When enemies start to resemble each other
Both sides of the political divide in Hong Kong are pursuing the same goal ruthlessly, and with the same unseemly self-righteousness
As they say, the longer you fight monsters, the more you become like one. The longer you observe the tactics used against enemies by both the pro-establishment and anti-establishment blocs in local politics, the more alike you will find them.
Ever since Ho made the remarks in September, opposition lawmakers have called for an official censure by the Legislative Council, while their allies have made numerous reports to the police against Ho for making what they claimed was a death threat.
Ho’s allies, however, have defended him, saying his remarks were taken out of context.
He has been denounced by state media, the Hong Kong government, and practically every key Beijing-friendly politician in town.
Tai has subsequently clarified that he doesn’t advocate Hong Kong independence, and that he was only discussing the possibility from a hypothetical or academic perspective. His defenders have claimed he was quoted out of context, and that even if he did advocate independence, which he didn’t, he was exercising his right of free speech and/or academic freedom.
I have watched both events on YouTube from beginning to end, so let me confess my own biases. By “kill without mercy”, I don’t think Ho meant murder, execution, extermination or assassination at all. It was clear he meant it figuratively, that is, secessionists should be punished severely, “without mercy”.
As for Tai, I think he went further than merely examining a hypothetical question on Hong Kong independence, though he didn’t actually say the city should become independent now.
But of course, when you go after an enemy, you don’t want nuances; you want sound bites. Both sides are pursuing the same goal ruthlessly, and with the same unseemly self-righteousness.
