Today, I feel that I weigh a thousand pounds when I lift up my pen, because I am not writing an essay but an elegy. The Chinese Communist Party has hammered the final nail into the coffin of Hong Kong’s destiny. Under the present circumstances, I am afraid that many Hong Kong people think so. In the past, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) used to put on a scare show, even when it was doing crimes against humanity, but today it is brazenly and unreasonably challenging the limits of the civilized world.
The pneumonia epidemic in Wuhan originated in China and spread around the world. It seems to be almost back to normal today, with China’s economic growth even catching up to the pre-epidemic level through the export of epidemic prevention supplies. In the West, where medical equipment is sound and medicine is advanced, the epidemic is repeatedly worsening; people have to close their doors again, unemployment is soaring, businesses are closing down, the economy is in trouble again, and there is no telling when the nightmare will end.
In contrast, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is not complacent and arrogant, boasting that Xi Jinping’s Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the most superior system ever devised by mankind, and even looking down on the world as the leader of the Community of Human Destiny. In the eyes of Xi Jinping, how far back does the civilized world rank? A dictatorship will replace civilization in the blink of an eye. In his eyes, what is a mere Hong Kong?
What a shame about the “Pearl of the Orient”! No, Hong Kong is not reduced to an ordinary mainland city, but a “barbarian land” like Xinjiang. In the eyes of the Chinese Communist Party, the Western ethical values practiced by the Hong Kong people are no different from the Islam practiced by the Uighur people in Xinjiang.
In the eyes of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the Western ideology espoused by Hong Kong people is actually more dangerous than Uyghur Islam: if Western ideology were to spread to the mainland and make Chinese people realize the value of the rule of law, freedom and human rights, and fight for them, the CCP would be in grave danger. The threat is no small one, and the persecution we will suffer will be far worse. Hong Kong people’s struggle for the rule of law and freedom is seen by the Chinese Communist Party as an act of insurrection that will force us into a cul-de-sac of silence and resignation. We may be able to survive by kneeling down and begging for forgiveness, but we will be in trouble if we stand up and fight. But how can we stand up and fight when the National Security Law is so overwhelming? Yes, as long as we are not discouraged and do not give up lightly.
When Lam Cheng used the seriousness of the epidemic as an excuse to postpone the Legislative Council election for a year, I supported the pan-democrats to stay in office even though I knew it was a conspiracy. Remaining in office will not necessarily stop the passage of draconian laws, at least the parliamentary struggle will show the people and politicians of the free world how the Chinese Communist Party is ravaging Hong Kong. The news will create public pressure, and no matter how arrogant and domineering the CCP is, it cannot ignore international political ethics.
More importantly, the news of the parliamentary protest will arouse the attention, solidarity and support of people around the world who share the same ethical values as us. We can no longer take to the streets in protest, but news of a parliamentary protest will at least keep us in touch with the outside world and inspire solidarity and support. Once the news of Hong Kong people’s protest disappears from the world’s television screens, we will also lose our connection with the outside world, and we will be like lambs under the iron heel of a dictator. Solidarity and support from the outside world is our only salvation, so how can we give up?
“If I had known, why would I have done it?” The NPC’s resolution to authorize Lam Cheng and DQ, four incumbent pan-democrats, triggered a general resignation of pan-democrats, many people said. Li Yi even said, “The decline of the CCP is so bad that almost everyone knows about it, only that some people pretend not to know. How can I be ignorant of the decline of the Chinese Communist Party? I believe that is also known to all. But the deal was to let the four legislators stay in office, and then DQ them, I really can’t predict how bad it would be.
If I had Li Yi’s wisdom, foresight and painful experience in dealing with the communists, I might have predicted that the situation would be so bad. Even so, I would still support her remaining in office, because it is possible, but not certain, that she would be so “bad as to be so bad”. If we give up just because it is possible that we will go so far, then why should we continue to fight? The chances of winning the struggle are undoubtedly slim, but as long as there is a glimmer of hope, we should not give up. Even if we lose, if we spread the spirit and conviction of fighting for the rule of law and freedom and upholding the dignity of human rights, and if we show the world how horrible dictators can be and how to be vigilant, we will still win even if we lose.
No, even if we fail to achieve our goal, if we inspire the people living under the clutches of dictatorship and make them realize the value of freedom, rule of law, human rights and dignity, and make the world realize the horror of dictators, we will have won the battle for freedom. Success doesn’t have to be about me. We will accomplish much more than just living for our goals. Let us not shrink from the slim chance of success.
The resigning pan-democratic legislators need not be discouraged, even if they may be disqualified from running in the future. They can form a civic assembly and continue to fight for the people. As long as they have the support of the public, the civil parliaments will also have the same legitimacy. Even without a mandate from the bureaucracy, the civil parliaments will also be able to counterbalance the evil laws by forging a popular consensus through the media and social media to reflect the will of the people.
A few months ago, who would have thought that the Chinese Communist Party’s crackdown would be so outrageous? Even those who stayed away from the protests in the past, but now feel that their personal freedom and personal safety are at stake, will support the civil parliaments. With the support of the majority of the public, the parliament will have a strong and powerful legitimacy, even though it is not officially mandated.
The civil parliaments’ claims are just an example. The pan-democrats may have better suggestions. In any case, we should not give up any mechanism that can perpetuate the struggle and check the draconian laws of the powerful. As for the funding of the operation of the Parliament, it can be done through public funding. Yes, Hong Kong is in dire straits. We must not be discouraged, but rather, we must face them with perseverance. Unless there is an ulterior motive, this is not the time to sit in the armchair with a pencil in hand, ridiculing our peers and even sowing discord among ourselves. Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!
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