"Ai Weiwei is a Chinese artist and political dissident. Although he collaborated on the construction of Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Olympics, his criticism of the government later led to his arrest without charges and imprisonment for several months. I believe there are two main takeaways from the following article he wrote for The Guardian. First, he knows what it is like to live in an authoritarian regime with very little freedom or civil liberties. Thus it would be wise to take his warning to heart."...Zero Hedge
6/11/13, "NSA surveillance: The US is behaving like China," UK Guardian, Ai Weiwei
"Both governments think they are doing what is best for the state and people. But, as I know, such abuse of power can ruin lives."
"Even though we know governments do all kinds of things I was shocked by the information about the US surveillance operation, Prism.
To me, it's abusively using government powers to interfere in
individuals' privacy. This is an important moment for international
society to reconsider and protect individual right
I lived in the United States for 12 years. This abuse of state power goes totally against my understanding of what it means to be a civilised society, and it will be shocking for me if American citizens allow this to continue. The US has a great tradition of individualism and privacy and has long been a centre for free thinking and creativity as a result.
In our experience in China, basically there is no privacy at all – that is why China is far behind the world in important respects: even though it has become so rich, it trails behind in terms of passion, imagination and creativity....
I think especially that a nation like the US, which is technically advanced, should not take advantage of its power. It encourages other nations....
In the Soviet Union before, in China today, and even in the US, officials always think what they do is necessary, and firmly believe they do what is best for the state and the people. But the lesson that people should learn from history is the need to limit state power.
If a government is elected by the people, and is genuinely working for the people, they should not give in to these temptations.
During my detention in China I was watched 24 hours a day. The light was always on. There were two guards on two-hour shifts standing next to me – even watching when I swallowed a pill; I had to open mouth so they could see my throat. You have to take a shower in front of them; they watch you while you brush your teeth, in the name of making sure you're not hurting yourself. They had three surveillance cameras to make sure the guards would not communicate with me....
Civilization is built on that trust and everyone must fight to defend it, and to protect our vulnerable aspects – our inner feelings, our families. We must not hand over our rights to other people. No state power should be given that kind of trust. Not China. Not the US." via Zero Hedge
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Ed. note: Yes, this is George Bush's fault. He trashed the country and its good people and happily turned us over to the radical left like slabs of meat on a barbecue. He would do it again, as would the entire Bush crowd which has now merged as one with the radical left.
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