I agree with some of your perspectives, but sorry I have to agree with the criticism here. Your opine on this is really disgustingly nationalist. I, too, know to an extent people who were in Taiwan in the 1970s and onwards, those who organize protests in Hong Kong (including those who have just finished jail terms for the same), etc. Unfortunately, that doesn't change reality. It just informs on one past reality.
Also, for someone who constantly adds links to the Albert Einstein institute... something established after he died, I wonder how you reconcile your US nationalist, anti-Snowden views with my favourite Einstein quote: Nationalism is an infantile disease; the measles of mankind?
As long as we're all firmly in the "the problems are global" camp - as per the UN Human Rights commissioner's comments - can't we just agree to drop the ridiculous hat tips to nationalism already?
I'd be happy to see a people power democracy movement bring freedom to people in any country. Freedom belongs to everyone. But a hard-headed realist about winning freedom for people everywhere from all of humanity will recognize that some national regimes today are more harmful to the cause of spreading freedom than others.
Err, "the cause of spreading freedom"? Forgive me if I'm lax in my 'meri-rhetoric, but isn't that the same one where we're either with you or against you? Doesn't seem to have turned out so well for recent victims of assistance, now does it? (Iraq, Afghanistan...)
Also, for someone who constantly adds links to the Albert Einstein institute... something established after he died, I wonder how you reconcile your US nationalist, anti-Snowden views with my favourite Einstein quote: Nationalism is an infantile disease; the measles of mankind?
As long as we're all firmly in the "the problems are global" camp - as per the UN Human Rights commissioner's comments - can't we just agree to drop the ridiculous hat tips to nationalism already?