This is literally my parents. They told me to stop criticizing the people in power, even going as far as saying I shouldn’t criticize the government of my former country. I don’t even have citizenship in my former country anymore, not sure how I could even get in trouble for criticizing is effecively a foreign country to me. (I’m talking about PRC btw).
My mom told me to “just focus on improving your own life and stop worrying about things like you can’t control like politics” (as in, both the politics of my former country and the politics of my current country)
Am I in the wrong here? Should I just keep quiet and not say anything so that I don’t “get in trouble”?
It’s hard to say without knowing what country you’re in now. PRC is an undemocratic system to be embraced, escaped, or endured, but so are PRK, Iran, and a bunch others
OTOH, Canada or the USA were designed on the assumption that you’d agitate for the form of government. If you’re in either one, especially if you’re a citizen, you should definitely argue for the government you want.
The rest of the world is an interesting mix of “started undemocratic, embraced democracy” to “started democratic, embraced autocracy.”
It’s hard to say without knowing what country you’re in now.
I didn’t want to say because I’m not sure if this violates rule 6 of this community, but I’m currently in the USA as a Derivative Citizen from my mother’s Naturalization when I was under 18, which make me automatically a US Citizen. My father and my grandmother (who lives with us, in the USA) are PRC Citizens with legal US permanent residency.
But, to the Mods: This question is aimed at the general audience around the world, so it’s not intended to be “US Politics”.
I’m guessing maybe my mother didn’t want my father and other relatives in China to get in trouble? 🤔
But I don’t think they are looking at some anonymous Lemmy account, right?
My father and my grandmother (who lives with us, in the USA) are PRC Citizens with legal US permanent residency.
“Permanent” residency just means there is not currently a specific intent to revoke their status. It does not mean that they are immune from the immigration witch-hunt currently sweeping the US. More than a few “permanent residents” have been deported, most for simply pissing off someone empowered to use deportation in retaliation.
But I don’t think they are looking at some anonymous Lemmy account, right?
Your account is currently “anonymous”. But everything you post is online, and documented forever. What happens 6 months down the road, when your anonymity is pierced, and your name is permanently tied to your past acts? Have you said or done anything that would lead the head narcissist-in-charge to think you don’t like him?
My advice would be to focus your activist energy on long-term, local issues. Lobby for public transportation, school funding, homeless shelters, victim assistance, bike paths, free clinics, legal aid, Habitat for Humanity, or any of a thousand other worthy causes with broad, positive effects for the community. You don’t have to keep your head down, just stick it out where it will do the most good. We don’t need more evidence of the current regime’s malfeasance; we do need good people focused on what happens after they are out of office.
If there’re family in the PRC, they could certainly be on the hook if you’re spotted at events Beijing deems sensitive (things to do with Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet, the '89 Massacres, 66-77, etc.)
I’d also reckon that your family grew up either with direct experience of, or in the spectre of, the Cultural Revolution. The psychic damage of that can not be understated.
It’ s also that the social contract in China is very different to that of the US and Anglophone/European culture countries.
There are valid, logical, reasons for your family’s point of view. But it is also a viewpoint that is willing to tolerate a bad society in order for an adequate life personally.
There’s very little upside to attending a protest in the PRC, and a huge downside (cfr. 1986). The calculation is different in the US, obviously, although Trump is potentially changing this as well. They’re just using their past experience and they’re trying to keep you safe.
You just need to make a decision for yourself, are you willing to go to a protest now, potentially be imprisoned, deported to China, or do you just focus on getting a job and hoping it blows over. In a lot of ways it’s a prisoner’s dilemma: if you’re only a small group protesting, you’ll be crushed and nothing will change. If everyone’s protesting and organising some kind of resistance that can’t be ignored, you can win. The tricky part is making everyone come to the same conclusion at the same time to maximise chances of success.
You have to do you, OP, and accept potential consequences, good, bad, neutral. You may want to sit with that for a while before deciding.
I’m talking about PRC btw
Oh… OH
Their advice is good in this very specific context as the PRC is a bit… special, see other comments. They don’t limit their reach to just Chinese citizens either, my interpretation of what has happened in Canada with the secret police stations is that they might consider all ethnically Chinese people fair game
For most instances though, methinks valid constructive criticisms toward the government is a good way to keep democracy going, and unfortunately this process sometimes involve protesting. I can’t make decisions for others when a social cause is more important than their own safety, but to each their own at that point so…
I guess this means your parents are from China too? If yes, then they grew up in a country were demonstrating against the government gets you rolled over by tanks. They have been taught that politics is not something for the people, the party takes care of it for them and they should just focus on being good hard working citizens. So, I would think their behavior is a mix of fearing for your life, which they value way more than politics, and an ingrained lack of faith in the people being able to change politics.
Consider this bias and make your personal choice, especially if you’re legally an adult.It’s tough because police in the US are becoming increasingly militarized and aggressive, even colleges have been tyrannical lately. Criticism of the regime is becoming risky and I can understand not wanting your kids hurt …….
