If democracy is dead in Hong Kong, blame no one but the democrats

Once upon a time, in a city of seven million people, some activists, who called themselves democrats, kidnapped Democracy. She was dying a slow death.

In the old days, the forerunners of democracy were rational fighters for social justice, who commanded the citizens' respect.

The so-called democrats considered it their mission to oppose any government policies. They resorted to all sorts of destructive measures employed in other developing countries; violated order and discipline in and outside the legislature; and claimed this was 'freedom' and democracy.

They condemned the undemocratic elections of legislators and the chief executive of the city as laid down by its mini-constitution - the Basic Law. But they vowed to be defenders of the 'rule of law'.

They used the filibuster to block the passage of a bill designed to plug the loophole of unnecessary by-elections. They put on meaningless debates lasting days and nights, and ignored the rights of others. And they called it the exercise of 'human rights'.

Democracy sighed.

For years, the democrats bombarded the incumbent administration for its procrastination, calling it 'a lame-duck government'. When a new incoming government wanted to restructure the administrative mechanism, they tried once again to abort its attempt.