Chinese Dictatorship? Bush Is to Blame

Published in ABC
(Spain) on 20 January 2011
by Edurne Uriarte (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Patricia González Darriba. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
America is experiencing these days its particular version of the "At Your Feet, My Beloved Dictator"* campaign mounted in Spain a few days ago to welcome the Chinese vice president. It is even worse this time, since Americans have spoken and written more about it, and have shown themselves up.

Nicholas D. Kristoff did so in the organ of American liberals, The New York Times, with the American version of "blame Aznar," which in that country would be "blame Bush." In his article titled "The Rise of the Chinese Cheneys," he concludes that China's problem is similar to that of the Bush period in the United States — that is, hawks like Dick Cheney who have gained ground in domestic politics.

In other words, the American democracy and the dictatorship in China are comparable and there, like in the United States, the problem is Cheney, former vice president with Bush.

Kristoff adds that the issue of human rights is "complex." Better said, it depends. Racial segregation in the apartheid in South Africa? Well, that is complex. It depends; yes, but no.

Along the lines of Obama himself: "But China is a different system, a different culture... The United States understands human rights as a need that transcends cultures" and "a benefit for all countries."** Discrimination against black people? Well, although I understand that South Africa is a different culture, a different system, equality is a necessity and a benefit.

They would have never said that about South Africa, of course. But when related to China, human rights become a complex issue, although very useful and advisable because it brings many benefits.


*Editor's Note: "At Your Feet, My Beloved Dictator" is a previous article from the same journalist.

**Editor’s note: This quotation, while accurately translated, could not be verified.


Estados Unidos vive estos días su particular versión del A sus pies, mi querido dictador que desplegamos los españoles hace pocos días con el viceprimerministro chino. Incluso peor, pues los americanos han hablado y escrito más y se han puesto en evidencia.

Como Nicholas D. Kristoff en el órgano de la progresía americana, el New York Times. Con la versión americana de “la culpa es de Aznar” que es allí “la culpa es de Bush”. En un artículo titulado “El ascenso de los Cheneys chinos” cuya conclusión es que el problema de China es parecido al del período Bush en Estados Unidos y es que son los halcones como Dick Cheney los que han tomado el poder.

O sea, la democracia americana y la dictadura china son comparables, y allí como en Estados Unidos el problema es Cheney, el que fuera vicepresidente de Bush.

A lo que añade Kristoff que la cuestión de los derechos humanos “es compleja”. Vamos, que depende. ¿La discriminación de los negros en el apartheid sudafricano? Bueno, eso es complejo. Depende, sí, pero no.

En la línea del propio Obama: “Aunque China es un sistema diferente, una cultura diferente…Estados Unidos entiende los derechos humanos como una necesidad que trasciende culturas” y como “un beneficio para todos los países. ¿La discriminación de los negros? Bueno, aunque entiendo que Sudáfrica es una cultura diferente, un sistema diferente, la igualdad es una necesidad y un beneficio.

Jamás lo habrían dicho sobre Sudáfrica, por supuesto. Pero, con China, los derechos humanos se convierten en una cosa compleja, eso sí, muy recomendable y conveniente puesto que da muchos beneficios.
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