China – The Dragon Is Waking
Club member Tom Brighton was on hand today to share some of his experiences and observations on China, where he and his wife Linda spent a year on a humanitarian mission for LDS Charities. The People’s Republic of China is the most populous country in the world, with a population of over 1.35 billion, and is the oldest continuing culture on Earth. Currently there are two couples in China, doing work for LDS Charities.
In order to be granted entry into China, the church had to have an approved organization host their representatives. Tom and Linda were hosted by the China Women’s Federation. As a condition of their visas, they taught English 3 days each week. As part of their efforts with LDS Charities, they provided 20,000 books to a migrant school and delivered wheelchairs to disabled persons, among other things. The Chinese government requires all labels be removed from donations, so no one can identify the donors. The wheelchairs that were distributed had “LDS Charities” embroidered into the fabric, making it impossible to remove. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Tom and Linda were accepted as volunteers during the summer Olympics at Beijing in 2008.
Having shared some of the positive experiences during their visit, Tom went on to share some facts and observations that were chilling. Since the formation of the People’s Republic under Chairman Mao in 1949, China’s record on human rights has been alarming. During the “Great Leap Forward” in the late 1950s, which was intended to bring economic and social reform, more than 40 million Chinese died, most from starvation. China’s one-party system gives complete control of the media to the government.
The government uses that authority to control the flow of information and education. For example, what we know as the Korean War is known in China as “the War of American Aggression.” Most citizens have no idea what happened in Tiananmen Square in 1989, when pro-democracy protests were put down by the Chinese military. In 1999 leaders of a religious group called Falun Gong organized a rally in the capital city, requesting legal recognition. Within a few months, 6,000 of the group’s leaders disappeared. Coincidentally, 1999 was the year that China became a leader in organ transfers.
China is resource-poor, with major environmental issues. Air pollution is a problem, and there are problems with water quality and quantity. China has a one-child per family policy in an attempt at population control. Loyalty is instilled to be to the government first. No outside organizations are allowed. There are no intellectual property rights; piracy is rampant. They do have free elections, however there is never more than one candidate in the running.
Tom’s presentation may not have been as hopeful and uplifting as what we may have come to expect at Rotary. The first question in the four-way test is “Is it the truth?” Not all truths are pleasing. Tom’s talk today gave us all some truths to think about, and sparked some conversations.
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