.C. Hong 1898 -1977.

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