Jackie Chan’s China Comments Prompt Backlash

He’s got a point. Unlimited freedom ends up meaning the strong exploit the weak. America is rapidly turning into gangster nation. You’re free to complain about it, though, if you want. Good luck with that.

He’s got a point. Unlimited freedom ends up meaning the strong exploit the weak. America is rapidly turning into gangster nation. You’re free to complain about it, though, if you want. Good luck with that. The problem is too much freedom, not enough.

In a related subject, the late great Sam Francis turned out to be right when he doubted the canard that ubiquitous technology would lead to the dissipation of dictatorships:

http://countenance.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/velvet-glove-of-nationalism-or-iron-fist-of-globalism/

This is related to China because it seems as if the internet has only strengthened China’s repressive regime instead of loosening it. Jackie Chan is right — the reason China has a repressive regime, always has, always will, is due to their antlike sociology. Give everyone in China broadband, and that doesn’t change. Whether your country or nation is relatively free or dictatorial depends on factors other than technology.

“I’m not sure if it’s good to have freedom or not,” Chan said Saturday. “I’m gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we’re not being controlled, we’ll just do what we want.”

This is nothing that some of the leading Chinese politicians of the modern era have not said. For example, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, revered by both Nationalists and Communists, believed the Chinese people would need a period of “tutelage” before they were ready for full democratic freedoms and true republican government as in the West.

The average Chinese traditionally fears what his fellow Chinese would do if allowed to do as they please, and, while the Chinese are critical of out-and-out tyrants in their own history, they fear societal “chaos” or luan (Japanese ran) much more than they do an authoritarian government.

One of the things I always liked about Jackie Chan was that, in his interviews he always came across as a kind of regular guy. Well, we finally see that having money and fame will eventually corrupt ANYONE into thinking they know what’s best for mankind.

With their high-intelligence and knack for pro-social behavior, it’s a safe bet the Chinese can indeed handle freedom. If all laws were abolished in the U.S. I wouldn’t fear the ethnic Chinese here would rampage: they’d still be better behaved than any other group.

It’s hard to judge what Chan actually said based on a short story by a news agency that has an interest in stirring controversy. Not to mention that something is always lost in translation.

Plus Chan needs to speak well of China for the good of his career.

Wait till their numbers are high enough here in the soon-to-be-former USA …

“For it is no less arduous and dangerous to attempt to free a people disposed to live in servitude, than to enslave a people who desire to live free.” - Niccolo Machiavelli: “Discourses on the First Ten Books of Titus Livius,” chapt. 8, c. 1517.

As intelligent and conscientious as the Chinese may be, the fact is China proper has never in its entire history ever had a duly elected republican form of government (Sun Yat-sen notwithstanding). Yet wishy washy Western social engineers (i.e. liberals) would have us believe things would go well for us all if Beijing’s overlords simply handed power over to a democratically elected government.

I don’t know what Mr. Chan’s true motives may be for making such a statement (does he really believe what he’s saying or is he just kissing up to Beijing?), but I do know that if a true libertarian gov’t ever comes to China, it would be best if it came gradually over a period of many years. Otherwise the very real danger exists of the country plunging into civil war as it did after the fall of the Qing dynasty, not a good thing considering the huge stockpile of nuclear weapons they have.

A benevolent despotism is certainly preferable to a dysfunctional or malevolent democracy.

This charlie chan is just another bad actor, for god’s sake. He was probably told to say this. This article and charlie’s comments should never have seen the light of day.

Well said Jackie Chan.

And know it all libertarians will come up with fantasy world where everyone can do what they want free of government or any other restraint and the worlds billions will somehow decide to want to live in safe, orderly ways and not live lives like Myke Tyson and his hommies in Brownsville Brooklyn NY.

Somalia is the ultimate free state, hasn’t had any government since 1992.

Another great things about the Chinese mainland government was the strict policy of one child per family.

Can’t we find a way to get China to implement this sane policy on ZImbabwe, East St. Louis?

He may be on to something here. China’s history goes back 5,000 years. But China has never been a democracy. Look how long the British were in Hong Kong. They never had any demands for ‘freedom’ or ‘independence’ from the Chinese there who were quite content to just do business and let the British run the colony. What does all this say about the Han mentality and character?

