Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Between life long politician and grassroots activist my friend 91 year old Jerome and me the humanist on China! Making it?

7,000 years old old Beijing's Hutongs disappearing under force! This is part of making it?



This is right but You have to ask yourself if that is making it and "arriving" what does that say? We don't stand for much do we? What about the future?
The Chinese Olympic and Humiliation By Jerome Grossman The Relentless Liberal

For China the Olympics are a demonstration of the ascendancy of the host nation -from historic international humiliation “to the gate of greatness.” The Chinese investment was enormous, $40 billion, 10 times the amount spent by any country in previous Olympics. Large sections of Beijing were refitted; enormous efforts tried to control and minimize pollution; the city was beautified in its buildings and public art; every effort was made to make housing and accommodations and entertainment pleasant for foreign guests. The organization and precision of the opening ceremonies stunned the entire world.

The Chinese were out to prove that their system of capitalist authoritarianism is a success, with national goals that their Gross Domestic Product will surpass the United States by 2025 and that they will dominate the 21st century as America dominated the 20th.

But the Chinese are careful not to threaten the US, their best customer. Their emphasis is on economic primacy, not military, not interventionist. While they have modernized the military establishment, they have not built their capacity to a threatening level. For example, their nuclear arsenal has only about 200 capable of reaching the US while the US has 10,000 capable of reaching China and an armed American fleet regularly prowls the Western Pacific.

The Chinese have serious problems that may prevent realization of national goals: too many people to be adequately supported, especially the elderly beneficiaries of the health system, who must be supported in retirement; unrest among the workers as inequality of income grows; an overrated economy not yet capable of using all modern technology; environmental problems that affect the health of all Chinese; rejection of the state ideology by some members of the intellectual and underprivileged classes.

However, all Chinese are united in hosting the Olympics as a demonstration that the humiliating legacy of the domination by foreigners has ended. The humiliation began with China's defeat in the Opium Wars in the 19th century; continued when the 1919 Treaty of Versailles allotted port concessions to European governments to profit from goods entering and exiting China; the treatment of Chinese laborers in the US; the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and China proper; the British seizure of Hong Kong; the Portuguese control Macao; the separation of Taiwan, etc. etc..

The Chinese want the world to know that those days are over. In 2001, the National People's Congress passed a law establishing a National Humiliation Day. The leaders, past and present, of all parties and factions scorned the humiliating insults to the Chinese people, the yoke, the suffering, uniting such diverse political figures and Sun Yatsen, Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Ze Dong.

So the Chinese Olympics are much more than a series of pageants and athletic contests. They are an emotional, national, prideful statement: we have arrived; there will be no more humiliation.

That was well put! I was going to answer you earlier and maybe do a story on it but too much is happening to fast now that has to be covered. Anyway I have thought about this too in the past. Just think!

* They took over a million cars off the road and closed factories down for the Olympics to try and clear the air a bit!
* They confiscated 300 Bibles from Christians!
* At least 3 women gymnast were found to be 14 years old or less making them illegal!
* One landed on her knees and still was awarded the gold ahead of the American.
* Nastia Liukin was totally tied in points with the girl from China making that suspect too!
* There were three parks set aside for protests and what a surprise, no protesters! They held those that applied for permits until after the Olympics ended!
* People that would not sell their houses so they could be torn down as they did not look appealing were simply walled in so people could not see them!

* You have to ask yourself if that is making it and "arriving" what does that say? We don't stand for much do we? What about the future?

James Joiner
Gardner Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com

16 comments:

Weaseldog said...

Poland has signed a treaty with the US allowing our missiles to be based there.

Rice is so giddy, she's going to go buy new shoes made from the tanned skins of Georgian children who dies from her last round of diplomatic talks.

jmsjoin said...

Wease
I saw that this morning but I thought that was signed yesterday and didn't do anything with it. I did log some stories about the entire situation developing over there to use maybe tomorrow. I just can't see how signing the MDS agreement can be in Poland's best interest. We can't come to their aid and as I wrote yesterday or the day before Russia already turned missiles on them as well as on Georgia from South Osettia! The Ukraine was threatening again this morning. It seems like the idea is to let Russia overwhelm them until we will be forced to do something?
You know how this is going to end!

Weaseldog said...

