Hello My Dear Great Ones,
First off the following pictures are not mine, but I believe they give a good visual of the crises that has enveloped Hong Kong over the last five months. It has exposed how complicated the city is. Hong Kong enjoys "democratic freedoms," such as freedom of religion, speech, artistic expression, and has a thriving capitalist economic system unfettered by high taxes. It also has ties with the west and the internet is not hemmed in by a firewall like in China. Yet, the Hong Kong government is a puppet regime endorsed and propped up by a communist China who does not allow the same freedoms to its 1.4 billion people. In fact there are severe human rights issues in China and unlike a democratic society does not tolerate dissent or critique. In Hong Kong there is constant critique of the government in the newspapers and media. Unheard of just across the border. Hong Kong is also full of people who escaped the cultural revolution in China and have passed on their distaste for communist China to the next generations. The underlying hate for China in Hong Kong is very real. Many Hong Kongers consider themselves Hong Kongers first, ethnic Chinese second, they certainly don't identify themselves with communist Chinese or communist China. This identity issue happened when Germany was split into two for over 40 years. Even though German those in the west could not identify with those in the East and vice versa. The political systems were too opposite, to they point where they would have gone to war against each other. It is similar in HK. As soon as you cross the Hong Kong border into China you are in a different World.
While the protests in Hong Kong were initially peaceful the HK leadership has made too many mistakes respecting and taking notice of the initial demonstrations that were reasonable and well conducted and attended from Hong Kongers of all ages, beliefs, and professions. The government's lack of a respectful response to its citizen's concerns, its seemingly utter lack of understanding or awareness of how Hong Kongers think, of their emotions and beliefs is stunning. Are they that stupid or do they simply not care? Would not it benefit China world PR wise and economic wise if they acknowledged Hong Kong people's feelings and engaged in respectful dialogue to resolve issues?
Sadly the protests have devolved into civil disobedience and violence. It has gotten out of hand and most Hong Kongers are now disappointed with the way the protests have gone. How can you agree with violence? The protesters have lost their way. Instead of generating world wide sympathy for their cause, which would exert political and economic pressure on China to "possibly," change for the better it has only given them an excuse to step in and "restore," order. In my opinion getting world wide sympathy and world wide political/economic pressure on China is the right solution. Instead all the violence from young college age students does is cause a mess that is quickly swept up by elderly street cleaners. That is shameful and embarrassing, but worse the government is unmoved.
Please pray for Hong Kong. Pray that despite this painful time much good can come out of it.
Pray for Hong Kong!
Love adios and ping on!
Dirk
