As for the people who curse out corruption… those are usually the same ones that proclaim themselves patriots for doing so.

Absolutely. And I suspect it’s an analogy authored by the state, similar to the trite example offered about Taiwan as a runaway child.

Call me crazy, I think children have the right to not be abused by their parents. Yes, their parents have given them a lot, just like in the future they will give their own children a lot. Suffering abuse is not repayment for one’s debt to one’s parents. That debt is repaid only indirectly, through raising our own children well. That’s how I see it, anyway.

The guy (and the site) self-identify as fenqing, so labeling them that seems perfectly legitimate to me, especially since it’s important for people to understand the context of this essay in terms of the Chinese internet as a whole. It’s not coming from some newspaper, it’s coming from fenqing.net.

I do admire your dedication to being offended by that term, though.

But Fenqing term carries negative connotations even in China. = =

I came from Haohao report and this is the description: “In honor of national day, a fenqing take on what it means to be a patriot”.

What I disagree with in the post is:

1) The idea that China is faced with lots of “foreign invaders.” China shares a border with 14 countries. In contrast, the United States, while roughly the same size as China, is in the enviable position of only having two neighbors, both of which are relatively good friends. The P.R.C. will always have border disputes. But that doesn’t mean China is under siege. In fact, countries like Vietnam are clearly more worried about China than China is of them. A misplaced “siege mentality” is dangerous.

2) The analogy of the government with the author’s “mother” is sentimental and paralyzing. What if the state is just a tool, like a plough? Can’t we replace it when it doesn’t work as well as we’d like it to work, regardless of its previous contributions? Or can’t we bend it into shape? Or what if the state is a horse? Shouldn’t we then treat it nice (give it hay and stuff) but not let it decide the direction we ride?

Anyway…