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Letter:

Hong Kong's democracy

In George Orwell's 1984, the unfortunate Winston is "re-educated" until he honestly believes 2+2=5, and that he "loves" Big Brother. How does one come to believe an illogical or impossible "truth" as fact? In a totalitarian society, it's easy. If people live in a closed society and are given only the dictator's "truth," how can they come to believe anything else? In a one-party system, only the party's views are allowed, and its dogma and doctrine become "truth."

Take Hong Kong for example. Hong Kong lives under the "one China, two systems" plan. Can there be "two systems" in the Chinese dictatorship? The answer, according to Beijing's recent comments about Hong Kong, is "no." Democracy is anathema to totalitarian China.

Instead of simply denouncing Hong Kong's quest for democracy, which would invite worldwide criticism, Beijing pretends Hong Kong is already democratic enough. Never mind only about 600 of Hong Kong's 6 million people (merely 0.001 percent of the population) can vote. Beijing proclaims with a straight face that the current system in Hong Kong is truly "representative" because it allows people from "all walks of life" to vote, therefore, there's no need for democratic reform. Hearing this, any person who believes they can become part of the PRC and truly remain democratic (there are more than a few in Taiwan), will believe 2+2=5.

This perversion of truth is why thousands of Palestinian children believe their Islamic religion of peace mandates all Jews and Americans be killed, and millions in China believe the Dalai Lama is "subversive." Indoctrination -- relentless, exclusive, self-interested, one-sided and unyielding.

Another example of this is Cuba. Fidel Castro, faced with intense pressure from the US to institute democratic reforms, decided to have a vote. What better way to defeat true democracy than by having a democratic vote to decide if democracy should be instituted? Unfortunately, the vote was conducted by the regime's thugs, essentially at gunpoint. Who would dare vote against the dictator when the dictator's enforcers are watching the ballot box? The amazing result -- over 99 percent of the population voted in favor of Castro's system of totalitarian socialism -- allowed the legislature in a voice vote to enshrine the regime's socialistic dictatorship in the Constitution (what legislator will have the courage to stand in the legislature and openly vote against the dictator?).

With a straight face, the regime proclaimed "the one-party system is the best form of democracy." Right. And 2+2=5. And pigs fly. Welcome to the dictatorship.

Lee Long-hwa

Pasadena, California
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