January 1, 2007 at 11:24:21

2006 Year In Review for Chinese Democracy Mvmt

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By John Kusumi (about the author) Page 2 of 2 page(s)

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This year end review is showing us that by several measures -- resignations from the CCP; politician attention; and, media attention -- that our cause is making headway or accelerating. It is arriving at critical mass just prior to the Olympics, which in itself is certain to whip up activists.

Also this year, Microsoft, Cisco, Yahoo, and Google came under fire for assisting the police state in China, with technology that ends up in "the great firewall of China" -- internet censorship that also enables the authorities' internet crackdown.

2006 had one more high note and one more sour note. The high note is that a music video, "Remember Tiananmen Square" appeared, from the rock band NoManZero. The sour note is that the U.S. Congress passed another "PNTR for dictators" bill, this time for Communist Vietnam. The Vietnam trade deal had to be passed, late at night on the last day of the session, by the 109th Congress, because there would be no market for it in the 110th Congress. The new Democratic Congress features "rising protectionist sentiment," where PNTR becomes an impossibly hard sell.

That trade deal means bad things for America, but that is a topic for another column. As it stands, our cause had a good year 2006, and we look forward to an even better 2007. 2007 will feature the 18th anniversary of Tiananmen Square's massacre. --That is exactly one generation later. I hope we will use this year's anniversary to remember the event (for older folks) and to introduce the event (for younger folks). There is a rising new generation, that needs the introduction that explains how our China rights cause became urgent -- and globally known -- in the first place.

This 18th anniversary will be a time for educating people, in advance of the Beijing Olympics that are slated for August, 2008. To all of the campaigners in this cause, I offer kudos, congratulations, and solidarity. Some very good work was done this year, and more is to follow, as ever! Thank yous, and Happy New Year, to one and all who carry on the work of freeing China! :-) JPK
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Published December 31, 2006 by the China Support Network (CSN). Begun as the American response group in 1989, CSN represents Americans who are "on the side" of the students in Tiananmen Square - standing for democratic reform, human rights, and freedom in China. For dissident news; to support a stronger China policy; or get more information, see http://www.chinasupport.net.

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The author was once the 18-year-old candidate for U.S. President ('84) and later the founder of the China Support Network, post-Tiananmen Square.

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