<story><title>In Hong Kong, one protester pulls off his mask and defines a movement</title><url>https://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-hong-kong-unmasked-protester-identity-dissent-20190706-story.html</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>bkohlmann</author><text>I’ve been thinking about this man all night. He, alone among his peers, took an action with foreseeable and negative personal consequences. Whether spontaneous or planned, he made a choice that may well define the rest of his life, for good or ill.&lt;p&gt;I took the time to reflect on my own weekend, celebrating America’s independence against different totalitarian rule. I spent it with family, safe, free, and relaxed. I couldn’t help but wonder if i would have the fortitude of this man, even basking in the freedoms I now, blithely, take for granted. Base rates for humans show that amidst totalitarian regimes, most choose silence and going with the flow. While i like to imagine otherwise, I am a product of my culture - and self-protective.&lt;p&gt;Yet, this man, on one evening, said “here I am. And this is who I am.”&lt;p&gt;Knowing nothing else about him, he is a hero.</text></comment>
<story><title>In Hong Kong, one protester pulls off his mask and defines a movement</title><url>https://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-hong-kong-unmasked-protester-identity-dissent-20190706-story.html</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>git-pull</author><text>It&amp;#x27;s hard to draw broad strokes about this. But I really really deeply like HK.&lt;p&gt;One thing about Hong Kong that&amp;#x27;s a lot to take in is how western-friendly the culture is. I think there was a western news channel playing while I was on the MTR last time.&lt;p&gt;I am guessing some may find the rallies annoying. They may view them as hooligans, but even the cynical still are happy with HK being HK.&lt;p&gt;To understand more about HK system of government, check out the basic law: &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.basiclaw.gov.hk&amp;#x2F;en&amp;#x2F;facts&amp;#x2F;index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.basiclaw.gov.hk&amp;#x2F;en&amp;#x2F;facts&amp;#x2F;index.html&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.basiclaw.gov.hk&amp;#x2F;en&amp;#x2F;basiclawtext&amp;#x2F;index.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.basiclaw.gov.hk&amp;#x2F;en&amp;#x2F;basiclawtext&amp;#x2F;index.html&lt;/a&gt;. This effectively serves as the constitution of HK.&lt;p&gt;And it&amp;#x27;s a weird thing: Because it&amp;#x27;s effectively a client state constitution. heh. They have their own judiciary, they have their own case law, but the people of HK cannot amend their constitution.&lt;p&gt;P.S. I haven&amp;#x27;t read the latest part of the extradition law they&amp;#x27;re trying to pass (anyone have it?)</text></comment>