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Hong Kong: what next?

Jessiedog said:
We knew it was going to happen but still ...


They came last night, undercover of darkness, and erected screens around the Pillar of Shame to hide their vandalism. She was demolished; broken into three pieces and hauled into a 20ft container, which was then lifted by crane and lowered onto the back of of a lorry, then away into the night.


I remember well the monument's installation more than a quarter of a century ago.

I will never forget its removal.


(Thread from Xinqi Su with video clips.)




Merry Christmas!


Woof
Click to expand...


Fucking disgraceful. I've heard rumours, probably untrue, that it might get a new home at the US consulate.
 
Gromit said:
That's the thing about cancel culture.
It's a tool both sides can utilise.
When it's a brutal regime cancelling history it underlines the dangers of statue removal and book burning being considered in any way acceptable.

I do feel for Hong Kong. This is a massive slap in the face for free thought.
Click to expand...

This is an attempt to erase the past and clamp down on dissent. Not quite the same as tearing down monuments to racism/imperialism.
 
krtek a houby said:
This is an attempt to erase the past and clamp down on dissent. Not quite the same as tearing down monuments to racism/imperialism.
Click to expand...

Yep - China's been trying to erase everything it can about Tiananmen for more than 30 years, I don't think they looked at the US taking down statues of generals who fought to defend slavery and thought "Well, I guess that monument in Hong Kong is fair game now."
 
krtek a houby said:
This is an attempt to erase the past and clamp down on dissent. Not quite the same as tearing down monuments to racism/imperialism.
Click to expand...
Yes there is a difference but that's not my point.
If pulling down statues becomes socially acceptable... Governments will do it to suit themselves too.
 
Yossarian said:
Yep - China's been trying to erase everything it can about Tiananmen for more than 30 years, I don't think they looked at the US taking down statues of generals who fought to defend slavery and thought "Well, I guess that monument in Hong Kong is fair game now."
Click to expand...

Yeah, statues been coming down since ancient Rome and Greece.

The Hong Kong erasure is downright terrifying, whatever the views about the British era. It's happening so fast.
 
Gromit said:
Yes there is a difference but that's not my point.
If pulling down statues becomes socially acceptable... Governments will do it to suit themselves too.
Click to expand...
Government is as government does, and some are more tyrannical than others - but they don't really need an excuse to pull down things they don't like.

The vast majority of statues in any nation state are symbols of those who rule, those with wealth, power and might. They need pulling down for rubble or smelting - or put in some Museum of Ruling Class Shite.

The Hong Kong Tiananmen memorial is not one of those, neither was the statue of liberty in Beijing, nor was the Bristol post-Colston statue of Jen Reid. They were put there by those without wealth, power or might. Instead they were a cry of freedom, a memorial to a brutal authoritarian state attrocity, a symbol of rebellion against a historic injustice.

There's no reason to equate the monuments of the boss class and monuments of the downtrodden in revolt, as they're a whole different kettle of fish. And just because our side pulls down their shit in no way encourages the boss class to do the same. They already have the power to do this. Just try constructing a memorial to the victims of capitalist oppression or a statue of a local rebel in a town near you and see how far you get.

Anyway, here's a song:

 
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And again ... Last night ...

They came undercover of darkness. This time they came for the New Goddess Of Democracy statue at Chinese University.

The statue, a replica of the Goddess of Democracy statue the students erected in Tiananmen Square in 1989, has stood on campus for the last 11 years.

Now it is gone.





Woof
 
This stunning image of the removal of the Pillar of Shame from HKU, was taken by Tyrone Siu of Reuters on Wednesday night.

It's layered with symbolism on so many levels and evokes a myriad of images, memories, events, myths, parables ...


1640314527218.png


(Edit: 'Cos it's the Pillar of Shame, not the Goddess of Democracy - it's getting hard to keep up!)



Woof
 
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(((Jessiedog )))

This is all so sad!!!

Not sure if you are a Christian, but if so - I really hope you have a decent Christmas.

I will be raising a toast at our Christmas dinner, a toast to you and your country.
May you both have a better new year.


For you and Bella

d2.jpg

d1.jpg


Take care of you both.
 
spring-peeper said:
(((Jessiedog )))

This is all so sad!!!

Not sure if you are a Christian, but if so - I really hope you have a decent Christmas.

I will be raising a toast at our Christmas dinner, a toast to you and your country.
May you both have a better new year.


For you and Bella

View attachment 302639

View attachment 302640


Take care of you both.
Click to expand...


Thanks springy!

I'm a long, long-term committed atheist (as is the mad watchmaker, what with growing up in Stasi East Germany an' all).

That said, I've always enjoyed Christmas time. What with all the tinsel and glitter and children and food and booze and gifts and goodwill-to-all and everything - what's not to love?

I mean, I've even got the 20-year-old, plastic tree up; lights, balls, the works - and I've even managed to balance my Mr. Bean teddy bear (precariously!) on the top and very pleased with himself he looks too (although I realise you may not approve of that!).

Germans tend to celebrate on Christmas eves (tonight,) rather than Christmas days so the mad watchmaker is at home this eve and is coming over tomorrow (Sat,) eve instead. I may even break out some bread and cheese this year!

Last year, Xmas day fell on a Friday so he was here as per usual.

And Bella loves Christmas too. Last year she had an absolute blast!


1640322120329.png



And anyway, as krtek points out (sort of ... ), Christmas is far too good to just be for Christians! ;)


So ...

Merry Christmas to you and yours and to all and sundry and theirs too!

Be nice to each other peeps.

:)

Woof
 
Jessiedog said:
I mean, I've even got the 20-year-old, plastic tree up; lights, balls, the works - and I've even managed to balance my Mr. Bean teddy bear (precariously!) on the top and very pleased with himself he looks too (although I realise you may not approve of that!).
Click to expand...

Totally approve - our old plastic tree is up and a rather pathetic angel sits on top.

I love our multicoloured lights and all the lovely colours.

Never understood why someone would kill a tree and put it up.
Never understood why people only have white lights on it (two of my children :( )
 
I feel the Christmas message is a universal one of hope,and love and light in the darkness for humanity...
And of course there's dogs choosing their Christmas presents..
 
A great, short thread by Xinqi Su.

Also check out the 30 second video posted by Replier. A little kid on a footbridge shouts "Heung Gong Yan" (Hong Kong People,) and the marchers below respond with "Gah Yau!" (Add Oil). Rinse and repeat for 30 secs'. It's really quite astonishing. (From August 2019, I think.)






(Edited: To make the video I referenced easier to find.)






Woof
 
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