Awaiting a Democratic Hong Kong.
This is the follow up post to : My Disappearing City and What I am really afraid of.
Interview done. I rambled a little bit, maybe not always expressed myself as well as I could. Felt really nervous but in general got my point across and was able to integrated the message of democracy, freedom of expression and how important they are in each of the questions.
And all the things I was frightened about last night seemed like nothing. Maybe if I sat at a dinner table and said, “I am afraid Hong Kong as we know it might go away. And if we don’t fight for and protect our rights of free speech and press freedom none of it will remain,” seems rather lofty rhetoric. In front of a rolling camera, it came about incredibly sane.
As I was going through the experience it struck me this change has everything to do with the context of the interview and the authority of the media. For there is an assumption that those in front of the camera has a level of authority because it is being recorded. Because that person is being asked, there is a reason they are there. Therefore even when I sit imploring “young people,” that they should speak up, that they should feel strongly about these issues, that they should do their part in the democratic movement in multiple channels as much as possible, it doesn’t come off arrogant as I feared, but maybe understandable instead.
Somehow through recording and broadcast technology the image of me transforms from a normal person who is like everyone else, to someone who for a moment have something worth listening to.
Which is great for me in this context, but struck home why we need freedom of press more than ever because the moment that goes away and the only channel of mass broadcast becomes government or agenda ridden corporate owned then who gets to be transformed, who gets to be listened to, who becomes the authority will be mediated to tell only one story. Someone like me, or others who has an alternative take on things, or a non sanctioned take on things will simply become silenced, removed, non-existent.
And we really cannot afford to let this happen.
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The show is called “Discussion Point,” on Cable News One. Thursday 28th 2005, at 7pm Hong Kong time and repeated again at 9pm and 11pm.
Yan Sham-Shackleton Online 
I’m glad you said that. Time and again, the reason i interview people is because we all have something to say that needs to be added to the mix.
And I would also like to say, in working with the government, or actually, having to work to find out things from the government, virtually all the “information officers” i deal with seem to approach the press as a tool.
say this, they suggest. just say this. and when I don’t, when i challenge that, or write an article that challenges their assertions with real facts, they get mad.
freedom of the press is also about challenges, which some may see as arrogant. in fact, like you say, they are not arrogant. it’s an opinion. it’s “other” evidence. It makes the diversity. i love that so much.
congratulations.
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You are brave in doing what u have since u came back fom HK. Not many people are like you, so strong and determined and faithful in what u believe in.
U’re a role model, do u kno that?
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Wow. No I didn’t. But maybe only to you. But that is enough. Thank you.
yan
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No, to more than one Yan,
My daughter is 9 and my son 11. We live in NYC but spent several years in Taiwan where they learned to think about different governments. I am having them read your site ccasionally, so we can talk about governments.
The best part is they can see that a young person (ok from my perspective, if not theirs)can have strong convictions and make a difference.
Thank you, Ted
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congratulations on the interview! That’s very cool actually, glad it went well…first it was blogging, then some very fashionable T-Shirts, now TV interviews, next thing you know you’ll be on CNN or something! 🙂
seriously though it’s great what you are doing in your own way.
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Hi Mike.
Glutter has gone far hasn’t it??? 🙂
I hope to be on CNN one day. Not because I want to be on CNN. But it means whatever I am working on is getting international attention.
I long made it a policy to only ever agree to interviews that has something to do with Internet Censorship or Democratic Movement in Hong Kong or anything with a political element on it because it means more press for those causes. It means that those things are being discussed on CNN or whereever which is only a good thing. I won’t talk about myself or anything just for the fact (like Just glutter or whatever) coz it does nothing. I tend to do those as “Anonamous” “31 year old woman who refuses to be indentified” or “Sources Say.”
I always like “Sources Say.” best.
Coz somehow I am a source of something, to which I never know.
And Ted. I am finally at the age where I am HAPPY to be called “Young,” hee Hee.
(Hello Ted’s Kiddies!!)
Thank you.
Yan
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Actually, I did agree to blab something about the “best top Hong Kong movies” for a friend. But it doesn’t count coz I wasn’t talking about myself/glutter/whatever. I was talking Steven Chow’s “Kung Fu,” and how it shows his true genius and is so genre bending and brilliant that it defys words. Has anyone seen it? It’s Brilliant!!!! I think it’s being released world wide right now.
y
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