I was surveying the wreckage from yesterday’s demonstration when I noticed something that says a lot about British democracy and the rule of law.
The long running protest by Brian Haw (now joined by others) has been an unsightly part of Parliament Square for some years and various attempts have been made to end it. All failed. His legal rights are protected.
As usual today tourists were taking photos of his site but what caught my attention was that behind him was a line of police barriers and another one in front of him. In other words he had a long strip of pavement securely protected by the police so he was not caught up in yesterdays protest.
If only those sad Chinese police and political leaders could have seen it – they might find it easier to accept the Nobel Prize going to Liu Xiaobo who has bravely challenged their authoritarian attitudes.
“If only those sad Chinese police and political leaders could have seen it – they might find it easier to accept the Nobel Prize going to Liu Xiaobo who has bravely challenged their authoritarian attitudes.”
If only those same Chinese Police and Political leaders could see the brutality of the British Police with batons, shields and Horse charges. If only they could see Julian Assange being imprisoned and possibly extradited on what appear trumped up charges so he can then be re-extradited to the USA where some Politicians are calling for his murder.
British Democracy and the rule of law is not so far from that of China unless you look through rose coloured spectacles.
The Chinese leadership loves its people and only wishes their prosperity and well being. There is a saying in the Confucian Analects that goes:
“The superior man cannot be known in little matters, but he may be entrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be entrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters.” What manner of man is Liu Xiaobo?
Confucius again talks of the state and men:
“The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved.”
The west failed this philosophical virtue.
Ref: Confucius: Chinese philosopher & reformer (551 BC – 479 BC)
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/confucius/
In the 1930’s people made excuses for the Fascist’s saying they weren’t that bad and anyway people like Churchill were almost as bad.
I hadn`t quite realised you were that old, Lord Soley.
And in the 1930`s I believe people were stating they didn`t want to be ruled by the imperialistic state of Great Britain who had committed great crimes on their peoples. History aside your point was ?
I do wonder why we think Democracy means Freedom, as if when we show exampels of peopel beinf Free to do as they please we call this “Democracy”. China is,techniclaly, a Democracy, int he same way that Venuzuala is a Democracy. They both have Duly elected leaders.
Freedom does not come from votign for leaders though, but from the Government limiting itself, which is why I strongly oppose hate speech laws or in the past the closure of Faith Schools on DUbious Grounds, and support Home Educators, and want the repeal of the SORS, which is just Politiclaly correct tyrany.
Still, in this regard Britain is better than China. No one ever said it wasn’t. However, I think we need ot be careful and not venerate a system of Governance as if it is what ensures our Liberty. it is not the form of Government that does htis, btu the Governments willignness to not co4rce others into its own way of doing things by force.
While which is worse is relative, though, one has to remain vigilant to these points. If we imagine an Island Kingdom soemwhee int he Great Pacific Ocean that allows you to critisise the Giovernment but forbids you to own land, then you have one Freedom in the UK that you lack there.
Just as an example.