Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who was arrested and jailed in China three years ago, has released her first public statement describing the harsh conditions of her imprisonment and how much she misses Australia.
Such a strange comment. From the lack of sympathy for an obvious political prisoner who has not committed any crime worthy of imprisonment, to the implication that Australia and Australian journalism is some paragon of virtue when anyone who even remotely pays attention knows it is far from this ideal. It reads like an attempt to claim the moral high-ground for yourself so you can feel justified in not caring about the plight of others.
I’m not claiming any moral high ground, I’m merely staying that she worked for a Chinese media organisation and that essentially makes her part of China’s political apparatus. That makes her at risk of being a political prisoner.
Also as Raltoid said, she’s spent 37/47 years of her life in China. Coupled with her career choice, her government is the Chinese Government, not the Australian government despite what her papers say.
She is an Australian citizen. Australian citizens are represented by the Australian Government. You don’t lose citizenship by living overseas, what an absolutely bizarre thing to say.
Let me put it another way, where do you think her loyalties lie before her arrest? China or Australia? If you don’t think that matters, I’d urge you to examine what citizenship means.
Such a strange comment. From the lack of sympathy for an obvious political prisoner who has not committed any crime worthy of imprisonment, to the implication that Australia and Australian journalism is some paragon of virtue when anyone who even remotely pays attention knows it is far from this ideal. It reads like an attempt to claim the moral high-ground for yourself so you can feel justified in not caring about the plight of others.
I’m not claiming any moral high ground, I’m merely staying that she worked for a Chinese media organisation and that essentially makes her part of China’s political apparatus. That makes her at risk of being a political prisoner.
Also as Raltoid said, she’s spent 37/47 years of her life in China. Coupled with her career choice, her government is the Chinese Government, not the Australian government despite what her papers say.
She is an Australian citizen. Australian citizens are represented by the Australian Government. You don’t lose citizenship by living overseas, what an absolutely bizarre thing to say.
Let me put it another way, where do you think her loyalties lie before her arrest? China or Australia? If you don’t think that matters, I’d urge you to examine what citizenship means.
Living and working overseas is not evidence of “foreign loyalties”.