China’s Secretary General Steals Christmas
ICC Note:
The timing of Liu Xiaobo’s sentencing is no coincidence.
12/27/09 China (WallStreetJournal) – Chinese leader Hu Jintao is putting Christmas to the most cynical use imaginable: jailing a prominent dissident on a day when many of the world’s media and government workers will be at home with their families. While millions of Christians are commemorating the day “grace and truth” became incarnate in Bethlehem, Liu Xiaobo will be sentenced for speaking truth to communist power. This callous exploitation of Christmas should inspire freedom-loving people, whether Christian or not, to keep Mr. Liu and his family in their thoughts over the holiday.
Why pin the title of grinch, that fictional villain who steals Christmas, on the secretary general of the Chinese Communist Party? For one thing, we know the decision on the sentencing of a dissident of Mr. Liu’s importance is made at the Politburo level. After Mr. Lei had been in detention for a year, his indictment was rushed through in early December to make a Christmas trial possible, as has been done with other dissidents. This holiday season the world should foil Mr. Hu’s plan by condemning this sham trial and calling again for Mr. Liu’s release.
