Last month, Jackie Chan labelled Hong Kong a "city of protest", decrying the city where he was born -- and where I currently live -- as a place where "we scold China and its leaders, we scold anything we want and protest against everything". He was quickly and widely condemned for his utterances -- with one Chinese netizen responding on Weibo (the Chinese equivalent of Twitter) by stating that "Hong Kong has freedom of speech, you [Chan] enjoy the right yet you are blaming it, you are like a guy with plenty of food who doesn't understand the hunger of others."
Lest it not be clear: I find much to admire about Jackie Chan as an action actor and director but I'm also with the above quoted Chinese netizen and tend towards the thinking that Hong Kong being a part of China -- albeit one that is a Special Administrative Region rather than a "regular" part -- where protests are allowed and take place is something to be celebrated.
Sure, in a perfect world, there wouldn't be protests because everything would be wonderful and peachy keen. But since it's an imperfect world, it's good for dissent to be allowed -- and especially when it's voiced in an orderly non-violent fashion as is regularly the case in Hong Kong. (Something else that I find really heartening about such as the Fragrant Harbour's annual June 4 commemorations and July 1 protest marches is how the participants do seem to come from all walks of life and include young and old, male and female, etc.)
For those who find all this political talk too heavy, feel free to focus your attention more on the photos of urban Hong Kong -- in particular the one with a beautiful rainbow in it! In any event, I've decided today that it wouldn't be enough to put up just one picture of the city where I live. So here's three to help celebrate Hong Kong being Hong Kong for this entry for Sandi's and Gattina's Photo Hunts. :)
22 comments:
Great take on the theme. I like the photography and also your take on celebrate. I remember when I was growing up in the middle of a lot of protests here in the 60s and 70s, and the awful slogan America Love it or Leave it was used by people who didn't like the protesters. I always felt like it was an expression of love for country to be able to protest when you didn't like things that were happening. To me protest can be very positive. It always amazes me when people will talk about how great freedom is but then get upset when people express their freedom.
Honk Kong is very special and certainly a reason to celebrate it's uniqueness. Nice pictures and commentary.
Indeed there is so much to show on Hong Kong, one picture is not enough.
In Singapore, protests are not allowed. We could be charged and fined.
Love your takes!!
Hi Carver --
Thanks for your comments. Appreciate them. And yes, I think of protest as an expression of love too -- in that you actually want to make a difference and you also believe that your voice can/will be heard and heeded.
Hi Vicki --
Hong Kong is indeed very special. And I sometimes think people who have lived outside of it appreciate more than those who haven't along with those who have lived there too long without venturing out.
Hi EastCoastLife --
I definitely can believe what you say re Singapore -- especially seeing that it's not much different in neighboring Malaysia.
Hi magiceye --
Thanks!! :)
an enjoyable read and i love your last photo.
Hi YTSL, your city is very beautiful and deserving of lots of photos. I'm kind of surprised at Jackie's statement. I agree that the freedom to protest is indeed something to celebrate and not criticize. My good friends visited Hong Kong a few years ago and loved it. I told them about your blog and all of your hikes which they didn't get to do. They said they want to go back so they can do some hiking this time. We're going to the Travel show tomorrow and will check out their booth. :)
Have a great weekend. Btw, I really enjoyed your Best of 2012 post.
Wonderful pictures for the themes!
mine is up as well: http://tc-twistedfairytale.blogspot.ca/2013/01/saturday-photohunt-celebrate-and-city.html
Hong Kong must be a very interesting city ! I am not a Jackie Chan fan and I personally find his movies stupid, but my men like him ! lol !
Hi Life Ramblings --
Thanks for reading as well as looking. :)
Hi TrekCapri --
Re Jackie: yes, well, for some years now, he's been seen as becoming more pro-China at the expense of Hong Kong... :S
Re Hong Kong: I didn't think to hike in Hong Kong the first few times I was a visitor too. But once you do it, a whole new world of opportunities and vistas open up! :b
Hi TC Harris --
Thanks!
Hi Gattina --
Hong Kong IS a very interesting city. Re Jackie Chan's movies: I think many of them are deceptively stupid -- there's a lot of thought as well as skill that goes into the action choreography, etc.
seems Malaysia also protesting. Watch Shanghai last night. Should celebrate Jacky Chan.
Love the take on the themes. And I agree with you politically. Not a fan of Mr Chan either, but agree he ironically has a right to make his thoughts and opinions heard as well.
Lindas imagens, a última é simplesmente fantástica! Um abraço!
Great pics!
I think Hong Kong is a beautiful city. Jackie Chan has his reasons, the Chinese also. Let's celebrate the freedom of speech :)
http://felipa-imagens.blogspot.pt/2013/01/photohunt-celebracao.html
It must be different to live in a large city..I like the water way and the angle of the last picture.
Mine is up and the coffee is on.
I always celebrate when you join us for the PhotoHunt ~:-)
Sandi
Having the freedom to speak out when you are unhappy about something is a wonderful thing to celebrate!
Hi Ann --
Ya, but whereas in Malaysia, protesters encounter water cannons and such, protest is allowed as well as legal in Hong Kong!
Re Jackie Chan: I'll continue to watch his movies -- if they're good -- but I just wish that man would stop making stupid political comments. :S
Hi Sue --
He does have a right to say things. But he must know that his doing so makes him seem out of touch with the majority of Hong Kongers -- and not endear him to them.
Hi Vane M. --
Obrigado por seus comentários agradáveis! :)
Hi Felipa M. --
True -- but please also bear in mind that Hong Kongers often identify themselves in a way that emphasize their being distinct from Mainland Chinese people... Seriously, that's very important for/to many Hong Kong people.
Hi peppylady --
Different from living in a rural area? You betcha! :)
Hi Sandi --
Aw, that's very nice of you to write that. :)
Hi JDeQ --
Agreed! :)
YTSL ask me over at my blog...How far are you from those two towns?
Naples is 3 miles south of me and the town of Bonners Ferry is 5 miles north of me.
Once again the coffee is on.
Hi again peppylady --
Thanks for coming back here to reply to my query (over at your blog)!
BTW, I looked up Naples in Wikipedia and found that there's a Naples in South Dakota as well as Idaho and Italy! ;O
I agree that peaceful protest, open discussion and freedom of speech are very much things to be celebrated. I really love the final photo with the rainbow - superb!
Hi A. --
Thanks for reading, looking, appreciating and commenting. :)
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