China gets a real taste of democracy

[Chuckup]

Kind of funny to see that China is starting to get a taste of democracy...
http://www.readytobeserved.com/content/view/34/2/

[Spider Jerusalem]

1. That's not democracy.

That's an individual action taken in favour of, and apparently strengthening, government-imposed limits on acceptable speech. Criticism of a university professor's teaching style and choice of course materials is something that would likely be well outside the purview of the courts in common-law countries, because it would have to be more than mere criticism to cross the line into libel. I don't see more restrictions on freedom of speech and online communication as being a GOOD thing, either.

[Selatius]

2. A professor's teaching style is not off-limits for criticism

If it is valid criticism, then there is no grounds to stifle it. Of course, this is authoritarian China we're talking about here. There is no such thing as the 1st Amendment in China.

[Chuckup]

3. Rights

I was more or less referring to the ability of the Chinese to blog... a freedom enjoyed in free countries. But the story demonstrates how easily rights can be taken away - a taste of democracy.

[radwriter0555]

4. Chairman Mao was a huge opponent of education. He wanted to keep the

people as illiterate as possible, and one of his tools in discouraging education was to allow the students to wreak havoc on their teachers. The students were encouraged to denounce any teachers that were alleged to not be singing all praises of Mao and there are countless reports of students beating up on and ganging up on teachers they found disfavorable to communism or to Mao or frankly, whom they just felt like taking their hostilities out on.

Just an FYI...

But I'm not sure why you find this amusing per se. I don't know if I would call the ability to protect one's reputation to be democracy, but rather simple justice. Righting a wrong. The underdog emerging as the victor finally.

China is a lovely place filled with lovely people and a great promise for the future.