“The bearded face of the detained Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is spray-painted on a nondescript gray wall overlooking the steep lanes of Hong Kong’s nightlife capital, Lan Kwai Fong.
Given his real-life circumstances — summarily disappeared at the hands of the Chinese authorities with no charges yet laid — the furrowed forehead and hooded, tired eyes of the image now seem a representation of suffering. Underneath his face is one simple question, “Who’s afraid of Ai Weiwei?”
This graffiti, appearing all over Hong Kong, has become a political statement, more than a month after the world-famous artist was detained by the authorities at Beijing airport. The campaign could yet lead to a jail term for the young graffiti artist responsible. And that fact has led to fears about the erosion of Hong Kong’s distinct freedoms, which are a legacy of its colonial past under the British.
Despite causing consternation for the authorities, many Hong Kong residents like both the graffiti’s aesthetic and its political message.
“It’s cool,” says passerby Peter Chan. “The graphic is cool, and the presentation of protest against China is cool.””
Comments Off on Ai Weiwei disappeared since Apr 2nd – Hong Kong Graffiti Challenges Chinese Artist’s Arrest | China | Tagged: Ai Weiwei, Democracy, Graffiti, Hong Kong | Permalink Posted by kempton
Advance voting for the 41st general election begins Friday, April 22, and continues Saturday, April 23 and Monday, April 25.
Advance polls are open from noon to 8:00 p.m. (local time) across the country.
Electors can find the location of their advance poll on the back of the voter information card mailed to them by Elections Canada.
Electors who did not receive a voter information card or who received one with incorrect information may contact theirlocal Elections Canada office or use the automated Voter Information Service, available at any time by calling 1-800-463-6868.
All electors must meet the voter identification requirements when they vote on election day on May 2, or at the advance polls on April 22, April 23 or April 25.
“The veteran political comedian says it is refreshing young people are taking action in a brand new way, and explains how the recent ‘vote mobs’ show the kids are alright and getting engaged.”
This Sunday, at Chinese embassies all over the world, protesters are planning a global sit-in to protest the detention of the internationally renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. Ai was taken into custody by Chinese authorities nearly two weeks ago for what government officials now say are questions about his finances.
The protesters will be bringing chairs to sit on. They aren’t worried about getting tired. The design of the protest is a homage to a piece by Ai that was exhibited in 2007 at Documenta 12, a major arts festival in Kassel, Germany. Read the rest of this entry »
Plain and simple with some solid source reference articles about Sh*t Harper Did.
“Stephen Harper thinks that what doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger. Unless it kills you.
In 2008, Luc Pomerleau, a biologist at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, discovered secret government plans to weaken regulations & allow corporate food producers to conduct their own safety inspections. Pomerleau leaked the news and was immediately fired. Then the listeriosis meat outbreak killed 17 Canadians.
We are a million dollar ad agency. Wait, no we’re a socialist-communist-liberal conspiracy unit. Wait, no we’re scruffy hipster types. Wait, no, we’re an oft overlooked, disregarded and actively ignored demographic of Canadian voters who want attention by swearing so you’ll ground us. But then at least we’ll be part of the cool swearing kids, right? Those kids smoke. Actually we’re a group of young Canadian artists (comedians, musicians, filmmakers and designers). […]
Again, as I wrote before, I am not a fan of Ms. Helena Guergis (Wikipedia) but Prime Minister Stephen Harper has now been proven to step out of line and his and PMO’s inappropriate behaviour cannot be ignored.
I am not be a big fan of Ms. Helena Guergis (Wikipedia) but how her reputation was smeared and damaged by Prime Minister Stephen Harper is pure and simply wrong! I am shocked and ashamed of Harper and PMO’s total disregard of due process and justice, and covering things up by smearing of Ms. Guergis’ name.
“During the news conference, Guergis accused staff in Harper’s communications office of running a “destructive campaign” against her and perpetrating “false allegations” that damaged her reputation.
“Not only was it made to seem I was guilty of conduct that has never been disclosed to me — going against the very core of what our principles of justice are built on — the Prime Minister’s Office still made it seem as though I was guilty of something even after I had been proven innocent,” Guergis said.
