Censorship is alive in China

Liu Xiaobo, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, could not attend today’s ceremony in Oslo, Norway.  But his words could not be stopped either.

Although the People’s Republic of China (explain that to me sometime) has incarcerated Xiaobo, his written statement was read to those in attendance.

Today was the first time since the Nazi’s prevented pacifist Carl von Ossietzky from attending in 1935 that a Nobel winner was not allowed to attend.

The importance of free speech is well understood in this country, having made it our very first amendment.  Not so in PRC, where a society of over 1.3 billion people are still oppressed in many ways.  Today’s events were barred from all official news channels and the internet in China.

This reminds me of my first trip to Germany, wherein upon my arriving at checkpoint Charlie, the official entrance to East Berlin, all bags and packages were search and all magazines, or similar form of media were confiscated.

The theory then was simple – if people don’t see what’s on the other side, they won’t want to be a part of it.  The reality was that it’s impossible to keep ignorance intact, and once the message go through to the people, they revolted.  The rest, as they say, is history. 

Why not do this for yourself, for Liu Xiaobo and for free speech everywhere –

BOYCOTT CHINESE MADE PRODUCTS!!!!