Goodwill to all men – Chinese style
His name is Liu Xiaobo.
He asked for a constitution that would protect the rights of Chinese citizens.
He held the view that governmental accountability and rule of law are fundamental requirements of a civilised society.
He wanted a better deal for the Chinese people.
He expressed these views in a document.
For that crime, on this day, he’s been jailed for 11 years.
Update
This is what James Fallows had to say on the matter (emphasis mine):
There is nothing about his life, work, or efforts that a truly confident government should fear. That the Chinese government cannot tolerate his views speaks volumes.
There is much to admire in modern China, and even more to sympathize with in the aspirations and efforts of its people. But this is a reminder of what is wrong with the way it is run, and is a moment that friends of China and of Chinese people should note, regret, and deplore.
Amen to that.
Update 2
An article by Custer at ChinaGeeks has summarised things very well. It is both sad and typical that so many of the comments on this piece seek to distract from the debate by pointing fingers anywhere but Zhongnanhai. Hat tip to Jeremiah for pointing the way.