Hong Kong protesters can learn from the myth of Icarus when to call it quits

I recently chanced upon a variety show aired on China Central Television in which all the youth both on stage and in the audience were all having a ball of a time with music – singing, doing acrobatics and dancing. The finale song encouraged young people to live life to the fullest. It sounded like a timely message for our Hong Kong youngsters.

Our young protesters should know that the fountain of youth has a short expiry date. They should enjoy their youth while it lasts.

Unfortunately our youngsters have been dragged into dirty politics and are now pulling in innocent secondary school students. I urge the youth to calm down and instead let adults take on this responsibility.

In Greek mythology, Daedalus created wings made of feathers glued together with wax for his son Icarus to escape from Crete, warning him not to fly too high or the sun would melt the wax. Unfortunately, Icarus, exhilarated by flight, disobeyed his father and as he flew higher, the wax melted. He fell into the ocean and drowned.

Our youth have also achieved the zenith of their protest and the world has heard them loud and clear. If they go any further, they will take us all down with them. Their movement has already caused economic and infrastructural damage across the board, hurting people from all walks of life in Hong Kong, except for the highly paid administrators who have nothing to lose.

I hope our youth will study hard, play hard and take control of their lives.

Nalini Daswani, Tsim Sha Tsui

Young protesters know well the price they must pay

Your correspondent, Mr John Charleston, must be living a nice cushioned village life while he sneers and relives his childhood memories of playing Ring a Ring o’ Roses (“Li Ka-shing’s latest appeal only adds to protest farce”, September 15).

Fortunately, Mr Li Ka-shing has a more in-depth understanding and knows the fault lies with an incompetent and unfeeling government, much like the British government which handed the “ceded territory” and local people to a communist-led administration without any consultation with the victims of that decision.

The violence of the government in ignoring the wishes of so many Hongkongers and of the police, as witnessed almost daily in their brutality towards “captured” protesters and the general public caught up in their attacks, unfortunately itself breeds violence.

Recently, while I was walking in my neighbourhood, police officers appeared in full riot gear. A protester came up to me to warn me of the imminent police attack and offered me a protective mask.

The protesters know fully well the future implications for them as they fight, however unrealistically in light of a self-serving government leadership, for a freedom-loving Hong Kong. Their fight is not for those who have foreign residency and an escape route at hand.

Holding hands with their classmates and alumni in peaceful protest and solidarity, Hong Kong students display to all their understanding and maturity.

Tony Johnson, Wan Chai