The Jack Cafferty thing

[Zdrav]

I'm certainly no fan of China-bashing (I just saw a U.S. Air Force ad that showed a Chinese marketplace as a place of hidden enemies and was outraged), but I don't think Jack Cafferty was being particularly racist when he called the Chinese government "goons and thugs". Well, they kind of are, aren't they? It's like calling the Bush administration a bunch of warmongers and liars.

[Craig]

Considering that "goon" or "thug" are fairly similar in meaning feel free to elaborate on how you think the Chinese government fits this description (Please limit this to a definable entity of the government, political party, etc., and not some isolated case of some city mayor's administration). Please elaborate on how the Chinese government (Chinese communist party, etc.), is tough, violent, aggressive, stupid or clumsy.

As far as the Bush administration, they are warmongers, and they profit from warmongering. Some of the people on the inside actually believe the propaganda, many don't, but most don't care as long as it benefits them. The American warmonger culture is strong and pervasive and has been in existence since at least the late 1800s. Pretty much all American politicians are liars, it's part of American culture, and it's pretty much a prerequisite for them getting elected. Americans (in general) don't want to hear the truth.

[BillBlythe]

Leave racism out of the argument. That is such a red herring.

[eos]

this is just a case of someone being jealous. he's hatin' on china cuz it's obviously the next supreme overlord of the entire universe and he's not looking forward to bending over and taking it. well, i really don't know how you tell 1 billion+ people "oh no, please don't hurt me."

[j&j2]

Alright - while there definitely as been "China-bashing" which has gone beyond criticism of the govt. and its policies - let's not pretend that the CCP is some kind of benevolent ruler.

The PRC is ruled by a totalitarian, oligarchical govt. which has strong ties to the military, tight control of the media w/ nationalist propaganda being the norm, clamps down hard on political dissent, and a capitalistic economic system where govt. and "private" business are tightly intertwined.

I seem to recall a term for this - oh yeah, "Fascism" (btw, I would also include a Putin Russia in the same light).

[Player 0]

Alright - while there definitely as been "China-bashing" which has gone beyond criticism of the govt. and its policies - let's not pretend that the CCP is some kind of benevolent ruler.

The PRC is ruled by a totalitarian, oligarchical govt. which has strong ties to the military, tight control of the media w/ nationalist propaganda being the norm, clamps down hard on political dissent, and a capitalistic economic system where govt. and "private" business are tightly intertwined.

I seem to recall a term for this - oh yeah, "Fascism" (btw, I would also include a Putin Russia in the same light).

And your point is what?

They're still significantly better than any other government that has ruled China in the past two centuries, and yes even in Mao's time, even wit hthe Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution he's still way, way, waaaaay better than the Qing, KMT and Japanese empire put together.

[mndeg]

Clearly he has no idea what he's talking about. Make him talk about specifics and I bet he'll just give rash generalizations that have no bearing on reality.

End of story.


The PRC is ruled by a totalitarian, oligarchical govt. which has strong ties to the military, tight control of the media w/ nationalist propaganda being the norm, clamps down hard on political dissent, and a capitalistic economic system where govt. and "private" business are tightly intertwined.

And...? Large majority of Chinese citizens approve of the government. Would you prefer a democratic system with chaos and no one that is able to control 1 billion+ people? Your argument is basically saying VOTING = GOOD NOT VOTING = BAD.
America citizens don't have any power, your popular vote means nothing. It's all an illusion of choice. Don't be brainwashed.

[Paradox]

And your point is what?

They're still significantly better than any other government that has ruled China in the past two centuries, and yes even in Mao's time, even wit hthe Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution he's still way, way, waaaaay better than the Qing, KMT and Japanese empire put together.

Eh..to be fair the KMT and Japanese didn't do so bad in their respective spheres after the war. The KMT basically made Taiwan something out of a backwater nothing. Japan is still the #2 economy in the world. At times I do wonder what would have happened if the KMT managed to maintain control of China. I think Mao's policies still set China back drastically. China has always had immense potential but no single "dynasty" has been able to fully harness it.

[Player 0]

Eh..to be fair the KMT and Japanese didn't do so bad in their respective spheres after the war. The KMT basically made Taiwan something out of a backwater nothing. Japan is still the #2 economy in the world. At times I do wonder what would have happened if the KMT managed to maintain control of China. I think Mao's policies still set China back drastically. China has always had immense potential but no single "dynasty" has been able to fully harness it.

In the time they governed China the KMT actually became much worse in terms of corruption after the war, they did nothing to solve the problems of massive inflation and only explotied the country and people for their own personal wealth, and even on Taiwan it didn't really change until Chiang Kai Shek died.

And the Japanese governed China only to exploit it and its people as a colony, much in the same way Germany exploited the peoples of the USSR.

Mao's policies, failed and successful were done for the specific purpose of improving the nation and the livelyhood of the people, giving power to the common Chinese citizen rather than repeat the mistakes of the KMT by only gaining support and giving greater power to the upper classes.

[deez nuts]

And your point is what?


I wouldn't sweat it too much. I personally don't take a non-Chinese viewpoints on China that seriously.