Liu Xiaobo

[vicrattlehead56]

So i read that in response to jailed writer and human rights activist Liu Xiaobo being awarded the nobel prize, china is rmoving any trace of him from the internet that the chinese people can access. The people of china need to know what their government is doing, so Im think we should get everyone to post about what the chinese government is doing about Liu Xiaobo in the hopes that we can somehow get messages through to the chinese people, or at least help call the rest of the worlds attention to it. so if you feel like helping please tell everyone you know about this or post blogs whatever it is you do. thanks.

[jawstheme]

Liu Xiaobo rocks.

[ryanwilcox]

I was just reading about this. I didn't know china censored so much.

[Flaming Piranha]

I don't think that this will come as a surprise to any Chinese.

[mmmmdeath]

This just makes the story even better (sarcasm):

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39588135/ns/world_news-asiapacific

[deFobbed14yrs]

I hope they don't torture him more b/c of this.

[secretsociety92]

I don't see why China feels the need to be so secretive about a lot of stuff especially since their economy is growing at an astounding rate.

[open mind]

I don't see why China feels the need to be so secretive about a lot of stuff especially since their economy is growing at an astounding rate.

in the eyes of those who are seen as "excess humanity" economic growth is a poor salve for widespread and systemic oppression.

[Love As Arson]

I think this choice is a response to China's currency manipulation.

[open mind]

I think this choice is a response to China's currency manipulation.

they've been doing that for years, so why would they choose to strike now?........assuming the nobel committee is an economic weapon of course.

[saysmydoctor]

I think this choice is a response to China's currency manipulation.
This seems conspiracy theory-ish almost.

[Love As Arson]

I think we'd be remiss if we didn't acknowledge that the awards are not given out in a political vacuum. What has dominated the news as of late is the conflict between countries regarding currency and then one has this given out, which is then used to criticize China's human rights record; I believe Obama said something regarding how their human rights record can be forgotten in all the rhetoric of their economic growth.

[saysmydoctor]

Then by your reasoning, wouldn't the Nobel Committee's awarding of the Peace Prize to Barack Obama be a response to, perhaps, the Republican rhetoric in US politics?

Part of me wants to believe the Nobel Committee really just wants to award political activism and scientific research for what it is. You seem to be saying otherwise.

[macabre]

I think we'd be remiss if we didn't acknowledge that the awards are not given out in a political vacuum. What has dominated the news as of late is the conflict between countries regarding currency and then one has this given out, which is then used to criticize China's human rights record; I believe Obama said something regarding how their human rights record can be forgotten in all the rhetoric of their economic growth.

Just because the awards are not given out in a political vacuum does not necessarily entail that political considerations are the main determinants of that decision. Politics contributes on some level but I am skeptical of the claim that the award process primarily reflects political considerations without additional evidence to support the claim.

[Love As Arson]

Then by your reasoning, wouldn't the Nobel Committee's awarding of the Peace Prize to Barack Obama be a response to, perhaps, the Republican rhetoric in US politics?

Part of me wants to believe the Nobel Committee really just wants to award political activism and scientific research for what it is. You seem to be saying otherwise.
I do think that Barack Obama's prize was in response to the past eight years of Bush's politics.

Just because the awards are not given out in a political vacuum does not necessarily entail that political considerations are the main determinants of that decision. Politics contributes on some level but I am skeptical of the claim that the award process primarily reflects political considerations without additional evidence to support the claim.
The Nobel Committee is made up of members of the Norwegian parliament. Their considerations, it seems to me, have to be political.

[macabre]

The Nobel Committee is made up of members of the Norwegian parliament. Their considerations, it seems to me, have to be political.

I'm not denying that they may be tinged by the individual members' political inclinations but you have completely failed to establish that the selection process is primarily driven by political concerns. At the very least, you have to demonstrate that the selection of the Nobel Peace Prize winner is consistently used to further a specific political aim. Otherwise, this is pure speculation on your part. I'm not saying you may not be correct, I just tend to be skeptical when anyone claims that elite behavior is simply motivated by one concern, namely economic self-interest, when it is known that human behavior is much more complex. Being a political elite does not preclude one from evaluating a candidate in a non-political manner, such as on the basis of merit.

[Gaston]

fuck china long live liu xiaobo

[Love As Arson]

I'm not denying that they may be tinged by the individual members' political inclinations but you have completely failed to establish that the selection process is primarily driven by political concerns. At the very least, you have to demonstrate that the selection of the Nobel Peace Prize winner is consistently used to further a specific political aim. Otherwise, this is pure speculation on your part. I'm not saying you may not be correct, I just tend to be skeptical when anyone claims that elite behavior is simply motivated by one concern, namely economic self-interest, when it is known that human behavior is much more complex. Being a political elite does not preclude one from evaluating a candidate in a non-political manner, such as on the basis of merit.
I think one can point to Al Gore's selection as motivated by political aims, namely a desire to demonstrate a definitive break with the Bush-era policies near the election cycle. Further, what I mean when I say that the prize doesn't exist in a political vacuum is, there are complex issues that must be taken into consideration and the elite are not immune to it. The basis on which they analyze those complexities and interpret them is defined by their relation to the world and the positions they occupy.