How To Put Cracks in Wall of China

How to put cracks in the Wall of China? It's not by kissing the stones, but by hammering them.

The uproar among those who care more for freedom than for pelf, and the expected tongue-lashing at tomorrow’s Congressional hearing, is heard in Beijing. The prostrate profiteering by U.S. hi-tech companies is heard as boot-licking "slurps".

“In Rare Briefing, China Defends Internet Controls” headlines the New York Times’ (commendation due) point-by-point rebuttal of Liu Zhengrong, who supervises Internet affairs for the information office of the Chinese State Council, or cabinet.

Why else but the U.S. uproar would the Chinese be on the defensive offensive? The pressure must be kept up.

Meanwhile, other Chinese, a group of former senior Communist party officials in China “launched a scathing attack on the country’s handling of the media and information,” their courage again belying the U.S. hi-tech executives who say they can't help but slobber after profits.

“History demonstrates that only a totalitarian system needs news censorship, out of the delusion that it can keep the public locked in ignorance.”

Rebecca MacKinnon comments about one of the letter-writers:

It's interesting to note that Li Rui, the former Mao aide, has been outspoken on many issues over the past decade, including on the Three Gorges Dam ( I actually interviewed him once). The government ignored him and made sure his voice was not heard in the media. So it's unclear whether this letter will have much political traction inside China or not…

Chinese authorities’ repression of news and information doesn’t portend much “political traction.”

Congressman Smith’s hearing does.

UPDATE:
The first ever live-blogging of a Congressional hearing tomorrow will include Rebecca MacKinnon, whose RConversation blog is invaluable to following this issue. Keep an eye on her blog tomorrow. (I was invited, but - aside from not having a financial sponsor - I would rather stay in San Diego's 80 degree sun than D.C.'s
chill and snow.)