Well those pesky protesters who have harmed the good people of Hong Kong, blocking traffic, hurting business, have finally been cleared. The good guys lost. Democracy in Hong Kong…is dead! And the roads are open to one country, one system!
There were a few die-hards left that had to be physically hauled off by police, but by the end of the day the vibrant movement that had lasted almost three months was gone gone, gone beyond, gone altogether beyond, the barricades were down, the tents cleared, and the streets occupied only by cars.
If there’s one lesson to take away from this, it’s how powerful the Hong Kong government is. The way officials stopped bothering to even come out towards the end and let Beijing take over. Mmm, inspiring. CY Leung said they were ready for “furious resistance.” And look at these disobedient protesters, peacefully dismantling their own tents. Well. I’m sure they were just too furious to offer resistance.
And while we’re on the topic, let’s look at the Hong Kong police! How they bravely cowered behind bailiffs and court orders to clear the roads.
Now some might think because of all the signs protesters put up saying “We'll be back,” that this movement is somehow not over. But they’re probably just excited about the new Terminator movie.
Whew! I was worried there for a moment that maybe, the Communist Party hadn’t won. That the this was the just the first sign of something new that had been sparked in the hearts of the people of Hong Kong and the clearing of Admiralty wasn’t the end of the Umbrella Revolution, just the start of a new chapter. But that’s just crazy talk, right?
Well, Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau feels a little different. “So if this phase is coming to a close, doesn’t mean the democracy movement is finished, no way. I think the, all the protesters, the occupy trio, they have injected a lot of energy into the movement and they have woken up a whole generation, and I don’t think these people are going back to sleep again.”
So, this…is only going to get worse? The forces of tyranny and oppression haven’t won?!
You know, maybe, when Leung said they were ready to meet furious resistance, maybe he never really understood the protesters after all. Maybe, they weren’t the enemy. They’re just people looking for a better Hong Kong.
And, the government shouldn’t be afraid of the people. People don’t need to be led around like sheep by an iron-fisted regime to achieve some kind of “social harmony and stability.”
Maybe a place, where the people love their home and are invested in how its run, maybe that’s the most stable kind of country. Wait, did I just have a genuine moment? Sorry about that.
What do you think is next for Hong Kong. Has Beijing won the day? Or is this just the beginning of a free China? Leave your comments below.
