Source:
https://scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3026701/hong-kong-protesters-misguided-tactics-and-demands-democracy-may Letters
Hong Kong protesters’ misguided tactics and demands for democracy may come back to haunt the city
An anti-extradition bill protester holds a placard that reads “liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” outside the People’s Liberation Army headquarters on August 18. Photo: Reuters
Once upon a time, there was a cinema in Hong Kong called East Town Theatre. As the story goes, the ladies’ bathroom there was haunted. The apparition that would play out over and over, as described by witnesses who experienced it, goes like this: A woman would be standing in front of the sink, brushing her hair. However, instead of tidying her hair, the continuous brushing would render her hair messier and messier, to the point where the woman would eventually cut off her head to continue to brush the ever messier hair.
At this point, the witnesses would scream and dash out of the bathroom and the theatre. Needless to say, they would never return.
As I read about the protests in Hong Kong this summer, I kept seeing that East Town Theatre apparition. While that tale is only a rumour, the increasingly messy protests and civic disruption could have the same potential of scaring people off from the city that protesters and their supporters claim they love.
I grew up in Hong Kong before moving to Canada. I do not want to see Hong Kong harmed by either the protesters or the authorities. Having said that, amid the talk of freedom and democracy, protesters should be honest with the world and themselves.
No one would argue about Hongkongers’ right to freedom, but what exactly do they mean by “democracy”? If by democracy, protesters are really asking for breaking ties with China to seek independence from the communist regime, that should be spelt out as clearly as possible. If not, protesters should hunker down and seek a more sustainable way forward. Starting a meaningful dialogue with central government would be a good start, especially, as many Western leaders are now declaring, the whole world is watching.
If the protesters are fighting for the well-being of Hong Kong, throwing the baby (Hong Kong) out with the bath water will only kill all hope of a better future. Democracy is hard work. It can only be born through calm, careful and clever manoeuvring.
If Hong Kong is at the point of a major change, please pick a route that is peaceful and sustainable.
Winnie Hwo, Vancouver, Canada