Slashdot Mirror
China's Response To the Internet Addiction Death
eldavojohn writes "Last week, news broke of a tragic incident that resulted in the death of a 16-year-old boy at one of China's internet addiction camps. Details were scarce except for reports that the camp remained open. New reports are now coming in from China Daily that report 13 arrested and the camp closed down on Friday with 122 participants being sent home. The vice-chief of the district has stated that the authorities are working on the case to identify and punish the criminals involved in the death. Xinhua is reporting that the camp was unlicensed. This is directly in conflict with what the Southern Metropolis Daily reporter is saying, 'When the reporter arrived outside the rear wall of the school, children on the third and fourth floors started to stick notes into aluminum cans, drink bottles, and slippers, and others folded notes into paper planes. They tried to throw them over the wall, but owing to the distance, none of them succeeded. Some children had papers bearing the messages "SOS" and "beating" which they waved out the windows. Some wrote calls for help on their clothing, which they displayed to the reporter. Some even yelled for help. They were all stopped by the instructors.' Here is that original story in Chinese. Is China handling this delicate issue appropriately or are the news reports of justice and monitoring treatments merely a facade?"
Or you know, the fact that they are constantly being bombarded with pro-government propaganda, has internet censorship, the fact that protests are violently stopped, and the fact that even very basic rights like the right to religion isn't even there, even for religions that are very non-violent. Mix that in with the fact that a violent revolution is nearly impossible, no media to report on your death, and you have a situation that is nearly impossible to rebel against. Take the American revolution, you had guys with muskets fighting other guys with muskets, in China if you are lucky you are a guy with a 9 MM fighting other guys with tanks, sniper rifles, bombers, and missiles.
I'll bite again. I live in the US and I can't say that I'm not being constantly bombarded with pro-government propaganda and censorship. We've also had plenty of protests stopped violently, including one where the military slaughtered students at a college. In the American Revolution we also had farmers with pitch-forks and torches. We had to make or buy firearms to compete "fairly" as you eluded to.
I've seen China do rolling formations with tanks to demonstrate their power, and read about them using infantry to suppress protesters with lethal force. I have never read of China deploying snipers, bombers, missiles, and using them on their civilians. I highly doubt that any 1st world country a part of the UN would sit idly by if that were indeed happening.
Just remember what I said about anti-China propaganda in my country the USA.
"Be prepared, son. That's my motto. Be prepared." --Joe Hallenbeck
This couldn't happen in the western world... Those camps would be at least named bootcamp. You wouldn't be beaten to death, they just make you run until you drop dead.
"I have never read of China deploying snipers, bombers, missiles, and using them on their civilians. I highly doubt that any 1st world country a part of the UN would sit idly by if that were indeed happening."
You had me thinking I needed to respond to your argument until I read this. Ha.
We know where leadership by an anti-intellectual "strongman" who scapegoats minorities and likes boisterous rallies goes
Why not? It does for Microsoft.