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A PR Gimmick that Fizzles, a Cheese Revolution in 7th Day

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A few hundred people gathered in specific spots in large Chinese cities, mostly journalists and passer by, waiting for the promised “revolution”.

An online post calling for the revolution ahead of the time, also carefully scripted the words to be shouted by anyone who wanted to participate.

But it fizzled.  The Chinese police, having monitored the online posts, waited for the “revolution”.  Only a few bothered to show up, and were then promptly arrested.

Passers-by did not bother to take part.  They were more interested in just watching, and then be on their way for more shopping.

*

but the real revolutions were happening in the Middle East, and Wisconsin.

So let’s call it something like the “Cheese Revolution” in Wisconsin, where it’s the 7th day of protest (and now counterprotests) in Wisconsin, where the state government is deadlocked, because 14 state senators are AWOL to stop the budget bill from being voted on.

It’s peaceful so far, except for 9 protesters arrested.

Of course, the state police have been sent to find and bring the 14 Democratic state senators back in handcuffs if necessary.

And recalls initiatives are already being called for, but that will take time.

The GOP Governor has threatened to fire all state workers if the budget is not passed.  (Of course, the protesting unions include the Police).

At a time when US is preaching more democracy and more independent “labor union rights” to other nations, Wisconsin Governor is admitting that he’s leading the GOP charge to weaken Unions in US.

Hmm….  Message confusing, you say?  I did warn people long time ago that US is becoming more like China every day.  Now apparently, we are at or near the tipping point.

Can the protesters in Wisconsin overthrow the GOP government, to assert their tradition of collective bargaining rights of the independent democratic (free) labor unions?  (I threw in all those extra adjectives for consistency to US patriotic flag waving habits).

We’ll see how that “democracy” works out.

Viva la Fromage Révolution!!!

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Comments

  1. Whe tens of thousand protesters showed up in Wisconson, our media makes no linkage to any government’s legitimacy, yet when few hundred people showed up for this Chinese jasmin revolution called by anonymous source overseas, news fly about how the chinese government is nervious, their legitimacy in question.

    Come one, give me a break – do we really have free and objective media in America? Good god what can you say, when more people showed up for the Cheese Revolution in one US state than the turnout for all of China?

  3. @Charles Liu

    the funniest part is about the slogan:

    “We want Jobs”, “We Want food”??

    are you serious? The coastal region has a SHORTAGE on industrial workers and wages are due to have a skip this year. skilled or un-skilled.

    The people who thought/organized/faked this has zero-nil-zelch clue as to the actual condition on the ground.
    I feel sad for those intellectual elite who claims to lead chinese democracy. they are basically bunch of clueless overfed intellectuals.

  5. Here’s something interesting in the message that called for China Jasmine Revolution:

    集会结束时，不要留下垃圾

    “after the gathering, don’t leave garbage behind”

    Why is this passage interesting? It was also communicated to the 1999 Falun Gong protesters:

    http://www.rickross.com/reference/fa_lun_gong/falun9.html

    “When word from group leaders spread that it was time to leave, the participants picked up trash and carried it out”

    I’ve never seen this signature anywhere else.

  6. More journalists than protesters there… I am surprised that most Western news reporters actually have spent time to write about the never-was “jasmine revolution” instead of the curious fact that the American ambassador Jon Huntsman was there also. How many times one had to be dropped on the head as a baby to that brain-dead?

  7. jxie :More journalists than protesters there… I am surprised that most Western news reporters actually have spent time to write about the never-was “jasmine revolution” instead of the curious fact that the American ambassador Jon Huntsman was there also. How many times one had to be dropped on the head as a baby to that brain-dead?

    The original story of “jasmine revolution” was floated by the FLG folks. and picked up by VOA and US based media in droves.

    I have seen them do this before, after SARS, they spreaded a story on one of their “news websites” about Ebola being found in Sichuan and covered up, quoting a noted infectuous disease expert to boot. and incouple of days it viral itself into mainstream media. it turns out the expert originally got the story on one of FLG’s other “news websites”. complete fabrication.

    I can’t blame the bureaucrats in beijing thinking this is all part of a vast conspiracy by US to stir up a revolution in China.

    If I were in the same position I would tend to think that way to.

  8. To me, this is a perfectly legitimate reason to block Twitter in China.

    And yet another example where “activists” and Western journalists are in bed, making, eh, incestuous baby news that come out retarded. 😉

  9. Instead blocking Twitter, how about copy some laws from US that clearly states the limit of free speech wrt public safety?

    – In US people spreading Osama Bin Ladin’s message are prosecuted with “material support of terrorism”. Since Falun Gong is an illegal group I wonder if China have similar law to go after trouble makers?

    – US routinely deports foreigners, including journalists, that violates Amerca’s right to sovereign independence. Foreign peace activist and reporters protesting Iraq war comes to mind. Maybe China can make provisions in the subversion law more clear.

    Or they have better things to do? It’s not easy to keep a billion people afloat, none the less prosper. Look at us, the best democracy, richest resource and culture, yet we manage to run it into the ground (and blame it all on China.)

  12. Always an opportunist politician around waiting to grab a headline for the folks at home.

    Democracy is so overly commercialized and abused by politicians, to the point that it is cheesy.

    I guess in a culture of 15 second fames, everyone has something to say. Even if it is really stupid something to say, they will get some admirers. Which explains Sarah Palin, again.

    (Incidentally, I noticed that a lot of things, common sense things, would explain the stupid phenom that is Sarah Palin. Ie. people are desperate, people are turning extreme, people don’t bother with truths or facts, etc.

    EXCEPT Sarah Palin herself is not a very good explanation of Sarah Palin.

    That was a very funny thought with some cosmic significance.

