Steve Kelman on Politics, Culture, and Life, 12.20.2021
Harvard Kennedy School prof, moderate Dem, pro free speech/anti cancel culture, pro tax rich, pro Israel.
Tucker Carlson and Putin
CNN has run footage of sympathetic coverage of Tucker Carlson in Russian state media. One commentator praised Carlson's statement that Russia just wanted a "stable" Western border with Ukraine. They like his defending Putin against Biden. Such people once would have been called "useful idiots."
Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai forced to lie
Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has now stated that "I have never spoken or written about anyone sexually assaulting me." There are of course screenshots of her making these accusations online. It is so awful that she has been forced by the government to humiliate herself by a flagrant lie.
National anthem on Fox and in China
Had the TV on at 6 AM this morning when Fox News started on Sunday. They began by playing the national anthem with various soldiers in the background. I have also had the TV on in China at 6 AM, when Chinese news begins. They also begin with Chinese national anthem and soldiers in the background.
Most vaccinated people not boosted
Only 30% of vaccinated Americans have also gotten boosters.
China revenge against tiny Lithuania
China has told multinationals they will be excluded from the Chinese market if they do not stop production in Lithuania, the tiny country which has angered China by its support for Taiwan. These folks are real bullies.
China Daily on Hong Kong “election”
An editorial in China Daily on the Hong Kong "elections" notes that the new election law "closed the loopholes in the electoral system that allowed subversives to worm their way" into the legislature. By "loopholes," China Daily means that supporters of democracy were allowed to run. Such "loopholes" are gone now.
Hong Kong pro-democracy activist hashtag
On the occasion of the Hong-Kong "election," exiled pro democracy advocates have been sharing on social media the hashtag #releasemycandidate. Most pro democracy activists still in Hong-Kong are currently imprisoned.