Olympic Opening Ceremony

[Tenigma]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

What do really think of the Chinese?

Honestly? It's not the people, it's the government.

I had an enlightening read at Arthur Frommer's blog today (he's having another person post blogs from her Beijing trip). Here's the poster asking some questions of someone who lives there, who is answering candidly:

Pauline: How has it been living in Beijing on the eve of the Olympics?

Jen: It's been disturbing. A lot of us feel it's become a police state once again (more like it was when I moved here eight years ago). Police have come knocking on our door to see who's living in our apartment and if they're all registered. And they've been cracking down on people who have "F Visas" [Pauline's note: basically a form of renewable visa for long-term residents], and forcing many people on these visas to leave the country. Since I'm a freelance journalist, I have one of those. My fiancée, who works for a media organization, has a more permanent visa. So I had to marry him to get a Chinese visa! (Jen laughs). We're planning a later wedding, but are legally married in China now.

All our mail is being opened up, now. This wasn't uncommon eight years ago, but recently . . . Not everyone does their jobs, but with the Olympics coming, everyone started doing their jobs again. So we've been having trouble with mail, they've sent some boxes of my memoirs back to the States as unapproved, and even opened up our wedding invitations. We know my fiancée's phone is being tapped. It all feels like a big step backwards.

How can I not be scared of this?!?!? This government wants to rule the world! Skeeeery! Assimilation!!!