The things that pro-Beijing officials and politicians do and say -- and, also, don't do -- which tells you so much about them

 

My purchases at this year's Hong Kong Book Fair

 

LGBT representation at the July 1st, 2016, protest rally

 

Like I intimated in my previous blog post, I actually came out of my visit to this year's Hong Kong Book Fair feeling better about things than I thought I would; this not least because I did find local booksellers at the event who were continued to be willing to sell thoughtful, thought-provoking works that many people living in Hong Kong at the current time would do well to read.  Adding to the sense that all is not lost -- and that we should retain hope that a better tomorrow is possible for Hong Kong -- was what filmmaker Kiwi Chow was revealed late last week to have done (and decided to tell the world).        

 

Still, for a quick measure of how big a task it'd be to right the many wrongs of contemporary Hong Kong, one just has to look at the slew of news reports detailing various statements made by government officials and pro-Beijing legislative councillors in recent days.  First off, ahead of the weekend, we had Carrie Lam saying that it's time to ramp up the implementation of the security law (which has already been used to put a good number of pro-democrat politicians and political activists along with folks like Jimmy Lai and Tong Ying-kit behind bars even before a decision is made in court about their guilt); this in response to China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office director, Xia Baolong's "five demands" for and of the Hong Kong government.      

 

To judge from (new) police commissioner Raymond Siu's allegation that the student union of the University of Hong Kong might be in violation of the Beijing-imposed national security law for thanking the man who killed himself after stabbing a police officer, it would appear that ramping up the implementation of the security law also involves broadening the definition of what constitutes a violation of China's security law for Hong Kong to such an extent that it would seem that there are way fewer activities that would not constitute a violation of this vague as well as draconian law than there are ones that would constitute a violation of it.  (A few activities that Bloomberg's Matthew Brooker figures should still be okay: "breathing (unless being kneeled on by a police officer), eating (as long as not at yellow restaurants), shopping (not at yellow shops), reading (the good news about the party’s works)"!)   

 

And at the Hong Kong Book Fair yesterday, pro-Beijing politician Junius Ho -- yes, he of Yuen Long infamy -- continued to exhibit his rampant homophobia; this time by slamming new hit TV series Ossan’s Love for featuring same-sex romance and claiming in the process that promoting homosexuality is against China’s new three-child policy and its national security law!  A reminder: even if this were so, "neither China’s national security law nor its three-child policy apply to Hong Kong, although the city has its own Beijing-imposed security law."

 

Further idiocy came out of a pro-Beijing politician's mouth today when Elizabeth Quat -- she of defunct degree mill "qualifications" infamy -- asserted today that the government must tell voters who not to pick in future Hong Kong elections!  Honestly, I don't think I need to explain why this suggestion of hers is so very wrong, right?!

 

Along with the sense of tragedy and sheer injustice at so many (pro-democrat) politicians that so many people voted for now being disqualified and in jail or in exile, there is the frustration Hong Kongers have that so many pro-Beijing politicians and local government officials seem so wanting when it comes to possessing intelligence, empathy and a sense of duty to the people.  With regards to LGBT issues: It doesn't seem coincidental at all that the Hong Kong politicians and political activists most willing to stand up for the rights of these still-too-often-discriminated-against Hong Kongers have been pro-democracy rather than pro-Beijing.  (And for the record: heterosexual pro-democracy politicians like Claudia Mo and "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung -- two more personalities currently behind bars after being denied bail -- would attend the Pride Parades too.)  

 

Even at the level of the District Councils (which are being decimated by the oath-taking threat, with pro-democracy District Councillors who have resigned outnumbering those who have remained), I can personally attest to not having noticed my pro-Beijing District Councillor doing anything for the community when he was in office.  In contrast, my current pro-democracy District Councillor has done such things as fly to Japan during last year's mask shortage crisis to procure masks to give to her constituents and made sure to provide timely updates on social media whenever a water main has broke or some other mishap has occurred in the neighborhood.  In the grand scheme of things, her actions may seem on the modest side -- but at a time when it can feel too often like your very being and welfare is of little consequence to the powers that be, a small gesture of care and concern can seem significant and be much appreciated.