[ILUG] Mother of God!

[Colm MacCarthaigh]

On Thu, Feb 16, 2006 at 09:00:22AM +0000, kevin lyda wrote:
> On Wed, Feb 15, 2006 at 08:53:03PM +0000, Colm MacCarthaigh wrote:
> > Same here, I've been in discourse with many Chinese people, both
> > resident and ex-pats, and they are not the least bit pleased and are
> > actively organising anti-Google demonstrations. 
> 
> yes, because of the organisations that the chinese people need to
> change, google and american corporate law are really high up on the
> list.

In a way, right now it is, or they believe it is. Strategic activism
works well when you target your campaigns to what you actually change
and will make a difference.

In this case, some people are annoyed and don't understand how American
companies are being allowed to sell and assist represive services in
China. There's an embargo on crime prevention materials, which even
includes security cameras but also things like bullets and battons and
so on and their judgement is that right now if they make a loud enough
noise about it that there's a good chance congress will add the
technical services to the list.

With the now forthcoming legislation that might do exactly that:

http://url.ie/tz
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/15/technology/15cnd-internet.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5088&en=1d2dce56f6c4a728&ex=1297659600&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

and the house hearings, and the formation of the internet freedom
taskforce, they might not be totally wasting their time. Though
that said, I don't think the bill has a hope of passing.

-- 
Colm MacCárthaigh                        Public Key: colm+pgp at stdlib.net