Chinese Government Censors Compare China Internet Policy To US

In Rare Briefing, China Defends Internet Controls
By JOSEPH KAHN - New York Times

"BEIJING, Feb. 14 — Chinese authorities are determined to stop "harmful information" from spreading through the Internet, but the controls it places on Web sites and Internet service providers in mainland China do not differ much from those employed by the United States and European countries, a senior Chinese official responsible for managing the Internet said today."

WOW! If that doesn't smack some reality into the mix! The COMMUNIST, AUTHORITARIAN government of "Red China" compares the policy of preventing any adverse views or versions of history that do not comply with the "official policies" or "official version of history" to the policies of the United States of America!

Is there that much difference between the policies and practices of the Bush administration, the ultra-conservatives in congress, the ideologies of the federal bench AND the policies of the communist government of China? One could argue that the US government has put us upon a slippery slope toward such things. After all, the only real difference between communist authoritarianism and fascist authrotiarianism is the adjective used to describe authoritarianism. The 14 characteristics that Prof. Britt has offered us still apply in China as well as the Bushies. The 14 Defining
Characteristics Of Fascism

"The official, Liu Zhengrong, who supervises Internet affairs for the information office of the Chinese State Council, or cabinet, did not dispute charges that China operates a technologically sophisticated firewall to protect the ruling Communist Party against what it treats as Web-based challenges from people inside China and abroad. But he sought to place the massive Chinese efforts to control the Web in the best possible light, stressing repeatedly that Chinese Internet minders abide strictly by laws and regulations that in some cases have been modeled on American and European statutes."

In other words, the Chinese government is doing exactly what the Bush administration is doing: ignoring the facts and priorities, infringing upon basic human rights, and SPINNING the hell out of it. The ideology differs, the degree to which these methods are applied, but the methods are essentially the same.

The funny thing is that I have a friend that is originally from Iran. He has argued that there is no essential difference between the US government and that of the Ayatollahs in Iran. I used to argue with him that the US was fundamentally different because of the Constitution. Now we see religious ideology as the basis for government decisions, a willingness to spy and use secret programs to monitor citizens, an entrenched leadership that will not consider any view other than their own, and policies/laws that favor one group (big business) over others.

"'If you study the main international practices in this regard you will find that China is basically in compliance with the international norm,' he said. 'The main purposes and methods of implementing our laws are basically the same.'"

Several years ago I would have vehemently argued that this statement was out of touch with reality. The unfortunate reality is that today I cannot argue even mildly against such views.

Let us say it loud and clear: IMPEACHMENT!