Jackie Chan disappointed me
Recently on a business forum in Hainan, Jackie Chan said following which really disappointed me:"I'm not sure if it's good to have freedom or not, I'm really confused now. If you're too free, you're like the way Hong Kong is now. It's very chaotic. Taiwan is also chaotic."
"I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want." [source]
It's sad that he would not wish the Chinese people the same freedom that he enjoyed his whole life. While in mainland China his comments were ignored by the media, he did spark a backlash in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
"He's insulted the Chinese people. Chinese people aren't pets," siad Leung Kwok-hung, a pro-democracy legislator in Hong Kong. "His comments are racist. People around the world are running their own countries. Why can't Chinese do the same?" said the lawmaker Albert Ho.
"He himself has enjoyed freedom and democracy and has reaped the economic benefits of capitalism. But he has yet to grasp the true meaning of freedom and democracy," Taiwanese legislator Huang Wei-che said. [source]
This also reminded me of Chinabounder's take on Taiwan. It may be very blunt, but it has a lot of truth in it. An excerpt:
"In just 50 years Taiwan achieved what China, in 2000 years, never managed. Democracy. Freedom. A voice for the people!" [read the post here]
So, yeah, Jackie Chan, one of my favourite Asian actors, really disappointed me. He should have known better, he should be an advocate for freedom and democracy. But he rather caters to the communist dictatorship for who knows what reasons. I doubt that what he said he really meant, but he's a celebrity and should be a role model. His words have importance. I hope he knows that.
[Photo: Source]
13 KAFKAESQUE COMMENTS:
Well, I don't know Nino. Chinese people that get a taste of real democracy have been using it to cut off people's heads and shoot up schools in the US.
I'm not saying it's not possible of course. You could compare Singapore with Taiwan in that in only a short 50 years they've achieved so much more than mainland China could ever hope to, the way they're going now.
I think the problem with Chinese is that they have to have harsh laws governing them to get them to behave, and they have to be managed in smaller chunks. Compare the size of Taiwan and Singapore to China as a whole. It's easier to police a smaller state and ensure that progress is being made. Maybe one day China will reach the same level, but since it's so much bigger it's going to take a lot longer.
April 22, 2009 3:02 AM
"Well, I don't know Nino. Chinese people that get a taste of real democracy have been using it to cut off people's heads and shoot up schools in the US." You can't be serious about that? Then you can say same about Americans, since the Columbine shooters were white Americans. The way I see it, Taiwan is a good democracy. I have a friend from there, she says they feel free, can protest, have freedom of speech and no censorship. And they don't wanna be part of China. Well, few decades ago who would have thought that Chinese capitalism can thrive so well? I think if they would get a multi party system, freedom of speech and rule of law, they would be just fine. Japanese can do it, they weren't democracy until USA imposed on them. It's also a huge country. India, maybe even more chaotic, is a stable democracy. I think Chinese people are very pragmatic and smart. They adapted to capitalism, now they can follow up with democracy.
April 22, 2009 3:54 AM
Well, the problem there is the Chinese government ceding power and allowing democracy to happen. People in power don't like to give it up.
April 22, 2009 4:44 AM
Yes, that's true. I was just talking about the average Chinese people. I'm sure the new generation, that has more freedoms than their parents had, would be fine accepting freedoms and no control.
April 22, 2009 4:47 AM
It’s a disgraceful comment. Chan, like so many governments around the world, is obviously prepared to betray democracy and the ideals of freedom to keep Beijing happy. When there’s money to be made, few people stand up for truth.
Taiwan is a fine example to China, and should be honored by the world for its achievements; but it gets almost no respect.
May 2, 2009 10:19 PM
Money rules this phony world. I find it funny when Republicans criticise Obama for having a dialog with Cuba, like, they're saying it's a brutal dictatorship. How about China and Saudi Arabia? Well, when there's oil and business involved, who cares about democracy and freedom? We should start being more consistent in the West. Unfortunately we're being less so.
May 2, 2009 10:28 PM
My mom's boyfriend is from Cuba. He's loving the eased travel restrictions. He's getting to go home to see his family for the first time in 30 years.
May 3, 2009 5:11 PM
Travel restrictions are so out of date! I think US citizens should be allowed to travel to Cuba as much as they want or depending on how long Cuba allows. It's a 50 years old resentment and this embargo didn't bring anything. Cold war is over, Castro is old and fragile like prune. How can Cuba be any threat to USA? You have business with many many dictatorships. If we go back to China, you are so intertwined that you basically can't do anything confrontational. I'm just hoping China doesn't do something stupid to Taiwan. I always hoped at least US would protect it and it's democracy.
May 3, 2009 5:37 PM
Did you also know that US Citizens are only allowed to spend an equivalent of 50 USD per day in Cuba for the duration of their stay?
I think there should only be travel restrictions to countries where there are actually potential dangers to Americans, like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, etc.
I also agree that the embargo on Cuba is old and stupid. Who cares anymore? I want a Cuban cigar.
May 3, 2009 5:42 PM
I think Cuban cigars are sold in the USA if there's an embargo or not. I remember Cheney's reply to the question, what was his administration's policy to deal with Castro and Chavez. He's said: Ignore them. Well, that's productive, isn't it? I hope after Obama there won't be any phoney incosnistent ideological policies towards countries the USA doesn't like. You have to deal with these country. USA also dealt with the Soviet Union. In the past when USA engaged as a positive role model, it changed regimes. Under Bush those rogue regimes nad always an excuse: Bad bad USA under Bush. Now they have not. I guess Castro is realizing that. But he's nobody actually. Chavez has oil, he matters.
May 3, 2009 5:50 PM
I never found Cuban cigars in the US, probably because if it's a Federal embargo, it means serious jail time if you're caught smuggling them in.
Maybe the very wealthy have them, but not your average guy.
May 3, 2009 5:56 PM
I know many Holywood stars smoke them and probably some rich business men. I mean, if you like cigars, you can't just overlook Cubans.
May 3, 2009 5:59 PM
True, but I like to have a cigar on a special occasion. Not likely to have a Cuban cigar any time soon though.
May 3, 2009 6:53 PM
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