What is wrong with this picture?
A Chinese informant, quoted in a US State Dept. cable released by WikiLeaks, said: But through the Google incident and other increased controls and surveillance, like real-name registration, they [Chinas State Council Information Office] reached a conclusion: the Web is fundamentally controllable.
In context, fundamentally controllable to Chinas totalitarian government meant: We can censor Google. We can keep published articles with information uncomplimentary to our leaders off of Google.
Well, this triumphant boast about controlling the Web, obviously meant to be a confidential communication, appeared in The New York Times on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010, obviously without the permission or the foreknowledge of Chinas leadership.
Chinas braggadocio about controlling the Web slapped across the most widely read Sunday newspaper in the world is kind of like Josh McDaniels telling us about his Super Bowl future with the Denver Broncos; or like Scott McInnis telling us hes moved beyond the plagiarism charges that sunk his recent gubernatorial campaign; or like Ward Churchill telling us after his latest loss in court loss that he will return to CU to teach; or like Hitler swearing fealty to the thousand year reich before killing himself. At some point, reality catches up.
Chinas attempt to control Google, just like it controls so much else from reproductive choice to criminally negligent building codes will fail. Through many small steps, China will finally learn that totalitarianism will not stand. WikiLeaks, whatever else one might think of it, did perform a service in exposing Chinas unfounded arrogance that it can control the Web.
China is no more going to control the Web than it will control its people forever.
Copyright © 2010 by the Intermountain Jewish News
