On this episode of China Uncensored,
China stands up to neo-Nazis
at American Universities.
Hi, welcome to China Uncensored,
I’m your host Chris Chappell.
Safe spaces on university campuses.
This is something the Chinese Communist Party
cares about.
At least when it comes to American universities.
Last month,
the University of California San Diego
decided to make a neo-Nazi
this year’s graduation speaker.
Of course I’m talking about this guy.
What’s that?
You don’t think of the Dalai Lama
as a neo-Nazi?
Well you must have bought into all that fake news
about him being a peaceful spiritual leader of Tibetans
oppressed by the Chinese Communist Party.
In fact, he is pretty much a Nazi.
At least according to the Chinese Communist Party.
Maybe someone should tell them about Godwin's Law.
Also, Saddam Hussein.
You can imagine how students at UC San Diego
must have felt about having Nazi Saddam Hussein
as a commencement speaker.
Actually, you don’t have to.
Let the words of the the UCSD
Chinese Student and Scholars Association
educate you:
Uhh, it was on the Chinese WeChat platform.
It says roughly:
“Currently, the various actions undertaken by the university
have contravened the spirit of respect, tolerance,
equality, and earnestness.”
“If the university insists on acting unilaterally
and inviting the Dalai Lama to give a speech
at the graduation ceremony,
our association vows to take further measures
to firmly resist the university’s
unreasonable behavior.”
Quartz found further dissatisfaction
from Chinese students at UCSD
on Facebook.
One says #ChineseStudentsMatter.
I mean, the Dalai Lama speaking at one University
is pretty much the Chinese equivalent of racial prejudice
against black people in the United States, right?
And this one says it’s the same
as forcing Muslims to eat pork—
which as we all know from delicious,
delicious Halal carts—is forbidden.
According to a statement to UC San Diego’s paper,
the university doesn’t seem like
it’s going to back down.
To be fair,
Chinese state-run media has opposed pretty much
every public appearance of the Dalai Lama.
Like when he met with President Bush.
And President Obama.
For generations,
history textbooks in China—
and I use the term “history” lightly—
have portrayed Tibet as a feudal state,
ruled by an oppressive, slave-driving Dalai Lama,
until the glorious Communist Party
“liberated” the Tibetan people.
Those textbooks, of course,
don’t mention how the CCP is responsible
for the deaths of more than a million Tibetans,
including through torture, starvation, and executions.
And the destruction of a huge number of Tibetan temples.
But if you grew up reading that
the Dalai Lama was a feudal dictator
who enslaved his own people,
and that he's trying to split your country apart,
of course you wouldn't want him
to be your commencement speaker.
But back to the Chinese Student and Scholars Association,
or CSSA.
That’s the group opposing the Dalai Lama
speaking at UC San Diego.
The CSSA is actually a nationwide organization,
found on many university campuses.
It also receives “funding and directives from the CCP
through its consulates.”
Think about that.
The Chinese regime,
which considers itself to be at war with the United States,
according to their own internal documents,
is funding, and guiding Chinese student associations
on American university campuses.
In fact,
in that that letter the CSSA wrote,
they even say "the Chinese Student and Scholars Association
has asked the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles for instructions,
and having received the instructions
are going to implement them."
And tells students not to act outside official guidance
of the Chinese Communist Party,
as "specific measures to be taken will be elaborated on
in future announcements."
While that might seem like an overreaction
by the Chinese consulate and the CSSA,
the Dalai Lama belongs to one of the Chinese regime’s
“No-go Topics.”
So essential to the regime’s disinformation,
that any positive mention of it anywhere in the world
is a serious threat to its power.
Inside of China,
they don’t have this problem.
The Communist Party works hard to ensure Chinese universities
are places where no conflicting ideologies or opinions
can be spoken aloud.
At least not since that pesky incident back in the ’80s.
But this is America, you say.
And one of our strengths is allowing people
to express conflicting ideologies or opinions.
True.
But freedom of speech doesn't guarantee
freedom from consequences.
Like the time in college when I screened The Room
for my entire dorm
and then they kicked me out the next day.
Some people can't appreciate true artistic genius.
The point is,
Chinese students can say what they want
about the Dalai Lama,
but other people can also point out
when they're wrong.
And maybe this is an opportunity
to think about why they feel that way
about the Dalai Lama
and whether those opinions are based on
twisted information created by the Communist Party.
So what do you think of the Chinese Student and Scholars Association
working together with the Chinese consulate
to make American universities a safe place
for Chinese students?
Leave your comments below.
And if you’re a Chinese student in the US,
we’d like to hear what you think, too.
Do you agree with the CSSA?
Or has your view of the Dalai Lama
or other aspects of Chinese history
changed since studying in the US?
And once again,
I’d like to take a moment to thank all the fans of China Uncensored
who contribute to China Uncensored on Patreon.
Your support is what makes this show possible.
Thanks for watching this episode of China Uncensored.
Once again, I’m your host Chris Chappell.
See you next time.
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