Goddess of Democracy
Becomes Focal Point for
'Second June 4 Movement'
Recent rallies deliver ideas for China and criticism for
US President, IOC President, US media, HK media
July 6, 2007 (CSN) -- Tang Baiqiao, Chairman of the China Peace and Democracy Federation, is advocating that Chinese people should undertake a "second June 4 movement" to rid the nation of Communism. The first June 4 movement, led by Chinese college students in 1989, was itself a challenge to Communism. For several weeks of that year's springtime, Tiananmen Square was occupied by college students clamoring for less corruption, a free press, and more democracy. Streets all over China erupted with sympathy protests.
If Tang's call leads to a second uprising, the second June 4 movement is bound to be different than the first. In the first, students thought that reform was possible in a negotiated way, within the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) system. The CCP showed them just the opposite, going to unreasonable extremes in the Tiananmen Square massacre -- using troops, tanks, and live ammunition to retake Tiananmen Square. The China Support Network estimates that 3,001 people died in the Tiananmen crackdown. The CCP has also shown later depravity, with matters like the Falun Gong crackdown, the Internet crackdown, and the pre-Olympic crackdown.
The result is that Chinese dissidents are now less interested in a reform agenda, and more interested in an agenda to remove and replace the CCP -- entirely ridding China's politics of Communism. The interest to completely overcome Communism has been popularized by two recent campaigns, "jiuping" and "tuidang," that have been running since late 2004. Jiuping refers to the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party -- an editorial series published by the Epoch Times. Through the Nine Commentaries, the CCP becomes exposed in its diabolical and brutal methods, and in the pain, suffering, and damage that China has incurred under its rule. "It's a vivid expose," commented John Kusumi, President of the China Support Network. "The CCP comes across as evil, vile, and vicious. Just like the news used to say about the Soviet Union, and just like CSN has been saying about the CCP all along." The Nine Commentaries became a book, widely smuggled around inside China.
Upon reconsidering the Communist Party, many Chinese people are shocked -- and proceed to take the next step as advocated by the tuidang ("Quit the Party") campaign. The tuidang campaign runs a web site at which statements of resignation are posted. Thus far, over 23 million Chinese people have taken them up on the opportunity to do so.
Kusumi noted, "That suggests that one third of the membership of the CCP has walked out. Others may remain fearful, but clearly there is a shift as Chinese people have overcome their fear, and begun to condemn the party openly." One side effect is that the tuidang campaign has prompted some defectors from high level positions (for example, diplomat Chen Yonglin left his post at a Chinese consulate in Australia). The high profile defectors have tended to turn around, speak out, and spill more ugly details about the Communist Party. This encourages more withdrawals, resignations, and defections -- adding a positive feedback cycle into the tuidang campaign. The number of those separated from the party has only climbed as time progresses in the campaign.
On July 2, 2007, the China Peace and Democracy Federation rallied at the new Victims of Communism Memorial in Washington, DC. The new Memorial was dedicated on June 12, 2007, with a speech by U.S. President George Bush. The Memorial has a replica statue of the Goddess of Democracy, the figure first raised in Tiananmen Square by college students in the first June 4 movement of 1989. The Chinese army's mechanized assault on the unarmed demonstrators also crushed the first statue under tank treads; but now, the statue is back, in bronze, in Washington, DC.
"There is some powerful symbolism implied by that statue," commented Kusumi. "When it appeared the first time, it projected a message of defying and challenging Communism, and was a slap in the face to that regime. It still does, and it still is. I looked at the news coverage from the recent rally, and there is a politically charged edginess, where that statue is now 'in the shot.' The Communists are fearful of that statue, for its political symbolism. It represents their shame, and injustice perpetrated at their hands. And, it still represents the hope of a generation, for freedom."
