China battens down hatches as Tiananmen anniversary nears

China battens down hatches as Tiananmen anniversary nears

www.latimes.com

In a crackdown apparently timed to the 20th anniversary Thursday of the crushing of pro-democracy demonstrations, the Chinese government has pulled the plug on the social networking site Twitter and dozens of other Internet sites and blogs.

(visit the link for the full news article)

When will the Chinese people be allowed to deliberate amongst themselves about their own country's history. The government is planning a complete information blackout regarding the Tiananmen Square demonstrations on the heels of the 20th anniversary.

I remember the photo of that little man standing in front of the column of tanks before him. To me, that was one of the finest symbols of the human spirit I have ever seen. The Chinese people should be able to at least speak freely amongst themselves about that important part in their long and celebrated history.

Sometimes I wonder what ever happened to "Tank Man?"

www.latimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Jakes51


Great Post! May we never forget the Tank Man! Here is a whole series of complete video on him...very inspiring brave soul!

In this first video we can see Tank Man as you descibe him...standing in front of the column of tanks...



This is a set of 8 videos...in this last one...again they talk about Tank Man, and what happened to him. They believe he is alive.




[edit on 3-6-2009 by burntheships]

As a person who participated in Tiananmen movement
I thank you for your not forgetting this incident.

reply to post by gs001


Our gratitude to you for your amazing spirit! They can not block or censor your spirit!

One of the craziest things I've ever seen is when western film-makers went to China and showed Chinese college students footage of tank man and the tiananmen square massacre and the college students had no idea what they were watching and thought it was a joke. As an American my sympathy, respect, and hope is with the Chinese people that they one day be able to have free thought, free speech, and the right to choose their own destiny both individually and as a people. When that man confronted the tank, he not only represented himself and the Chinese people, he represented all men who want freedom and who despise tyranny. The tank man was probably the greatest symbol of humanity of the 20th century.

reply to post by CuriousSkeptic


The Tiananmen square massacre is a total myth and I'm surprised the world's media are still getting into a frenzy with this and not reporting the facts. This must be the biggest myth of this and the last century and it is still being perpetuated.

Nobody is interested in reporting the truth of the matter. At worst, it was a riot with troops, students and civilians killed. There was never a massacre, so to commemorate it as one, is blatant untruth.

Eyewitness accounts that say there was no massacre have been conveniently ignored. Blatantly anti-Beijing propaganda accounts have been unquestioningly accepted. Fortunately we now have a source whose sober impartiality cannot possibly be doubted, namely the de-classified reports from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing at the time (see Google under Tiananmen, Document 30 especially).
search.japantimes.co.jp...

A massacre is what happened in My Lai, Gaza, Sabra and Chatila, Nanjing, Rwanda, Kent State University, Wounded Knee, etc. You don't hear of people commemorating these events? So why are they doing it with a non event.

So please do check out the facts. There are numerous credible independent eyewitness accounts that dispel this myth.

tiananmenmyth.blogspot.com...
virtualreview.org...
english.ohmynews.com...

reply to post by A Conscience


Hummm....I do not think you have watched the video footage of innocent family members going out into the street to help the wounded ones only to have the tanks approach again and fire on them...and even as they ran away...they were shot in the backs with machine gun fire! How can you speak such nonsense?

I challenge you to watch the documentary I posted!

reply to post by burntheships


I wouldn't even bother, I suspect any thread on this that takes off will be flooded with Chinese internet brigades, as usual. They will post in droves about how this is a myth, and will post government propaganda complete with sources. Many will say they are from the west, or were originally. Just like the Tibet controversy that surrounded the olympics. They will flood this site, and then they will disappear once this anniversary passes. Just watch...