I have received a message from a friend through an instant messenger.
I was quite shocked, after reading all the articles how the Chinese people were in riots and couldn't control themselves, moving away from what they were asking for, but trying to destroy things, probably out of no reason except emotions. Now, they have even more ways to try to dominate the world's information sources. They have been trying every way to block the others from expressing their opinions. It is unacceptable, especially when we recall the huge number of literates in China, and even the smaller amount of Internet users would sum up to a large number, if they are to take action altogether.
See the message I have got now:
美国CNN新闻网正在做调查,大家快去投票。美国CNN新闻上正在网上做日本否应该加入常任理事国 调查,现在5%支持日本,所有上论坛 朋友们都发动起 ,投日本反对票!告诉朋友们去投票!
在下面 地址里,
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/04/10/china.japan.protest/index.html
中间下面一占的右边 ： Do you think Japan should become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council
Yes
No
大家记住选择 NO!!!!!!!!!! 记得发给 里所有人！！今晚12点结束！！
日本人说中国人不可能今天内凑够800万人签名
Please concentrate on the last sentence now. It is apparently somebody (no need to mention a Chinese) made this up to push people do this silly thing. A poll is a poll, because it is for everybody, but not for a minority of people just asking their friends to follow them. They have used all the networks they can reach to do whatever they want.
I myself also find letting Japan to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council inappropriate, but this is simply not the way to express ourselves. This little note came to me from a friend who doesn't know English well enough to understand the question of the poll above, and you see the Chinese explanations and instructions have made it very clear it is just a guideline on how to choose 'No'. No background information has been given, and I bet with anything this friend of mine wouldn't even know what United Nations Security Council does.
Is it what we want to see? Blindly voting for what we are asked to do by our friends, initiated by we don't even know whom??? If Chinese people can't think independently, we can't expect a 'real campaign' to be seen, and that is exactly what a communist government wants. Nevertheless, when facing foreign countries, it is simply 'too simple, too naive'.
My dear Chinese, please behave!!! Could my message pass through? Guess not.