People's Republic of China Claims to Have an Understanding of Human Rights, Criticizes U.S. Record

Story dated 03 March 2005

The People's Republic of China (PRC) is threatening to conquer the sovereign republic of Taiwan. They have conquered Tibet and continue to oppress the people there. They seek to seize Japanese territory for their own. They arrest people who speak out against the government. They arrest and kill (unofficially) Christians who are caught witnessing there. They even arrest party leaders who think, for example, that it isn't very nice to roll over college students who advocate democracy with tanks. However, on Thursday, 03 March, the PRC "issued a tit-for-tat report card. . . on human rights in the United States that lambasted the Pentagon for "wanton slaughters" abroad, belittled American elections as awash in special-interest cash and accused U.S. courts of deep-seated racial bias." Among other charges, the report states that "The United States claims to be 'a paragon of democracy,' but American democracy is manipulated by the rich and malpractices are common," the report said. "Elections in the United States are in fact a contest of money.""

Now, coming from the PRC, one would be justified in taking such charges with a grain of salt. However, it doesn't mean they're wrong -- after all, even a stopped clock is right twice a day. I actually think there is some merit to some of the charges they make. However, that doesn't change the fact that, for all our problems, we are still a nation of laws (thought I really don't know how much longer that will last). If the PRC, for example, locks you up for speaking out against the government, there's nothing you can do. Here, you are permitted to sue. And if you do sue, you will win (unless you spoke out against the government within 60 days of a general election and were jailed for not paying the fines incurred under McCain-Feingold). The point is that there is a principle in the United States that the government is accountable to the people and responsible for protecting the individual rights of the people. The PRC recognizes no such principle, apparently. There is no doubt that we need to get our own house in order, but we don't lock up people who want to keep the military from crushing student protests, and we don't threaten to conquer sovereign liberal republics.

posted by The Sovereign Editor | 3:13 PM

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