Liu Xiaobo gets the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize

[Ryokan]

A better recipient than last year, yeah? :)

The Chinese are not amused. The Chinese embassy in Oslo is closed, and Chinese officials in Norway call it a 'blasphemy against the peace prize'.

There's even talks about breaking down the trade agreements between China and Norway.

The Chinese have surrounded the house of Xiaobo's wife, and she's effectively in house arrest.

[TubbaBlubba]

I was rooting for Dick Cheney.

[Aepervius]

A lot of people were rooting for the old chancelor (Kohl I think). I don't care for highly political prize.

[Ryokan]

China blocked CNN and BBC during the announcement.

Did they really believe this would stop the Chinese people from hearing about it? :)

[Ryokan]

Where are all the people from last year who had such strong opinions on the peace prize? :confused:

[quixotecoyote]

Hi Ryokan!

I think it's a completely overrated piece of dreck whose criteria are a bad joke and some of the previous winners a worse one.

[Senex]

I say god (and non-fiction entities as well) bless Norway for standing up to these bullies. And bless the Chinese people who sign petitions knowing they will be interrogated and later blackballed.

The Chinese government sucks.

[McHrozni]

At least someone who has already done something got it. Exposing China for what it is is a good thing too.

I especially love the "blashpemy" nonsense :) Highly amusing.

McHrozni

[Senex]

I especially love the "blashpemy" nonsense :) Highly amusing.

McHrozni

How would you like to be thrown in jail and read someone like me say "Highly amusing." That is not amusing. It is serious.

[McHrozni]

How would you like to be thrown in jail and read someone like me say "Highly amusing." That is not amusing. It is serious.

You probably missed the part before that, which explained what I was talking about. Chinese state calling the award blashpemy is highly amusing.

McHrozni

[Senex]

You probably missed the part before that, which explained what I was talking about. Chinese state calling the award blashpemy is highly amusing.

I was thinking this morning if I would have the nerve to sign a petition giving my support to a person who has done the right thing knowing I would be paid a visit by jack-booted thugs who would bring me to interrogation, scare the crap out of me and then see that I was put on a list making certain the government would make my life as miserable as possible for the rest of my life.

In this context I think "amusing" is inappropriate and you need to switch the p and h in blasphemy.

[McHrozni]

In this context I think "amusing" is inappropriate and you need to switch the p and h in blasphemy.

Sorry about the spelling. You're entitled to your opinion about it being appropriate or not, of course.

McHrozni

[Alareth]

His wife is now apparently missing

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39588135/

[Travis]

That's not good. Will she turn up somewhere making iPhones under armed guard?

[Wolfman]

His wife is now apparently missing

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39588135/
Its very interesting watching this play out here. Yeah, any mention of it on CNN or other foreign broadcasts simply gets blacked out here; and there's been almost no mention of it at all in the media.

But online...there's a frickin' firestorm! Everyone's talking about it, with sharply divided opinions. Quite a few Chinese tend to take the position that Liu is in prison, and therefore a criminal, and should not have been awarded the prize. However, as more and more people reveal info about Liu's actual 'crimes', attitudes are shifting. Perhaps most importantly, this has resulted in huge publicity about Liu's "Charter 08", which prior to this had already garnered more than 10,000 signatures. Chinese reading it for the most part cannot understand why this would constitute 'crimes against the state', and in fact support most of what he said...so it could mean a major groundswell of popular support for him.

Liu is a remarkable man. I had the opportunity to listen to him speak several years ago; he's a remarkably soft-spoken and mild man, but with iron-strong convictions. One of the things I most respect about him is his focus on principle, as opposed to people. He consistently says -- and from everything I've seen of him, sincerely believes -- that he neither hates nor is angry with the people who've imprisoned him, or with his guards. He says that they are just following the law, as it exists today...and that this demonstrates the need to change the laws.

He is actually one of the least radical of the 'leaders' from Tiananmen Square, generally taking a moderate stand that bridges the extremes of both sides (during the Tiananmen Square protests, he talked students out of violent confrontations with the Chinese military, including personally disassembling a machine gun one of the students had gotten his hands on). Some other Tiananmen Square leaders have already denounced this decision, because (ironically enough) they consider him to be too soft on the Chinese gov't. For example, "Charter 08" calls only for internal reform within the existing power structures; not for the overthrow and/or replacement of the gov't.

Its gonna' be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming days/weeks. I don't think China gives a damn about what the rest of the world thinks about Liu Xiaobo (and I doubt many other gov'ts have the guts to go toe-to-toe with China over one man); but popular support within China, and public calls for Liu's release, could be an entirely different matter.

[Senex]

A modest man may make a difference. I wish the best for Liu.

[Ryokan]

I don't think China gives a damn about what the rest of the world thinks about Liu Xiaobo..

Believe me, it sure looks like they give a damn what Norway thinks of him.. :)

[Senex]

Believe me, it sure looks like they give a damn what Norway thinks of him.. :)

Yes, now the entire world is watching.

[Wolfman]

Brief update: his wife was allowed to visit him, and told him of winning the prize. She's now back in Beijing, under house arrest, her mobile phone turned off. But still getting messages out via her lawyer. She plans to go to Norway to collect her husband's prize, if she can (which seems very, very unlikely).

[Wolfman]

Believe me, it sure looks like they give a damn what Norway thinks of him.. :)
Oh, they're unhappy about the award, that's for sure. But since the Norwegian gov't doesn't award the prize, its doubtful there'll be more than token actions taken by the Chinese gov't. Beyond that, I don't see China feeling any great pressure to release Liu Xiaobo.

One option that I've seen suggested is to deport him to another country, kicking him out of China, which is what has been done with some other dissidents. However, that requires the individual also agree to the deal...and Liu Xiaobo has stated several times that he'd never accept such an arrangement.

[bigjelmapro]

Apparently Chavez isn't amused either:
Chavez: Xiaobo is Like Obama (http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/195592)

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez protested the decision to award the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to Chinese human rights activist Liu Xiaobo. Chavez said that Xiaobo is "like Obama, who won last year."

In 2009, President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, which Chavez opposed, claiming that Obama does not deserve the prize as his administration is involved in wars.