One day China will be free and there will be statues of him and schools teach children about Chinese people's (or peoples'...) long and painful struggle for justice and freedom from corrupt and violent CCP rule.
The sooner that day comes, the less painful it will be for everyone.
The one dramatic difference between the post-Hitler and post-Stalin societies was that one faced their collective crimes honestly and head on while the other fell back into KGB-spun jingoistic fiction.
Liu Xiaobo worked towards the first option. How long will the world tolerate the CCP leading China along the second path?
I think it's great that China learnt from the Otto Warmbier case and did such a great humanitarian gesture. Liu's family must be so happy and grateful to China!
ejinsight: Liu Xiaobo – a grim historical comparison
In a Berlin road that bears his name stands a statue of Carl von Ossietzky, who died in 1938. Before the tragic death of Liu Xiaobo he was the only Nobel Peace Prize laureate to have never personally received his award and died in a hospital while incarcerated for his opposition to the Nazi regime.
The Nazis made sure that most of the German population knew nothing about Von Ossietzky’s demise, having spent the years before his death painting him as an anti-patriotic criminal.
Germany took a while to come to terms with the Nazi legacy but a new generation of Germans knows all about Von Ossietzky and they have ensured that he is honored and that his sacrifice is appreciated.
The day will come when Liu Xiaobo will also be honored and memorialized in his own country, and because he has been such a towering figure in China’s democracy movement future generations will come to recognize their depth of gratitude to this modest man who even in his last days was denied liberty.
Meanwhile, the only part of China where Liu’s death can be openly mourned and freely discussed is in Hong Kong.
Yet, the liberty that the Hong Kong SAR still enjoys is being undermined by the very people who are charged with its defense...
Spotted on the interwebs.
https://twitter.com/hka1989/status/887665897304977408
I am not only saddened by Liu's treatment at the hands of the CCP, but also disturbed (and maybe a little frightened) about the global reaction to Liu's untimely death. All I saw were meek voices of regret coming from the EU and the US. No voices of outrage. No anger. Maybe the West realizes there is nothing they can do about China's human rights situation? They realized China is now too powerful to offend? That money and business deals comes first?
And what does that mean for HK's future? We are already seeing a sustained crackdown on the pro-democracy elements here in HK. Are the the pro-democracy activists doomed?
Long answer: Certainly!
Man, you lot are an "optimistic" bunch!
But then, I have to agree. I don't see any bright spots now for the pro-democracy movement both in HK and on the Mainland...unless the CCP somehow miraculously decides to adopt a democratic form of governance and end censorship. I suppose that is not impossible...but realistically, I think you can have a pretty good guess on how likely that will happen...