Lee Yee: Opportunities and Advice for Joshua Wong

Opportunities and Advice for Joshua Wong

Translated by Chen-t'ang 鎮棠, written by Lee Yee
Original: http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/art/20160425/19585321 

(Joshua Wong on Demosisto's opening ceremony, from Delight Media Hong Kong)

Demosisto, established under the brand-name effect of Joshua Wong, has been bombarded by the media, pro-Beijing camp, mild pan-dems and radical localists, and we should have some reflections on such opinion. But what comes in to my mind was the speech by Andy Chui Chi-kin, the 48-year-old winner who defeated Christopher Chung in the 2015 District Council election. Chui said in the Umbrella Movement, he felt upset when he saw students protesting on the frontline for democracy, as well as the violence from the police forece. He felt that his political apathy before has caused the dire consequences now, and the buck should be on the shoulders of middle-aged people, as he felt "a strong sense of atonement". From atonement to reflection, his friends said many candidates walk over as no one contested in that constituency, so he started to challenge Chris Chung.

If Chui felt guilty for his political apathy before, then those democrats who supported "the reunification" shall feel more guilty. From the beginning of Sino-British negotiation, I opposed the handover, but from time to time, I felt uneasy when recalling that I cannot awake the public. Now, when we see youngsters stand out against the fall of Hong Kong, middle-aged and elderly people might not be able to take the bullet for the youngster, but at least do not fuel the fire. Youngsters will err, and will be naive and immature, but chances should be given to them. Shouldn't the adults feel guilty when Joshua Wong stood out against national education when he was only 14 or 15?

I can hardly criticize people who participate in political confrontation - be it mild or radical, or regardless of their errors. Because I am only writing, but not sacrificing as those participants who have stood out. Those who comment on politics should always doubt the authority, and be lenient to opposers.

Though I am lenient, I shall remind all participants - only modesty brings progress. Even if they are young, the mistakes made by Demosisto have aroused lots of critics, including promotion, setting up bank account, web domains, not to mention the "self-determination a decade later" in response to the future of Hong Kong. Joshua Wong thinks this is a PR disaster, and said the reason behind is "the requirement and standard from the public to a political party and its figures are so different from a student organisation" - meaning Scholarism was a student organization, so public's requirement and standard were lower; now Demosisto is a party, so the requirement and standard are higher now.

This is merely shifting the responsibility. In fact, Joshua Wong was impressive when he led the Anti-national-education campaign. The standard of the public was not higher, but only with the same expectation, or even lower standard would be acceptable. In fact, the performance was way worse than before. The fundamental problem is there is no foresight nor vision in the party, but rather circumventing the target as politicians do. As a "party of young people", it fails to tell the society how they want Hong Kong to be. When compared to the clarity of Edward Leung (Hong Kong Indigenous), the ambition of Andy Chan Ho-tin (Hong Kong National Party), Demosisto has showed that they are "old".

With years of social movement experience, Joshua Wong is no longer rookie. Experience and aura can be a person's capital and his liability, and the way to get rid of his liability is genuine, instead of oral, modesty. I left in the middle of the launch of Demosisto with Denise Ho and But Ming, because this is what I want them to know.

Lee Yee: The Rise of Localist and Radicals

The Rise of Localist and Radicals

Translated by Chen-t'ang 鎮棠, written by Lee Yee
Original: http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/art/20160310/19523270 

Edward Leung Tin-kei, the NT East localist candidate who supported "resistance without bottom line", garnered over 66,000 votes. This is the most important trend people should be focusing in this by-election. Leung is different from the establishment camp or the pan-dems. He has no political background, or so-called "fundamentals". After the by-election, Alvin Yeung said some people might support Leung but voted him because they do not want Holden Chow to win. There should have been more votes for Leung in this sense. As a nobody in the political circle, it shows more voters support localists and radical means when Leung got 15% votes.

Two or three years ago I have already said localization and radicalization will be the trend for democratic struggle in the future. In these years, many new discourse appeared, such as City-state Autonomy, Rewriting Constitution, "Brenter" (to return to British rule), Hong Kong Nationalism, Reform Hong Kong and so on. In the establishment, John Tsang or Jasper Tsang mentioned about local feelings or protecting local languages and culture. Holden Chow said their party's local awareness focus on not to cause further conflicts between China and Hong Kong.

The fundamental reason why localists rise is because of the HK-China integration boosted by the HKSARG. In the conflicts, all policies are sided with mainland Chinese and sacrificed the interests of Hongkongers. IVS scheme cramping Hong Kong, milk formula, mainland pregnant mothers and their children, smuggling in the North district, Northeast NT exploration are all about livelihood. White elephant projects such as Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High Speed Rail (XRL), or Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge are conducted because such projects can "bring mainland and Hong Kong closer" (not to mention such projects are contracted by Chinese companies instead of Hong Kong ones). Localists are just those who resolutely stand on Hongkongers' side amid so many HK-China conflicts. For the time being we might put other discourses aside. If one talks about "local feelings" but has no feeling about those projects that suck up Hongkongers' money and satisfy the needs of mainland China, then that is by no means "local feelings" but allegiance to China. Talking about "not causing further conflicts" but still supporting those sacrificing projects are seemingly neutral, but far from "local awareness".

The rise of localist is absolutely related with traditional pan-dems neglecting Hongkongers' interests. In so many HK-China conflicts, when Chinese interests overrode Hong Kong, we cannot see any support pan-dem "celebrities", but rather, these pan-democrats even said "localists activities are discriminating against mainlanders". When there was a bill about "putting Hongkongers first", pan-democrats even voted against or abstained, or held press conference on backfiring the stance of such bill. Pan-dem also went to UN Human Rights Committee to spread the message of "Hongkongers are discriminating against mainland Chinese". When they support what the establishment camp supported, such as condemning localist actions or vote for the white elephant projects, Hongkongers who want to defend our very own rights can no longer trust these "politicians". That was how localists rise.

In the struggle for Hong Kong interests, localists became alone in the political field and beaten up on streets. Their so-called radical acts are but struggles under oppression when compared to other countries. Alvin Yeung said more people supported localist and radical acts, so he said there should be an overhaul in pan-dem. He even praised "Leung's courage and purity are the key factors in such overhaul". Looking back and having an in-depth review is the starting point for a self-examination for pan-dems.

(Analysis for Pan-democrats: 2)