Monday, October 6, 2014

Meanwhile, back in Hong Kong

We ended last month and began this one by writing here about what has been going on in Hong Kong. Democracy would be dearly welcomed by so many there, but the movement that was capturing world-wide attention just a few weeks ago, seems less popular now. Just yesterday, some government officials hinted that there might be room for maneuvering over how a committee that nominates Hong Kong's leader is selected, and that changes to elections could take place after 2017. Will this be enough? Of course even this might not happen.
 
Freedom is such a wonderful thing and many in the United States and Canada take it for granted.  Hong Kong of course has it much better than many parts of the world, to be sure, but when the British left there were changes and there continue to be changes.  That is at the heart of what this is all about.  The people of Hong Kong are not making the decisions, the Chinese government is making those decisions.
 
For a while things looked peaceful and there was hope that something positive was going to happen.  People around the world were dressing in yellow and holding up their umbrellas in solidarity.  Much of that worldwide support though seems to have faded.  News coverage was very light all along, although for a few short days it seemed to be increasing.
 
The bottom line is this:  Hong Kong is still under Chinese rule, communist rule.  It is not a democratic state.  People who live there, like people everywhere, deserve to be free.

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