May. 01, 2004 - 22:44 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

Changed

Say one thing, do the opposite. Seems to be the philosophy in many areas nowadays. Seems to me the expression, "Two faced," came from something like that, or, "White man speak with forked tongue," which figured in westerns long ago. Nations have been doing that to each other since time began it appears to me.

China wants Taiwan back, which has existed as a country in itself for years. Now it is Hong Kong.

Editorial in the Saturday Rocky Mountain News as the Denver Post's opinion. Dont ask about the JOA between the two papers by the way.

Headlined:

China's door still shut

In full. "China to democracy: Go away. That's the message Beijing sent last week, when one of its puppet legislative committees nixed Hong Kong's plan for direct election of the territory's chief executive by 2007 and its legislative body by 2008. U.S. and British officials quickly denounced the committee's action, causing Beijing to bristle. The exchange only underscored how threatened China's rulers are by the very idea of a popularly elected government."

"When Britain handed its former colony to China in 1997, communist leaders indicated that Hong Kong would be given a certain level of autonomy. The leash though, has proven to be very short."

Hong Kong's Basic Law (its version of a constitution, adopted when British rule ended) calls for direct elections as soon as 2008. But last week, a powerful committee of the National People's Congress effectively ruled out any such popular balloting. Although the denial was couched in diplomatic terms -- Hong Kong would be allowed to change its electoral methods, but only gradually -- the real message was clear. Beijing doesn't want direct elections in Hong Kong."

"The heavy-handed move wasn't much of a surprise. What is surprising was the depth of Hong Kong's popular response. Pro-democracy activists who protested the committees's decision last week also promised to stage larger demonstrations June 4 -- the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

"The committee's regressive move disappointed many of Hong Kong's 6.8 million residents and people everywhere who hold democracy dear. But it may not be the final word history has to say."

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I guess one way to look at it is that generations of people of Chinese descent have lived freely in Hong Kong for years and years. China said they would allow direct elections in 2007 and 2008. China is severly limiting that to the extent that possibly Hong Kong will come under Chinese dictatorship, it seems to me.

It seems to me that a treaty signed in front of the UN and the government of Britain to keep Hong Kong free, as much of a democracy as they desire to be, should have been executed before Britain gave Hong Kong up. How to rectify such a messed up situation is elusive as getting our country straightened up on many things. Except ours is not a dictatorship at this moment in time. Leopard is the same, no spots Changed . . . . . . . . .

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