Democracy vs. dictatorship. Well, look at Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and fumbling efforts by the Democrat Mayor Nagin of New Orleans; the then Democrat Gov. Blanco of Louisiana, and Republican Pres. Bush. Compare that with the Chinese Communist government’s more successful attempts to alleviate the large earthquake disaster area in 2008. The Chinese also staged a terrific Olympics in summer 2008. On the other hand, under Mao, millions starved because of his policies to push egalitarianism.
We may not agree with the Communist government in China, but it has been extremely successful in the past 2 decades in shedding much of the ideology of Marx and stimulating a business class that has brought growth and a new prosperity. Today, China is one of the few areas where auto sales continue to rise at a fast pace. While China drifts away from socialism under one-party rule, the US electorate picked a leader determined to push America into socialism.———Hugh Murray

The funny part is that a lawmaker named Albert Ho called Chan’s remarks about the Chinese people “racist”.

Now how can Chan be racist against his own people? I guess politicians are retarded the world over.

He’s probably right about most Chinese not being able to handle freedom.

But the same could be said of whites.

A steady diet of greasy hamburgers, rap music, and “reality” TV shows isn’t exactly living life to its fullest.

Most people don’t understand the ethnic makeup of China. Many assume that it’s mostly a homogenous country. While most of the country is Han Chinese, that label is really a loose categorization. Language and culture differs from province to province and of course there is Tibet. In the coastal cities like Shanghai where most of the wealth is accumulated there already are problems between natives and rural immigrants from the countryside. Shanghai residents don’t like the country Chinese that can’t speak the local language and can only communicate in Mandarin. China was only ever unified through force. Take away that authority and the country will fracture.

Ayn Rand unlimited freedom is just as destructive as Karl Marx.

Freedom is not rooted in the aptitudes of other races. Asians are deferential by nature. Jackie Chan is Chinese and he is just pointing out what he thinks is right for his own race.

Freedom is a white thing. It is a part of our genetic code that is our own.

Why does everyone keep referring to China as Communist? Nearly every product sold in the US was made by a Chinese business.

The reason is obvious. To call them what the really are, Fascist, would give too much credit to Fascism.

http://www.enwhiten.com/?p=531

Jackie Chan is no fool. His opinions shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand. While I may not completely agree with him, he makes an interesting point.

“Ayn Rand unlimited freedom is just as destructive as Karl Marx.”

And which part of your freedom do you want removed? And why do you trust those who would do the removing?

Everyone believes in rights for themselves- it’z those others who must be controlled.

Malevolent democracy. That term perfectly describes the system of government in the West today.

What’s this, an actor from a different culture expressing an alternative view of government?—that’s not allowed here! In America, the rule is diversity of race, uniformity of opinion.

I’ve known many Chinese who live up to the stereotype. Their compulsive attraction to gambling, their deference to authority, their inate belief that rules are for suckers…. while people with these characteristics exist in every race, the Chinese stand out.

They are definitely not like whites in their common values (nor like blacks, Arabs, or Hispanics). When you put a critical mass of them together, you know what to expect.

Yes, Chinese do need very strict rules to keep them in line. Given them an inch and they will take a mile.

In that respect, unfortunately, Chinese differ greatly from whites and Japanese and Koreans.

Hardly anyone queues in China, there is widespread spitting, and unlawful behaviour - in spite of many rules.

That is why Singapore is successful - they rule Chinese in a way that gets the best out of the good in Chinese culture, but suppresses the bad.

And the communists now seem to have the balance about right.

So Chan’s comments make sense, and many many Chinese would agree with him.

Democracy is only right for places with a literate, educated, middle class who have common values that everyone recognizes.

China does not yet have this - although the aim is that one day she will.

Of course the West wants China to instantly democratize -because in that they can only foment chaos, and weaken China.

Chinese are the only people really who can threaten the West. But in order to be strong as a nation, they need to be ruled with an iron-hand. The vast majority of Chinese understand this.

I’m not hear to preach to the Chinese or tell them how to live or make them over in my own image. Chinese are a fine race with a lot of achievement, and I wish them good luck on their separate course. They’ve done well for themselves so far, and there’s no reason to think that will change anytime soon.