But this is just another story out of hundreds that raise serious questions about how we, as a people and nation, interact with China. And, in fact, by any reasonable measure, we are turning our entire future over to China.
Ask yourself what is more disturbing: that food products, toys and now prescription medicine coming from China are tainted and poisoning our children and seniors?
Or that virtually 100% of our toys and significant portions of our food products and prescription drugs (not to mention clothes, jewelry, sporting goods, computers, electronics, furniture and housewares) are made in China and imported here?
Do we actually manufacture anything here anymore?
Even more disturbing is that China holds a gigantic portion of our ballooning national debt. If China called in our debt, the United States might be forced into effective bankruptcy and a depression that could last a lifetime.
Everyday we outsource our entire future to China. Now I'm a "free trade" kind of guy. But when you give this much control to a single country, it isn't free trade any more, it's indentured servitude.
I've written extensively that China has the ability to cripple or actually end the genocide in Darfur. China, through massive oil purchases that fund the genocide and a firm Security Council Veto that prevents the rest of the world from stopping the horror, controls the fate of two million people. And China continues to prove they just don't give a damn. Human suffering, rape, murder, torture, starvation? China just doesn't care.
Many people around the world can no longer tolerate China's greed and callous disregard for genocide. Steven Spielberg just resigned as an Artistic Advisor for the 2008 games.
"At this point, my time and energy must be spent not on Olympic ceremonies, but on doing all I can to help bring an end to the unspeakable crimes against humanity that continue to be committed in Darfur," Spielberg explained.
With all this in mind, some might not even find this story important. But to me it's a clear and horrific example of how the Chinese government views every decision: cold, calculating, cruel and with absolutely no compassion.
As these the type of people with whom we should outsource or toys, food, drugs and debt?
What follows is from an investigative report by Simon Perry in the UK's Daily Mail:
Beijing's shocking death camp for cats
Thousands of pet cats in Beijing are being abandoned by their owners and sent to die in secretive government pounds as China mounts an aggressive drive to clean up the capital in preparation for the Olympic Games.
Hundreds of cats a day are being rounded and crammed into cages so small they cannot even turn around.
Then they are trucked to what animal welfare groups describe as death camps on the edges of the city.
The cull of Beijing's estimated 500,000 cat population is certain to provoke international outrage as it comes just over a year after the Chinese were criticised for rounding up and killing stray dogs across the country.
Animal welfare groups in China are already protesting, but their members fear punishment from the authorities.
Officials say people can adopt animals from the 12 cat pounds set up around the city, but welfare groups say they are almost impossible to get inside and believe few cats survive.
One cat lovers' group negotiated the release of 30 pets from one of the compounds in Shahe, north-west Beijing, but said they were in such a pitiful condition that half of them died within days of their release.
"These cats are being left to die. It is very inhumane," said the group's founder Yan Qi, who runs a sanctuary for cats.
4 comments:
Wiz, considering that we are up to our arm pits in indentured servitude to China, don't you consider it a little ironic that we don't even extend to Cuba a little diplomatic recognition? I mean, what's the diff?
I tend to agree with you on free trade, or at least fair trade.
I'll be linking this post to a friend who is eloquent about cruelty to animals.
I have never understood why Mad Mike never goes to the trouble of acknowledging to the source that he is using some one else's work. I go to the trouble of hooking him up. He links to you. But does he ever tell you he has done it? (If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it really fall?) If he emailed you than please delete this comment.
Wizard, I commented on Madmike's page, who did link to you.
I am so sickened by this story, I can only echo Vig's words that due to our "indentured servitude" to China, I am certain millions of innocent animals will be slaughted for no reason.
It's a good post, Wizard. But I am speechless with anger and sadness at this news. OMG, those poor, helpless animals.
I have been trying to boycott products from Chine for a long time. No more shrimp for me. Never shopped at Wal*Mart. And I always look for country of origin labels, but I'm sure now that's getting pretty well disguised, harder to determine. So I consume as little as possible. Being poor makes that pretty easy for me.
The story about the cats is sickening. I have a friend who does make-up for the NBC personalities who cover things like the Olympics and they are taking her to China. She will cry when she sees this.
Thank you for the information and the powerful presentation of your site.
You are elegant in thought and style.
Are you published elsewhere. If not, you should be.
Post a Comment