
Chinese Internet Users Relish Irony Of SOPA's Great Firewall Of America - ditados
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111208/07411217009/chinese-internet-users-relish-irony-sopas-great-firewall-america.shtml
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dholowiski
Obligatory insane animation explaining the issue:
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=j...](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jJZaajaGI9U)

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icegreentea
Just as a FYI, the animation is by NMA, which is a Taiwan (the non-communist
China) based animation studio for a Hong Kong based media conglomerate. This
is not from the mainland.

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zht
It's amazing how the interests of a very small yet powerful lobby representing
the interests of such a marginal percentage of the population can get Congress
to consider a bill that imposes itself so overwhelmingly on the other 90
something percentage of the population

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toisanji
there is actually a significant difference and that is in America there is at
least a opportunity, if not minor, for the people to have a say and not allow
this law to pass. There are no such opportunities in China.

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bad_user
With each such law passing, for how long do you think you'll still have this
opportunity? And most importantly, will you notice when opportunities will be
completely gone?

Also, don't get your hopes up. Proponents of SOPA clearly expected opposition.
What you're witnessing is the Overton Window strategy [1] and I can guarantee
you that there's a 100% chance that their original plan will be 100%
successful.

[1] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window>

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dholowiski
When I read your comment, I believe I called you stupid, out loud. I
restrained from replying. But it turns out I'm the stupid one...
[http://www.techworld.com.au/article/409754/lawmakers_release...](http://www.techworld.com.au/article/409754/lawmakers_release_draft_alternative_stop_online_piracy_act)

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snowwrestler
The Chinese relish any opportunity to make the claim that the U.S. is no
better than them. There's a chip on the shoulder of their culture, which is
strongly encouraged by the Communist leadership as a way of maintaining social
order. Nothing suppresses dissent like an external competitor/enemy.

But the reality is that SOPA is no more capable of overriding our
Constitutional rights than any other law that Congress might pass. It's a
significant difference between the countries that can't be wished away.

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wtn
I'll keep that in mind my irrevocable Constitutional rights when I receive my
full-body patdown before flying home for the holiday break.

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pork
Um...what constitutional right is being violated there? You're not being
forced to fly. You're free to rent a car, board a bus, take a train.

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SamReidHughes
You're not forced to leave your house, either, but you have rights when you
do.

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maeon3
If the great firewall of America materializes, I will teach my kids to say
"...with liberty and justice for some". .and when the teacher corrects him/her
and gets sent to the principals office. he will have a packet of material
proving my case beyond all doubt.

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untog
Any reason to use your children? You wouldn't want to go in there and speak to
the principal yourself?

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maeon3
This country is losing its liberties not because authorities are unaware, but
because they dont care. the people are tranquilized into inactivity. My kid
making a scene in class insisting on "liberties for some" will leave a mark on
the future, encouraging people to call out and point at bull donk wheras a me
talking with the principal would have zero effect.

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untog
Then why don't _you_ make a scene?

It bothers me that a lot of people seem to think that the best form of
activism they can possibly practise is training their children to mindlessly
repeat talking points on concepts they are barely able to grasp.

There's a great BBC documentary on the Westboro Baptist Church where the
interviewer asks a small child what he's protesting about. He trots out lines
about homosexual sin etc. etc. but when questioned further it becomes
blindingly obvious that he has no idea what he's talking about- he is just
looking for approval from his parents.

He is later hit in the face by someone inaccurately throwing a drink from
their car. He has no idea why he's there or what he's doing, but his parents
drag him there to suffer for the causes they believe in.

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lhnn
You're assuming the OP is going to have his child blindly recite things. What
if he actually teaches his children like parents are supposed to?

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untog
_I will teach my kids to say "...with liberty and justice for some"._

Not "I will teach my kids about...".

 _and when the teacher corrects him/her and gets sent to the principals
office. he will have a packet of material proving my case beyond all doubt._

= The kid will not know what they are talking about, so I will make them carry
around a folder proving my point to anyone who dares to question me.

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sukuriant
You're assuming that. The OP may wish to explain it more elloquently than his
child can. The OP may teach their child quite well, but also wish to provide
them with more powerful evidence than they could recall off-hand/ensure their
facts are right/etc.