But we still have free speech where I live (and we’re white, non-immigrant). Major politicians joined the protests, so I’m not too concerned. I told them that standing up for what is right is a good thing, however you have to accept the risk getting in trouble for it. In case that happens, I’ll be there for you.
Unfortunately I couldn’t persuade either of my teens to go and I was out of town. Even more annoying I have a prior commitment for the upcoming protest so we’ll probably miss that too
My concept of patriotism is a duty to criticize your country, so it can improve. Admittedly I say that from privilege and low risk
I think it’s important to stand up for what you believe in, but be aware of the dangers. Your parents probably tell you to keep your head down because their top priority is your safety
Keeping your head down just ensures they come for you a little later.
I definitely disagree. I just took my son to a protest last weekend. He is 12. I thought it was important for him to understand civic responsibility.
Are you the person who was born in China then moved while super young to the US? If I remember correctly a few posts back you were arguing for not watching to upset either country for your parents exact reasoning. It’s not hard to understand your immigrant family wanting to play it safe :)
If you’re and your family are US citizens and rarely travel to China there would be few repercussions from critique but what do you hope to achieve other than getting yourself onto a list?
For America, if you all are all full US citizens than you’re safer if you’re not. If anyone is not a citizen even a green card holder you should shut up yesterday.
Am I in the wrong here? Should I just keep quiet and not say anything so that I don’t “get in trouble”?
No. Openly communicating (constructive) criticism is essential for improvement. As is protesting if matters are severe.
My mom told me to “just focus on improving your own life and stop worrying about things like you can’t control like politics” (as in, both the politics of my former country and the politics of my current country)
You can do both. A little personal life improvement here and a little societal improvement there.
Make no mistake, you’re probably just a drop of water in an ocean. But: speaking about what matters to you, going to vote (if possible), engaging in shaping the society, just mere talking to others about stuff can already change so much. It can change minds or at least give incentives to think about. More importantly, it can connect you to other drops in the ocean, until you form a cup of water. Maybe a barrel next. And who knows, maybe one day enough to roll over the land like tsunami. Preferrably not deadly though. ;)
Keep fighting. Keep engaging. If we keep quiet and do nothing, we will let rule those, who know how to use this passivity to their advantage.
Only dead fish go with the flow.
Just sit quietly until they come for you. That is what I can hear those parents saying.
Seeing that the PRC has secret, illegal police in the US, are known to go after Chinese in the US, coupled with the US not being a country of laws…well, you do you. Just don’t do it in ignorance.
Well, Fuck…
Is there any EU citizen willing to do marriage? (for the immigration visa 👀)
/s I’m kidding, nobody even likes me lol
LOL, you and me both. I’m too old to make any radical changes, but I’ve encouraged my kid to finish a University degree that will get him a job outside of the country. I think if I married for emmigration purposes, I’d end up in Hungry or something. Out of the pan and into the fire.
There are secret police here as well
Source?
https://m.hvg.hu/itthon/20221101_kinai_rendorors_budapest
though it can be questionable if this place can be considered the EU…
Oh!
I thought you were saying the EU had secret police XD
Im tired brain broke
No worries either way, asking for a source is always a good idea :)
Schindler didn’t criticize the people in power and it helped him save many lives.
Being effective is more important than being performative.
As a white cis-man with many friends who are vulnerable minorities, this is a serious concern for me. I don’t use social media, all my political criticisms are here or some other anonymous format (“anonymous” is relative, but at least there’s nothing subversive directly connected to my name). I could engage in overt civil disobedience, but if I keep my head down and blend in I have the means to shelter people if things really start escalating.
With ICE targeting protests, it makes sense.
don’t listen to them if it conflicts with what you feel is necessary, listen to your heart
you have to live with your self
edit: if you don’t have a western nickname/alias that you go by in public, you should probably pick one up. find groups to protest with that are more westerns and avoid people with strong ties back to your parents homeland
We’re always fighting the last war. Take their input seriously but also understand that the world you live in is different from the one they grew up in. They’re trying to teach you how to stay safe under a dictatorship, they don’t want your life to be ruined because you got mad about a thing once in college.
This , people who criticise govenrment in a dictator led country dissapear , lose job opportunities , are suicided by 2 gunshots to the back of th head etc
Sort of like how the CIA tried to blackmail MLK into suicide and then had him killed when he refused to back down?
How many non-capitalist countries has the US bombed, overthrown through black ops, sanctioned or embargoed?
The US is every bit as bad fascist Russia, but Americans are so brainwashed that they refuse to see it. Even if you tell Americans about how the US infected black men with syphilis and forbid the doctors from treating it, Americans will just bury their head in the sand
Agree , america bad … but noone mentioned anything about america before u did , we’re talking 3rd world dictatorsh… ohhhhh waiiiit
Two powerful countries doesn’t like peoole like me and we got a commenter (the person you replied to) debating which is worse 🙄
Mate , i live in a third world shithole where our thinly veiled dictator does as he pleases … if you live west of the Gdansk/Thessaloniki line please chill out , you have more rights than any of us here
Yeah you shit out that angy whataboutism
Show that western pig who’s boss!
