Hong Kong Bloggers Post Hopes For Change

[NATO AIR]

Bonnie asked me in a thread a few days ago what my thoughts on Hong Kong were. I'll add those to this thread.

A year ago, when our battle group visited Hong Kong, there was an aura of apprehension among most of the populace. Over drinks and malaysian rice noodles in a bar in Kowloon, I talked to a few students from the university of Hong Kong and they talked about their hopes and fears, and their fears of China violently cracking down on dissent and the people's freedoms were by far overwhelming their hopes.

Now a year later, I see Amnesty International workers boldly enlisting members and support in an effort to document abuses in Hong Kong and China. Falun Gong tapes, dvds, books and cds are sold openly, and members of this group are said to perform their morning routines openly in the beautiful city parks Hong Kong has. The people express both hope and determination in regards to their future. They are no longer scared of China by far, more emboldened by the spread of democracy around the world and their faith that the US and Japan will not let them be oppressed by China.

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/Metro/GD04Ak01.html

Two years ago, when more than 500,000 people flooded the streets in Central to protest against controversial Article 23 anti-sedition legislation, Yan Sham-Shackleton stood on a pedestrian overpass documenting it with her video camera.

At 5am, she had started writing Internet essays about Hong Kong's struggle for democracy.

A few hours after she went to bed, ``I woke up and went to the protest,`` she says. ``I took a lot of video. And cried a bit.''

Then she went home and turned her thoughts into a blog called Glutter.org.

A blog, short for Web log, is a personal Web diary that often provides hyper-links to Internet content as well as comment space for readers.

There are an estimated 30 to 40, perhaps more, Hong Kong-themed blogs that run the gamut from personal to political.

In the case of a few Hong Kong-grown blogs like Glutter.org, their authors are adding voice to a growing grassroots democracy movement that may be virtual in presence but very real in the belief it represents: that Hong Kong people should work together to form a civil society.

These local bloggers use art and essays to analyze and express con-ditions they say indicate Hong Kong can develop into a democratic society that values open discussion of issues, universal suffrage and individual rights.

(continue article by clicking on the link above)

 

[Comrade]

Nato Air, I was working in Hong Kong in Oct.-Nov. of 2003, and during that time met the crew (on the MTR, and in Wanchai) from the American battle group which was enroute to Iraq. Just out of curiousity, was that your battle group?

 

[NATO AIR]

Nato Air, I was working in Hong Kong in Oct.-Nov. of 2003, and during that time met the crew (on the MTR, and in Wanchai) from the American battle group which was enroute to Iraq. Just out of curiousity, was that your battle group?

USS KITTY HAWK (CV-63), Carrier Strike Group Five (The largest in the Navy thank you very much )

 

[Comrade]

That's SWEET, man. I met several of your shipmates while they were on shore leave, bought them drinks, told them good luck and was proud to see them serve. That would be funny if one of them was actually you! I'm sure you'd remember that, though, or maybe not, hehe.

 

[Annie]

That's SWEET, man. I met several of your shipmates while they were on shore leave, bought them drinks, told them good luck and was proud to see them serve. That would be funny if one of them was actually you! I'm sure you'd remember that, though, or maybe not, hehe.

Damn, I wish I were you. Well not exactly. I don't want to run, well maybe but first I have to quit smoking.

Then I don't want to be a guy.

But other than that, wish I could buy the guys a few rounds and thank them for what they have done and are doing!