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Comments

• [1] Anthony from NYC April 10, 2008 - 12:15PM

  Thank you Leonard,

  Will see the documentary.

  Having spent over a month last interviewing people throughout China I found people quite open to speaking with me but no one would speak on camera about sensitive issues... specifically the 3 t's.

  No going on camera speaks volumnes in itself.

  I also did not wish to endanger anyone.

  Yes, capitalism rules there, with little to no accountability. And yes, the information they are fed is very limited and biased (worse than here).

  fyi: I have my video of the trip on website.

  www.anthonydonovan.com

  
  
• [2] Dorothy from Manhattan April 10, 2008 - 12:20PM

  When I was in China (2.5 years ago) we were told of "tofu" roads -- these are roads which have the consistency of tofu because rather than the layers of stone and concrete the roads have only a thin layer of stones and a very thin layer of concrete -- The roads, of course, collapse. There had been a bridge collapse shortly before we arrived and many people were killed. We asked what the punishment is for such practices -- we were told that it's the firing squad. We were, of course, surprised, perhaps shocked. But the firing squad was justified becuase of the widespread corruption pervading all levels of society and all areas of life -- perhaps an exaggeration, perhaps not.

  
  
• [3] smidely April 10, 2008 - 12:20PM

  "The US and UK had a chance to pollute and now China must learn its lesson."

  So when the other 50% of China turns from trees to crops to desert, as the first half has due to environmental genocide, will you open your guest room to a billion or two hungry Chinese?

  That apologist reasoning does no favor to anyone other than the Chinese who are getting rich on their neighbors' backs.

  A patriotic American should at the very least insist on buying only Chinese products that were made with the environment in mind. Our factories moved to China because of the lax law enforcement there. At least let's require their laws to match ours w regard to the products (including our food and vitamins, people!) we buy directly.

  
  
• [4] jl April 10, 2008 - 12:25PM

  It's been at least 15 years of direct "Engagement" , with this Communist country that warns foreigners not to meddle in their "internal" affairs (and uses that logic to defend its own passivity regarding Darfur, etc.).

  Wouldn't this be the moment to revisit the "Engagement" vs. "Isolation" reasoning to see if it works??

  If not now, then when will this experiment in passive democratizing be assessed?

  
  
• [5] chestinee from Midtown April 10, 2008 - 12:26PM

  I have European colleagues who still think the USA is like the "far west" and feel investment here is too risky - "they'll take your shirt!"

  And we have (officially sanctioned!!) poisons permeating our food chain - you have to really do your homework to find clean food. (not grown in sludge, not grown in a sea of petrochemicals, etc.)