Tiananmen Square, I honor

June 4 was the twentieth anniversary of Tiananmen Square. On June 4, 1989 Chinese students gathered on Tiananmen
Square in Beijing demonstrating for a free-er more democratic China. Chinese tanks came and mowed them down. Many
students died-- even those who had evacuated the square-- and some bystanders as well. Thousands of people died.

On June 4, 2009 the square was closed and a heavy military presence was keeping an uneasy peace. Blogs and social
networking sites were shut down for the day. Wu'er Kaixi, a student who has been exiled, was denied entrance into
Macau where his parents live. Other dissidents were made to leave Beijing or forced to stay indoors. The Chinese
authorities did not want any debate, discussion, or memorials of that day twenty years ago where many died for their
vision of democracy. The government has never taken any responsibility for the bloodshed.

I wasn't there when the tanks came. I wasn't there when shots rang out across the square. I wasn't there for the
massacre. To the Chinese people who were murdered, to their families and friends, to those left behind I want you
to know that one Westerner remembers and honors all of you.

radical sapphoq

Portland Press Herald, Thursday June 4, 2009, page 8. China takes hard-line stand on 'massacre' anniversary.


J. Maarten Troost, Lost on Planet China. New York: Doubleday, 2008. paperback, 382 pps.

China Gives U.S. the Goods

Bunches of toys and some other stuff manufactured in mainland China have been recalled over the past several months-- 80 000 flashing pacifiers, 274 000 defective fluorescent shop lights, 55 000 imported Fisher Price toys-- pet food ingredients, batteries, and tires raised initial concerns starting in March.

The state of California has filed a lawsuit. Chinese toy manufacturers are wanting to sue as well.


Meanwhile I have to wonder: Is the Chinese government trying to kill us? The more benign explanation is inadequate standards and cost-cutting measures in Chinese factories. Chinese factories are privatizing. The mediacs want us to believe that is at the crux of the problem. That's nice but how does a date rape drug wind up in Aqua Dots? 21 million toys made in China were recalled this summer and the Chinese toy makers are insulted enough to consider suing? Give me a break peeps.

It was bad enough when kidney failure was one of the side effects of the pet food ingredients from China, bad enough when a shop lamp from China can explode. Now babies risk choking on detaching pacifiers and little kids can be hurt by lead and a date rape drug. Stop it. Boycott all Chinese goods. It just might be safer.

Call me reactionary. I do not care. None of the kids on our list are getting anything made in China. So be it then.

I know toys from other places get recalled. I point out that the amount of stuff from China getting recalled is obscene. We are getting crap from China. Crap that is potentially injurious to the health of U.S. citizens. I don't think that we should have to put up or shut up on this one. Don't buy anything from China. It just might kill you or your offspring. Let Chinese factories come up with a definitive plan of action if they wish to keep exporting to the United States. Let them implement said plan, get the lead out, eliminate the harmful ingredients. Until we have proof that what is coming to our shores from China is safer than it has been since the spring, I am spending my cold green American cash on American goods.

radical sapphoq

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gQ7dKIXx1kLxgzGPaDLMv3nn_M0gD8T2EDI00

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/340661_toys22.html

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071121/BUSINESS06/711210415/1019