The Mask You Wear and the Uighurs

[InbetweenDreams]

You might have heard about China having concentration camps that they claim are "re-education camps." The Chinese Communist Party is essentially attempting to erase the Uighurs by either imprisonment or reeducating them. Now that the world is starting to catch on that these re-education camps are concentration camps they have closed some of them and instead of resported to sham trials and putting them into forced labor. Some Uighurs have been transported to textile camps to make masks, such as the ones we're wearing.

Of course when there are profits on the line for large companies, eyes are turned away from the clear and obvious disgusting human rights violation.

[kindy64]

Related and that's not even covering the recent praise China has gotten from some Democrats.  Even before the Uighurs China's human rights record was atrocious.  

Also look at the many people who buy expensive electronics made and assembled in China.

 https://thehill.com/opinion/internationa...p-to-china

Progressives seem to have a new message when it comes to rampant wrongdoing by China. “Who cares?” Brazenly stealing technology and illegally manipulating currency. “Who cares?” Allowing carbon emissions to rise unchecked while encouraging developed countries to handicap their own economies in the name of fighting climate change. “Who cares?” Threatening the sovereignty of American allies by illegally constructing military bases in international waters. “Who cares?”

Liberals have criticized President Trump for his tough stance on Beijing, accusing him of exaggerating its aggressive geopolitical aspirations. This blind sinophilia has somehow even extended to environmental policy. Despite the fact that China is the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide on the planet, and it still aims to continue industrializing as quickly as possible without changing its polluting ways, thousands of activists descended upon Washington to protest government inaction on climate change.

[ceez]

I don't know if it's been happening more often now or if it's because I've been paying more attention to politics now, but a lot of human rights issues get politicized. Before Trump I didn't pay much attention before because I knew Democrat or Republican, the people in charge did what they believed would improve this country. I think both sides can agree that what China is doing is wrong but how can you tell your neighbor to stop beating his kids without getting into a fight.

[InbetweenDreams]

@"kindy64" what have republicans done? Nothing...Oh wait right the trade deal that has done what really? And the opinion section? My opinion the reason why we still buy all our crap from China is far beyond partisan lines and many years in the making. Perhaps we should enforce an embargo against China. Simply buy and trade nothing. Wonder what the implications of that would be....

[kindy64]

I agree more needs done, what exactly I don't know.  And you are right, the situation with China is years in the making, and crosses political parties.

Do you want to go to war with China over it?

Willing to give up anything else from China? You as an individual can stop your support of companies and organizations that are in bed with China, no government action needed.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/tru...r-BB168XQ5

President Donald Trump said he pushed off sanctioning Chinese officials over their oppression of Uighurs and other ethnic minority groups for the sake of a trade deal, Axios reported.
Trump signed the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 into law on June 17. It aims to punish China for its treatment of the minority group.
It gives the administration 180 days to compile a report to Congress identifying those responsible for the human rights abuses, who will be subject to sanctions and more.
It would also investigate the harassment of Uighurs living in America.
Uighurs living abroad told Business Insider they are still being harassed by the Chinese government and threatened not to speak out about the persecution.
They also said China is attempting ethnic cleansing and genocide, and that much more needs to be done beyond Trump's bill.

In recent news:

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-c...ifferently

President Trump on Tuesday said that although the China trade deal is just kicking in, he feels "very differently" about it since global coronavirus outbreak.

“I feel very differently now about that deal than I did three months ago," the president said. “We'll see what happens."

“It just seems to mean less to me,” Trump explained. “It was very exciting, one of the biggest deals ever made. But once the virus came in, I said, 'how did they let that happen?'”

“Why did they block it leaving Wuhan into China but they didn’t block it from going to other parts of the world?” he added.

Trump signed a landmark trade deal with China in January, easing tensions between the world’s two largest economies amid a trade war after accusations that China had for decades been manipulating its currency and stealing U.S. trade secrets.

The agreement, which was first reported on Dec. 12, 2019, includes commitments from Beijing to halt intellectual property theft, refrain from currency manipulation, cooperate in financial services and purchase an additional $200 billion of U.S. products over the next two years.

[InbetweenDreams]

“Why did they block it leaving Wuhan into China but they didn’t block it from going to other parts of the world?” he added.

Perhaps it is a virus they knew very little about and due to the long incubation period it is not surprising it got out. I am suspicious that China isn't reporting all their cases, not that it matters for the purpose of the discussion.


It's not whether I, as an individual, am willing to boycott business who support and/or make their products in China, not enough people here care enough to do so. Just like with Chik-fil-a, I don't eat there, but their business is doing just fine without my business. So really the only game we can win with China is the long game.

The agreement and all these policies are nice but do you think China will do anything? Of course not, if anything they're worse now than they were last year. Of course the US doesn't have a whole lot of room to talk considering what is still going on at the border.

[kindy64]

Don't even try imply that detaining people who cross the border illegally, is the MORAL EQUIVALENT of the imprisoning and "re-education" of an ethnic minority in your own country.  As well, the Uighurs are being used for SLAVE LABOR by their own government.

It's not whether I, as an individual, am willing to boycott business who support and/or make their products in China, not enough people here care enough to do so. Just like with Chik-fil-a, I don't eat there, but their business is doing just fine without my business. So really the only game we can win with China is the long game.

Large global actions can only be accomplished through small individual actions. 

The journey of a 1000 miles starts with one step.

If you care so much about the Uighurs have you contacted your Representative or Senator to tell them your concerns? (I have)

Are you more careful with your spending on goods from China? (I'm trying to be)

You've posted this article here, are you raising awareness elsewhere?

[InbetweenDreams]

Don't even try imply that detaining people who cross the border illegally, is the MORAL EQUIVALENT of the imprisoning and "re-education" of an ethnic minority in your own country.  As well, the Uighurs are being used for SLAVE LABOR by their own government.

If you ask the Chinese they won't say they're imprisoned, they might use the word detain though.

So somehow migrants seeking asylum being "detained" and their children "detained" is fine? I'm not looking to make comparisons, nor was I implying one is ok or not as bad or worse than the other. Both are unacceptable. Period.

Also, you're free to write to whomever you like. Pat yourself on the back. I don't have to write to anyone, I don't have to anything to prove to you or anyone what I care about. I will say for the record I have talked about the Uighurs with other people in other venues.

At any rate. I'm done having this discussion with you. The thread was to bring awareness, then you made it political with the nonsense that liberals don't care which is a boldface lie and you know it.

[kindy64]

I made no such assertion that "liberals don't care"