It’s a tough thing that people from outside our country don’t like us very much.
It’s tougher when a high-ranking editor of the Washington Post doesn’t like us very much and decided to bash us to the state newspaper of China.
Par for the course, I suppose. With citizens like that, who needs enemies?
However, I’m mollified by knowing that Mr. Bennett can’t manage to find a dictionary.
Democracy means many things. How do you define democracy? As a Chinese journalist, you may have your own definition of democracy which corresponds to your history and your way of seeing the world. I may have another definition. Someone else may have their own definitions. Democracy means a lot of different things.
Let me give an example. Democracy in one sense means the majority decides, but it also means the rights of the minority are protected. As UK late Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, democracy is the least bad system that we have ever thught of. So democracy is never perfect. It always has problems. Our democracy here in the US has many contradictions, problems and challenges. So democracy is not a cure that could turn everything bad into good. It has its own advantages and its disadvantages.
Hey, why not. Any old definition of democracy is okay. Want to tanks over top of people whose idea of democracy doesn’t exactly jive with yours? Go right ahead just as long as your definition of democracy matches your history and the way you see the world.
Thanks, Mr. Bennett. All those political prisoners rotting away in Chinese jails are pleased to know that the only real squabble they have with their jailers is that their definitions of democracy are different. That’ll make them feel much better. Thanks! Can they get out of jail now?
Oooooh. No. Sorry. Seems the Chinese government’s definition of democracy also includes that little part where their people don’t get any of it. Tough break.
Ah well. Mr. Bennett can send his cub reporters to China, the “best place in the world to be an American journalist” (but not such a hot place to be if you’re actually Chinese) and know they’ll be treated warmly, like brothers.
(via Michelle Malkin last week and today, who now owes me a post that’ll counter the minor depression this one caused.)
Tags: China