“This of course is the worst kind of politics, the kind that Canadians abhor,” she said.”
Thanks Rick for adding yourpush to get the promised one-on-one harper Iggy debate (see below Twitter exchanges). And getting the youth (and Canadians of all ages) on Twitter interested and excited about the election.
For the record Opposition Motion (LP) Confidence in the government.
Clock at 00. Getting ready to vote.
12:13pm MST The moment of truth has started. The fall of the Harper government is in progress.
12:25pm MST The moment of truth. Opposition Motion (LP) Non-Confidence in the government vote – (yeas 156) (nays 145). The Harper government has fallen.
Go out and vote and exercise our democratic rights, the same rights that citizens of other countries are willing to die to have.
You would think no Canadians should be blocked from following minister’s *public* policy announcements and *public* discussions/debates with Canadian journalists/citizens, right? Well, you would be wrong. I had to jump through hoops (very time consuming, if possible at all) in order to follow what is going on.
When the current Canadian government is charged of contempt of Parliament and will likely fail a confidence motion because of said contempt, I thought it is time for me to take my own democratic right more seriously. Democracy is not free, so I took some time to write and send in the following complain. I know my chance of seeing any positive changes is really small but sometimes one has to do what is right.
Here is an excerpt for the record.
To: Prime Minister Mr. Stephen Harper (Member of Parliament for Calgary SW)
cc: Heritage Minister Mr. James Moore
Opposition Party Leaders
Mr. Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal Heritage critic
Mr. Charlie Angus, NDP Heritage critic
March 24, 2011
Dear Mr. Harper,
I am writing you as a Canadian living in your Calgary SW riding. I hope you can promptly help me to restore my democratic right to be an informed citizen so that I can vote in an knowledgable manner.
Recently, ministers have been announcing important policy decisions on the social media platformTwitter and using Twitter for active debates and discussions with Canadian citizens and journalists. With a possible election coming soon, Minister James Moore‘s (note: new Twitter account, the letters “MP” have been expunged and _org added) discriminatory act of blocking me from following his Tweets (see background info below and attached files) has become impossible to ignore. Let me emphasize, Moore’s discriminatory act of blocking me on Twitter has become increasingly detrimental to my ability to exercise my democratic right and duty to be informed & engaged in public discussions/debates, and to stay informed on Canadian government policies when I vote in an election. Read the rest of this entry »
P.S. A very [I hope for a very] different outcome than what happened in Tiananmen Square 1989 in China.
1:46pm MST Update: Muybarak speaking LIVE. Looks like he is NOT quitting tonight. I don’t think thats what the Egyptian people in Tahrir Square want to hear.
Jan 10th, 2011 Update: MSNBC and CBC interviews of Daniel Hernandez, a Giffords intern who had basic nursing training and his heroic actions at the scene have been credited in saving Giffords and other victims’ lives. Henry Champ (retired CBC foreign correspondent), “Time to listen to the sheriff and pack up the vitriol“.
I am very saddened of the tragedy happened yesterday in Tucson, Arizona. The attack on Rep. Gabby Giffords and the bystanders was sickening. My thought goes to Rep. Gabby Giffords, her families & loved ones and to the people who were killed or hurt yesterday and their families and loved ones. (From NYT, “Among those killed were John M. Roll, 63, the chief judge for the United States District Court for Arizona, and Gabriel Zimmerman, 30, who was the director of community outreach for Ms. Giffords. The others who died were identified as Christina Green, 9; Dorothy Morris, 76; Dorwin Stoddard, 76; and Phyllis Schneck, 79.“)
Watching the news yesterday and the ongoing updates today made me feel sad state of American politics and democracy. And also made me reflect on the rhetorics that have infected Canadian politics in recent years.
“For example, we’re on Sarah Palin’s targeted list, but the thing is, that the way that she has it depicted has the crosshairs of a gunsight over our district. When people do that, they have to realize that there are consequences to that action,” Giffords had said in an interview with MSNBC. [text copied from CBC]
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