    EVERYTHING in the world can explain basic stupidity, but stupidity itself cannot explain stupidity.)

  13. @r v

    I am pretty sure that an Ambassador showing up at a pre-planned rally aimed at overthrowing the host country’s government violates some clauses in some Geneva convention.

    If any ambassador to US were to do the same he will revceive a proper dressing down and shown the door.

  14. I believe Huntsman has already resigned as ambassedor, and is waiting to return to US soon.

    However, in that case, Chinese government may make a point by declaring him “persona non grata” any ways, and have him thrown out of the country earlier than he planned.

    *But the Chinese government, pragmatic as ever, do not want to risk damaging relationship with a potential future President.

    So will likely play nice with him for now, since Huntsman has already kinda publicly backpedaled, saying “he was coincidentally there”.

    Let him have that one, since he probably looked like an idiot even to American public for that little stunt, and will likely receive questions in campaign for his comment.

    No need to humiliate the guy, when he’s already running away from the stunt.

  15. @r v

    He is still the ambassador until the new one takes over. On that date, He was officially the US Amabassador to People’s Republic of China.

    declaring anything in public is not effective. and only would cause a stink.

    Make absolutely clear, in private, to the power at being in United States that that any interference in Chinese domestic politics is not to be tolerated. especially something as overt as this.

    the line has to drawn somewhere. the schemers in DC can’t be allowed to probe china like this continuously and get away with it. this is childish and dangerous.

    (btw, I suggest anyone who interested in how Obama foreign policy actually operates to take a look at
    some of those aid’s background, alot of them are professional activist/ issue campaigner in their previous life, launch something like this for them is small cake.)

  16. bottomline is US wants to use these new technologies as tools of foreign policy, to specifically reach into the domestic politics of another country.
    and free-speech can not be used as a cover (unfortunately it is being used) to this end.
    Line has to drawn as to what’s appropriate and what’s not.

    I for one thinks everyone should follows the golden rule:
    Do not do to others what you don’t want others do to you.

  17. I would disagree.

    We know US is just grasping for straws as it weakens from within.

    We call them on it, and that’s enough.

    On these issues, Chinese activists should be a little more nationalistic, but the Chinese government should appear more accomodating.

    It’s the carrot and stick approach. (And a warning of what will happen if China really does go “democratic”).

  20. Charles Liu :@r v
    Okay, I’ll buy the fact he’s just passing by, since his wife and children were with him. But I don’t buy the insinuation that people asking him pointed questions were Chinese security agents that routinely tail Huntsman.

    I don’t buy 100% that this was coincidence.
    They knew the time and the date. they can “plan” a passing by just to have deniability. their getaway car was not far and His folks were not in the crowd.
    The fact is most US diplomats in Beijing travel by heavy security in cars.
    hell, most low grade cabinet officials don’t walk the strts in DC.

  21. Yeah, he’s still ambassador, with pending departure from post at end of April 2011.

    I also don’t buy the coincidence bit, obviously he was trying to grab some headlines.

    But he lost on that gamble, and it made him look foolish, even by American standards.

    So, we should just sit back and laugh at his rather clumsy attempts, as typical of “democratic propaganda”.

    *
    On that note though, the Chinese government should send an indirect signal to US government publicly, by announcing (or reminding) that

    any foreign diplomats and citizens in China found giving material support to groups attempting at overthrowing the Chinese government will be immediately considered “persona non-grata” and deported immediately. (This is already a long standing policy in many countries, including US).

    *
    No need to mention John Huntsman, but everyone will get the message.

  22. http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/23/greek-riot-police-clash-with-protesters-as-strike-turns-violent/

    Greek massive protest turned riot. Wind of democracy or simple discontent?

    China is proven more right. Freedom doesn’t buy you food or social benefit.

    *
    Another thought. I am reminded a label that US used a lot on other countries: “Maturing Democracy”.

    I always hated that label, because it’s very condescending.

    “Maturing”? As say opposed to US being “matured” adult democracy, whereas some poor Eastern European or African nation are just “maturing” teenage democracies.

    I mean, you can’t show more blatant US-centric egotistical nationalism than that.

  23. Dem is too late, trying to bring this so-called “jasmine revolution” to China.
    China has already taken it to the world. Watch the CCTV9 English channel. The promotional commercial features a girl playing the folk tune 抹 莉 花 on a flute. The melody travels around the world, distracting everyone from whatever they are engaged in.
    抹 莉 花 from China has already conquered the world! lol.

  24. @r v

    I’ll try to be a little less cynical and observe that the Youtube footage does shows he had his daughter with him. Maybe he is out buying soysauce…

  25. Charles,

    I’m not cynical, I’m realistic. 🙂

    Pretty sure that any time politicians spend time with their kids, there is a PR gimick behind it.

    Seriously, I’m sure his kid goes around in Beijing often without him, and it’s not like that’s the ONLY MacDonald’s in Beijing where he could plan for a family picnic. (for quality family time, that’s not an ideal choice for a US diplomat father, not even close, and definitely not normal.)

    Regardless, assuming he’s innocent in his motives, he still managed to screw up his own PR image in China and in US with this.

    If I was him, I would have told my driver to drive away from the place, the minute I saw so many police cars in the area.

    Even if his motives WERE innocent to start with, he DROVE into the traffic jammed place LOOKING for PR. (That’s certainly what the journalists were there to look for, PR material).

    Huntsman is not stupid, he saw the cameras there, and he wanted to be in front of them. Well, he got his 15 seconds of fame, and will be paying for it for a while.

  26. BTW, Cheese Revolution is getting bigger. Tens of thousands of people turned up all over US State capitols.

    And how many turned up this Sunday in China to continue the Jasmine Revolution?

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