Is Bush luring nations into danger, just so he can watch Russia chew them up? Like throwing puppies into a lion's den?

Weaseldog said...

On China, my wife was even asking, How can they get away with cheating? What's wrong with the judges? I told her it's customary to the host country win.

But they aren't supposed to make it obvious are they?

Does Poland believe that the US will support them? It seems they do. But if Russia starts shelling the new facilities, what will we actually do?

Dave Dubya said...

Never mind Mexico and Canada, CHINA and the US are fast becoming one country. The countries are joining in the middle between the twin cruelties of unregulated cutthroat capitalism and authoritarian central government.

We are each adopting the worst of the other. They practically own us through our debt to them. Welcome to ChinUS.

No wonder the Reich is so busy demonizing Russia. We've found our totalitarian soulmate.

jmsjoin said...

Wease!
I just had a visitor here that likes to get me going on this stuff. She just keeps saying it's a set up and we're screwed. That sums it up.
As usual with Bush politics of instigation we create a problem to appear forced to react militarily. That is S.O.P! Those people are being sacrificed as the average American is. Wait till the fall man!

jmsjoin said...

Wease
Did you see some of those Gymnasts? No way in hell they are 16 but how do you prove it? That one Chinese girl landed right on her knees and won the gold. Karoli was pissed as he should be. As I said look at China's behavior before after and during. If this is making it what the hell does that say for the rest of us?

jmsjoin said...

Dave
Son of a bitch! Just this morning I came to the conclusion that I was right in thinking when all is said and done China will side with us against Russia and others. Sure they have military exercises with Russia but they own us and their economy lives off us. You saw how much the Chinese hierarchy catered to the entire Bush clan.
I was thinking this morning that a US China alliance would give us the best of all worlds. Us with the navy and technical leadership and them with the army supply (people) I want to say they can take over after but geezus christ this is so frigge4d up. Pretty soon!

Weaseldog said...

you want 13 year old Chinese boys in uniform, searching your house, killing your pets?

Uhm, I'm getting in that kind of mood too.

The Rice Monster tends to set me off.

It's funny, when I watch nature shows, I don't get mad at vultures. But when I see them wearing suits and Italian shoes, making public policy, I want to scream!

jmsjoin said...

Wease
In this search for the truth and answers I just don't know what the hell to think any more. We are living a total friggen lie controlled by lying inept idiots on an agenda that is obvious and denied. It is friggen maddening!
The scum in this mis administration make vultures look good! Frig man this is still just taking shape and just beginning. It sucks but we have been wrong about nothing!

Jolly Roger said...

The loss of so much of old Beijing is a tragedy of incalculable proportions.

Beijing's history belonged to the world. The old, catacombed Beijing was very much a part of human history. There is nothing that can replace it, and no amount of money can buy it back.

Mariamariacuchita said...

Very interesting. I didn't really watch the Olympics, but I have an invitation to travel there next year.
I do believe there are wheels within wheels turning in ways that are both subtle and obvious. It's hard to keep up with the Bushies, with the counter moves and counter forces.

jmsjoin said...

jolly
I didn't even know about the Hutong's until the last year or so. I was amazed at them trying to destroy thei past so they could be a nation of the future.
There are 7,000 years of history there they are simply razing. I think it was CNN that went into one of the narrow ally ways and you wouldn't even know all that was behind the bustle modern streets and city.
They were saying there are only around 1,700 left and to me they should memorialize them as symbols of their past. You have to have a firm foundation (a past) to build a firm future!

jmsjoin said...

Hi Maria
It is all very interesting but like everything today not all good. Man that is cool, go to China and have fun while you can!
I am really approaching this fall with apprehension and very negative underhanded lowlife destructive expectations! You take care and stay in touch!

Ingrid said...

actually, quickly before I turn in.. China never had any democratic intentions..they probably figure they had to give the notion of more freedom as they were opening up economically but essentially, nothing has changed and no one should have any other expectation. It might 'look' the part as it is modern and economically business is booming but that's about all..

Ingrid

jmsjoin said...

Ingrid
Of course you are right! They have learned how to use Democracy and Capitalism to further their beloved communism! We seem to out of what? be condoning it or turning a blind eye because there is nothing we can do about it. What stinks is this is making it? and we are no better!