The trend to rally for freedom with the statue developed further the next day. A New York-based contingent of the China Democracy Party rallied at the same location, expressing thanks to President Bush for dedicating the Memorial, and pledging resistance to overcome the tyranny of the CCP. Both rallies were addressed by CSN's President John Kusumi. CSN is developing a cross-movement joint structure called the "Freedom First, Olympics Second" coalition. "The big day for that coalition will be August 8, 2007 -- one year prior to the slated opening of Beijing's 2008 Olympic Games. Details will follow, but I recommend reading my speech for a slam-dunk case against the Olympics in Beijing. If I may say so, by the extent of three paragraphs into the speech, the Beijing Olympics are on the ropes!"
In addition to the International Olympic Committee, others came in for criticism. Kusumi notes, "In the case of George Bush, he gets a thank you for dedicating the Memorial; but, I proceed to note that the game in Washington is to speak of Communism in the past tense, so as to avoid any necessity to address the evils of Communism in the present tense. This is also known as the 'free pass' for Beijing to commit atrocities. Bush dedicated the Memorial, but he also hewed to that insidious game of Washington. So, while dissidents thank him, I gave him a rhetorical hard shove. This is division of labor. I feel that both the thanks and the criticism are deserved and well placed."
In a recent letter, dissident Ni Yuxian gave a better review to George Bush on his June 12 speech dedicating the Memorial. "Your remarks are a great encouragement for the Chinese people who are struggling for the freedom. I hereby would like to express my heartfelt respect to you," he wrote in a letter addressed to the White House, dated July 3 and shared with CSN the same day. Ni also praised remarks that Bush made in Prague. Yet, his thank you was balanced with a plea for more support. "The freedom of the Chinese people must get support from the free countries. Mr. President, I therefore request you exercise pressure on the Chinese Communist rulers and urge them to change their one-party dictatorship."
In a public statement at the July 3 rally, dissidents noted-- "We have no freedom of speech, no freedom of assembly, no freedom of beliefs. We do not have freedom to select government and social system. We do not have freedom of gathering, no freedom of migration. We have to be subjected to the abuses of the Chinese Communist Party submissively. In addition, we lost our basic rights as human beings. We do not have money to go to school. We lost our land, we lost our jobs, we lost our houses. We are forced to perform dangerous work. We drink dangerous water and we breathe odious air. We have no place to ask for help. We have no place to file complaints. We are hopeless. We become victims of false prosperity. Moreover, the Communist Party controls all the propaganda and educational means to control our thoughts. ...the 1.3 billion of Chinese people are still under the brutal persecution of Communist totalitarian system." They also vowed to overcome the dictatorship and to establish government "of the people, by the people, and for the people."
Kusumi observed that "something is qualitatively different about this Memorial. Usually, memorials pertain to dead people. But, as the dissidents are reminding us, 1.3 billion victims of Communism are still alive in China. U.S. China policy is as good as leaving the Jews in the gas chambers!" The U.S. news media was also scorched by criticism in Kusumi's speech. "If you put this article and other matters discussed at the rally before an ordinary American news viewer, it's news to them. American news is mouse-quiet about all of the matters raised here. To discerning observers, that's a tip off."
Another rally participant, Dr. Sen Nieh, also criticized the Hong Kong media for not reporting recent deportations of Falun Gong practitioners. Evidently, the authorities of Hong Kong have begun to use a 'no fly' list to prohibit the entry of Falun Gong practitioners from elsewhere.
Related
Report by the Epoch Times (English)
Report by the Epoch Times (Chinese)
Report by New Tang Dynasty television (Chinese)
Reprint of speech by CSN's John Kusumi (The Conservative Voice, English)
(Duplicate) Reprint of speech by CSN's John Kusumi (OpEdNews.com, English)
(Duplicate) Blogger picked up Kusumi's speech (English)
Published July 6, 2007 by the China Support Network (CSN). Begun as the American response group in 1989, CSN represents Americans who are "on the side" of the students in Tiananmen Square -- standing for democratic reform, human rights, and freedom in China. For dissident news; to support a stronger China policy; or get more information, see http://www.chinasupport.net/.
