Mr. Gentry over at Water posted this profile in courage (or insanity, depending on how you look at it):
In Xi’an a couple of days ago one of the ballsiest protests I have heard of occured. I was not there, but someone I know witnessed it.
In the center of Xi’an is the Bell Tower. The whole city radiates out from that spot. North, South, East and West Streets all begin there and go out towards their respective compass points. Just off West Street is the Muslim Quarter, which is big with tourists. East Street is the biggest and best shopping district in town. South Street is a more upscale version of East Street, but being more expensive means it’s usually not as crowded. And North Street is a wide boulevard.
Cars often jam the roundabout that encircles the Bell Tower and pedestrians converge on that point from all four streets.
On its north side a single man protested the Communist Party. On a large banner he painted:
The Chinese Communist Party must disappear,
It makes the people angry,
It is corrupt.
Later, Mr. Gentry writes:
Whatever the party did to make him angry, it must have been amazing because before doing his protest he must have known he was getting himself a one-way ticket to the Bamboo Gulag in Qinghai.
God protect him since not even his family is probably going to know much about his whereabouts or condition.
Good Lord…
