While massacres of dissident groups are sadly nothing new or rare in China, Tiananmen Square captured the freedom loving people of the West in a way few of these incidents had before.
At a time when we thought the Cold War would stretch on forever (little did we know that Communism in Eastern Europe was in its death-throws and in just 5 months the Berlin Wall would come crashing down), we watched as a million pro-freedom protesters crowded the Square over the weeks of protests demanding more liberty. We watched as the students built the "Goddess of Democracy", a 30-foot papier-mache statue of Liberty holding the torch. We watched the bravery of one man, single-handedly holding up a column of tanks as the massacre began and the "People's" Army crushed the demonstrations by firing on the unarmed students. "Official" records put the death toll at 241. Other estimates put it closer to 10,000.
Apparently, after 30 years, the Chinese government is still disturbed at the image of "Tank Man" and tries to suppress the images to prevent its people from seeing it.
Outside of the complicated relationship the U.S. and China still has to this day, this anniversary should serve as a reminder that the struggle between freedom and tyranny is a present one. We may turn our attention to Normandy, but we should keep one eye on the Far East. China is still there, threatening its neighbors, and now using the economic might of the capitalist West to provide China the resources to do so.
At home, the Democrats threaten liberty the same way with their speech codes, intimidation of those who refuse to agree with their version of "tolerance," and going after the economic well-being of all those who would not bow to their agenda, always with their willing accomplices in the main-stream media. Through their economic policies, they would gladly tie-down the U.S. economy with their brand of "democratic-socialism," tell you which doctor you can see and what treatments you can receive through their "Medicare for All" programs, and send jobs fleeing with higher taxes that still wouldn't begin to pay for all of their programs.
Let's not in the least forget the Hollywood actors and industry leaders who seek to punish Georgians in the pocket-book by threatening to boycott our state if the LIFE Act ever takes effect. Of course, this is the same Hollywood that has celebrated Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, and Che Guevara. The same Hollywood which would rather film in a state that would allow abortion up to the very moment of birth, like New York recently passed, rather than a state that protects life. The same Hollywood that would gladly film on location in places that murder dissidents, force abortions, execute homosexuals, and suppress women's rights.
All of that is fine for Hollywood.
Those who value freedom in this nation still have tanks they must face. Maybe not real tanks made of steel, but tanks that would destroy the life, financial well-being, and reputation of anyone who would get in their way. Those who stand today are not much different than that man in China 30 years ago, who thought not of himself, but of the free China he wanted to see. The difference was he was willing to give up all he ever had and ever will be for the opportunity of freedom. We are called on to sacrifice much less.
Yours in Freedom,
