The Obama campaign just launched its Google Plus page (they're already on Facebook and Twitter), and that page is attracting an audience one would assume they did not expect: Chinese dissidents. Social media almost always have unintended consequences; in this case, serving up a reminder of just how powerful the universal human desire to speak freely truly is, and how our President inspires people all over the world.
The BBC:
Since Google+ was launched in 2011, software known informally as the Great Firewall had appeared to block it within China. [...]
On 24 and 25 February, to the consternation of American readers, every current topic on President Obama's 2012 election campaign page attracted hundreds of comments, apparently from China.
Their exact provenance cannot be verified, but the expressions contributors used were in the style of mainland China and in simplified Chinese.
A few appealed for the liberty of the civil rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who is under house arrest. [...]
But many simply voiced delight at their freedom to speak: they talked about occupying the furniture and bringing snacks and soft drinks.
A unique peek behind that Great Firewall, unfiltered by communist party censors, over the squiggly thing. A warning: the sheer joy of it is infectious.
I'd say it's a safe bet that someone in some office park in Beijing is right now furiously writing code to stop comments like these, muttering curses at the Obama campaign while they're at it.
Niky song - over the GFW!!!!We need freedom
COATTAIL WA - +Justin Reysack Maybe you cannot imagine how our internet is blocked inside the mainland China, maybe some of the internet users are so excited to gain such a website they can say something freely,hope American friends won't fed up with these...
KC Chou - Hi,I'm from China,glad to see you.
A poster from Beijing writes:
Yaolong Zhang - hello,Mr. President, I really don't like these Occupy things on Google+,... Wish u can help China become more open and free
A poster who works at China's version of PayPal:
Able C - Mr President. Please pay more attention to Chinese civil rights ,I hope that you will win the coming election.
From Shanghai:
James Fang - Dear President Obama,I'm sorry to write some irrelevant comments under your post. Due to my appreciation and trust to your country's consistent respect to human right, I left this message, to implore the government of your country to call for the freedom of the blind lawyer Chen Guangcheng in international community , thank you!
Martin Chan - Mr. President: the urge you get rid of the CCP, the liberation of the Chinese people
Lei Tang - To English-speaking people who don't understand Chinese: those who post in Chinese here are just having fun. Google plus was formerly blocked in China by the Communist Party, but now it's sometimes accessible from China. These Chinese people are just enjoying the freedom to be able to say anything they would like to say, especially the freedom to post comments on political leader's page, such as Mr. Obama.
Why there are so many Chinese. Because we can't communicate with other country people for a long time. We come here and post comments. You see, most comments have nothing.That's like you hadn't ate food for a long time. So when you can eat food now. You have no time to think it's delicious or not but eating. Because you don't know where is the next food. If you can eat anytime,that won't a problem.I hope you could understand that, my American friends.
Think about that for a second. We take all of this for granted, the right to say whatever we want, when we want, to whom we want. We get to vote for whomever we please, and when we don't like what they do, to vote for someone else. Speaking our mind on the internet isn't normally something we get giddy about. For many people all over the world, however, that's pretty close to getting something, anything, to eat after being starved. Can you even imagine that?
There are many things wrong in this country today, God alone knows, but sometimes, it's good to remember the things that are right. Those less fortunate than we are certainly do.