attacking the CNN will backfire!
Despite the general condemnation of the way the Tibet discontent is being handled, despite the tarnished reputation of Chinese exports following the scandals with lead paint and date-rape precursors in kids' toys, despite the evident immorality of the dealings with the murderous Sudanese government, despite it all...
China just BEGS FOR MORE!
When you pick a fight you might consider the consequences, as well as obviously checking your ammunition and equipment for technical faults, scarce logic, lack of common sense or the possibility of backfires. Clearly some geronto-techno-auto-mediocrocrat in Beijing thought toying around with the CNN would be a good idea as well as an ego boost. In my eyes it in't working out that well.
Jack Cafferty, a CNN commentator, attacked the Chinese government labelling them as goons and thugs, as well as generally filing Chinese exports into the "junk" category. Personally I do not think he is far from the truth. A little push for controversy would land me firmly by his side.
This angered the Chinese government who demanded an apology and picked on the apparent (to them) stereotyping by Cafferty of ALL Chinese people as goons and thugs making junk. The nonsensical attack on Cafferty's comments (one of the many) can be read here on Xinhua.
The comments could have been surely more qualified (thus making them stand even stronger in the face of scrutiny). However, it is generally agreed that one cannot accuse a whole nation of the faults of the few, particularly the few who rule. Failure to pick this up denotes stupidity or blindness, or both. The end result is further publicity for Cafferty's comments underlining a sad reality and further humiliation for China before the world public opinion.
However, as Cafferty is accused by the Xinhua-published columnist of double standards, let us take a look at China's actions and friends.
1) Inaction during the Burmese monks' unrest, while butchering of peaceful demonstrators was internationally reported.
2) Dealings with the Sudanese government and stalling discussion on Darfur in international bodies
3) China's very own repression frenzy in Tibet
4) Last but not least, selling weapons to Zimbabwe's government days after the election when it was clear the government would be voted out and put up a fight.
If you tell me who your friends are I'll tell you about yourself. You are what you do. The verdict for China is unequivocal and unanimous: a bunch of thuggish goons befriending butchers and assasins, peddling trusting Westerners poisonous junk if we dare take an eye off them for a moment, brutalizing the populace whose souls and minds they long to own and sending those whose ownership they cannot extort to Laogai slave labor camps. To make junk.
Picking a fight with the CNN for telling reality isn't going to work unless the act is clean to start with.
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