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Alex Lo

No American politician ever loses votes for bashing China and the easiest route to do that is to express support for the most vocal pan-democrats in Hong Kong.
Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio has this down to a tee.
That’s why he rolled out the red carpet for former Occupy student leader Joshua Wong Chi-fung when the latter visited Washington in late 2016 and has even nominated Wong and his protest comrades Nathan Law Kwun-chung and Alex Chow Yong-kang for the Nobel Peace Prize.
He claimed the trio were persecuted but then the city’s top court had just freed them from jail on appeal.
Joshua Wong and other Occupy leaders nominated for Nobel Peace Prize by US congressmen
Never mind our independent judiciary is perfectly capable of administering public justice; Rubio doesn’t know or care.
Here’s what I don’t get. US politicians such as Rubio say they care so much about our people, whose main problem, at least according to him, is that we don’t have full voting rights.
That seems to pale in comparison with the constant dangers America’s children face as so many have been gunned down in schools across the country.
Even after 17 people were killed and many wounded last month in a shooting rampage at a high school in Florida, the senator continued to voice his opposition to a ban on assault weapons and accept money from the National Rifle Association and other lobby groups that support his pro-gun agenda.


Rubio’s priorities are a bit twisted, to put it mildly.
I know the Second Amendment says “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”. But it didn’t say all Americans should have the right to arm themselves with AR-15 semi-automatic rifles, the weapon of choice of many mass killers, and other military-grade weapons.
‘We’re not backing down’: Florida survivors face off with politicians
It’s true America’s gun control debate and the continual slaughter of the innocent at its schools is none of my business.
But then, Hong Kong’s electoral system and “one country, two systems” is none of Rubio’s either. If he thinks he can comment on us, I think we are entitled to comment on him.
We are perfectly entitled to call attention to this guy, who has the blood of American children on his hands, while he claims to be championing our young people and our democratic rights.
Seriously Rubio, why don’t you tell Hong Kong people we should all bear arms like Americans to fight for freedom?


Beijing tells new US consul general to Hong Kong to respect city’s rule of law

New US Consul General Julie Eadeh arrives in Hong Kong after Beijing’s approval

Hong Kong to remove at least 5 opposition groups from societies register

US career diplomat Julie Eadeh tipped to be next consul general in Hong Kong

Joshua Wong

US senator off target in backing Hong Kong protest leaders

Marco Rubio of Florida claims to be championing our democratic rights but then accepts money for pro-gun groups in the wake of school shootings

Alex Lo calls out the irony of US senator Marco Rubio for his lack of action to push gun control, while championing Hong Kong’s young people and democratic rights. Photo: Reuters

Opinion

Marco Rubio of Florida claims to be championing our democratic rights but then accepts money for pro-gun groups in the wake of school shootings


Occupy Central

Gun violence in the US

My Take

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}My Take | US senator off target in backing Hong Kong protest leaders

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Marco Rubio of Florida claims to be championing our democratic rights but then accepts money for pro-gun groups in the wake of school shootings

My Take | US senator off target in backing Hong Kong protest leaders

Marco Rubio of Florida claims to be championing our democratic rights but then accepts money for pro-gun groups in the wake of school shootings