Behold the 21st Century’s diet version of an “international incident”:
“(A) single tweet from a general manager supporting protesters in Hong Kong could threaten that relationship and affect the way the public here and abroad views the league’s intentions on social issues.
“On Friday, Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted an image – since deleted – that read ‘Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.’”
The world comes to a grinding halt over a single Tweet. A Tweet – in defense of freedom-seeking protestors in an appendage to the world’s largest Communist country.
You want an international incident? Thirty-two years ago, Ronald Reagan demanded of the half-the-planet-dominating Communist Soviet Union – standing in front of the the Wall in question:
Reagan did not subsequently apologize and delete the speech from America’s archives. He rightly, righteously stood by it – and two years later, the Wall fell.
At stake for Reagan and the planet – were the lives and freedom of literally billions of people.
At stake for the NBA? Some money a billion-plus pauper Chinese Communism victims – watch their overlords hand billionaire NBA team owners.
As previously described – a Diet International Incident.
These are the types of awfulness we get – when we sacrifice EVERYTHING on the altar of Fake “Free Trade.”
Communist China knows how feckless just about everyone on the planet is.
China’s CCTV, Tencent Pull Plug on NBA Broadcasts Over Hong Kong Row
These aren’t even regular season games. They’re exhibition games. “Preseason” games. Glorified practices.
Nevertheless – the NBA snapped to:
The NBA Chooses China’s Money Over Hong Kong’s Human Rights:
“Daryl Morey is now being forced to apologize because he… supports Democracy?”
Indeed he is. Because no sacrifice is to great – to maintain the faux veneer of Fake “Free Trade.”
When it comes to choosing between the lives and freedom of 7.4 million Hong Kong citizens – and the TV revenue generated by its exhibition games – the NBA’s choice is rapidly and readily clear.
Please keep in mind:
When NBA personnel bad mouth the United States’ government – the NBA has zero problem with it.
Ten Times LeBron James Stood Up to Donald Trump
Steph Curry Spoke Out and Burned Donald Trump
Gregg Popovich: President Trump Is ‘Soulless Coward’
Steve Kerr Doubles Down on Donald Trump Criticism
But when confronted with, you know, an actual totalitarian government….
Outspoken Warriors Coach Steve Kerr No Comments NBA’s China Controversy
Which brings us to twenty-two-years-and-still-going cartoon show South Park.
China Banned South Park After the Show Made Fun of Chinese Censorship:
“In a case of life imitating art imitating life, the Chinese government has purged all references to South Park from the country’s highly restricted internet – following an episode of the show that criticized Chinese censorship.”
A spectacular line from the episode:
“You gotta lower your ideals of freedom if you want to suck on the warm teat of China.”
Indeed you do.
South Park’s response to Communist China censoring them was…a little more testosterone-infused than was the NBA’s:
“Like the NBA, we welcome the Chinese censors into our homes and into our hearts. We too love money more than freedom and democracy. Xi doesn’t look just like Winnie the Pooh at all. Tune into our 300th episode this Wednesday at 10pm! Long live the Great Communist Party pf China! May this autumn’s sorghum harvest be bountiful! We good now China?”
Cartoonists going – where millionaire athletes and coaches and their billionaire bosses fear to tread. Because money.
But let’s not pick on just the NBA. Some far more serious industries capitulate to Communist China – with far more serious consequences.
How does Communist China purge “all references to South Park from the country’s highly restricted internet” – ??? How does Communist China make its Internet so very restrictive?
Our Big Tech companies – are more than happy to help them do it. Because money.
Apple Bans Hong Kong Protest Location App:
“Apple has rejected a crowd-sourced app that tracks the location of protesters and police in Hong Kong.
“For some, the app was seen as a way for protesters to stay safe, while others saw it as a way to evade the police.”
You know who saw it as “a way to evade the police?” The ChiComms.
The Hong Kong protestors are desperate to evade the ChiComm police – because the ChiComm police have been thumping Hong Kong protestors’ skulls. And much, MUCH worse.
But Apple happily banned the app helping the Hong Kong protestors evade their ChiComm-desired fate. Because money.
Big Tech leaves no stone unturned – if it means helping Communist China. Because money.
US Companies Help Censor the Internet in China, Too
Big Tech at large is vociferously anti-US government. While happily helping the Communist China government. Because money.
Leftist Big Tech: ‘Communist China? Heck Yes. The US Military? Heck No.’
But let’s not pick on just Big Tech – and big men with small balls.
Americans companies from all sectors of the economy – have to twist themselves into pretzels to appease Communist China. So as to be granted access to Communist China’s 1+ billion slaves. I mean “citizens.”
China’s Communists Rewrite the Rules for Foreign Businesses:
“One hammer and sickle at a time, the Communist Party is making its way deeper into everyday Chinese life – and that includes the foreign companies doing business there….
“The party is strengthening its influence – often gaining direct decision-making power – over the international firms doing business in China.”
Because money.
And if you don’t manufacture it in Communist China – Communist China makes it REALLY difficult for you to sell it in Communist China.
What Was Free About Our Trade Relationship With China Before Trump?
Short answer – absolutely nothing:
“The lopsidedness of our trade relationship is not just a function of comparative advantage. It’s a function of a Chinese policy that excludes many categories of American goods from being traded into China at all so it can build its own industries instead.
“That is partly why, even though China buys up so many dollars, it buys so few American goods….
“America’s trade relationship with China has strengthened…a (Communist) government and has put it into a position to sell strategic technology to our allies and quiet our humanitarian objections to their persecution of Muslims and to crackdowns on Hongkongers.
“Overall, I’d say this ‘free-trading relationship’ is getting quite costly. Wouldn’t you?”
Indeed I would.
ALL of this – is a lot of things. A lot of really, REALLY awful things.
What this absolutely is NOT – is actual free trade.
It is Fake “Free Trade.”
It is quite nauseating – the lengths people are going to defend this heinous hegemony.
Because money.
This first appeared in Red State.