We can't adjust our principles to every twitch of a big-money dictatorship somewhere in the world.
And why do U.S. entertainment companies need to expand globally? Isn't a market of 329 million people enough for economic viability? Compulsive, unrestrained growth is a loser move, because it will inevitably crash into Malthusian limits, leaving the Earth and humanity in worse condition than before.
NBA, you are playing this one wrong. Walk away from China...and see just how quickly the fans return.
It has nothing to do with nationalism, everything to do with status. Why isn’t homegrown basketball more popular in China? Because it doesn’t generate the global star power of the NBA. Do the Chinese love the game? Maybe…but it’s the glow, the bling, the big salaries, and big lifestyles that are the real attraction.
Everyone will benefit: Free speech for your players, support for Hong Kong’s plight, and in a few short weeks, NBA back in business on the mainland, with happy Chinese fans able to bask once again in the reflected status of their favorite teams.
Ever hear of the concept of “face”? (Not as “in your face,” but as dignity, prestige, etc.) Study up, NBA commissioner. You’ve managed to lose it on both sides of the Pacific.
Well, Superstar LeBron James is pretty political, from what I understand -- what did LeBron have to say when you asked him for his opinion on China's suppression of Free Speech, a Human Right?
You guys did ask the Superstar, right?
3
We only see Chinese Mainlanders proudly singing the anthem and waving the red flags because dissidents are silenced and purged. Will Jack Ma, Pony Ma and Liu Chuanzhi step down from their giant companies they built with their own sweat—if they had a choice? Personal power and popularity made successful entrepreneurs in China targets of the Communist Party. Regular citizens know the consequence of free speech. No one dare to challenge the government because the blacklisted are denied welfare, healthcare, employment, school admission, even rights to buy train tickets under the massive social credit system.
Why do China need billions of surveillance cameras to monitor the people? Because of Xi Jinping’s hideous fear of rebellion. Look closer, millions of ethnic minorities are kept in indoctrination camps. The children in Hong Kong are using their bodies to take the bullets from fighting to preserve their identity and freedoms. They are not threatening the sovereignty. Hong Kongers just want to have a fair election system and keep their way of live they have enjoyed for 150 years under the British rule. Instead of serving the people's interests, HK police was given draconian power to terrorize the people. Now, this authoritarian regime is starting to silence and punish Americans using their carrots and sticks economic might. Soon enough, if we continue to bow down, China's aggression will make 1984 a reality.
6
Once you watched LeBron James shoot into the hoop, you will never want anyone to block you from that— and that’s freedom. Why does your government ban you from having what you want? Why do you let your government do that to you? These are hard questions Hong Kong youth ask themselves when China imposed the extradition law that could destroy Hong Kong’s autonomy and way of life.
You were once allowed access to uncensored news, shows, and all kinds of streaming. When your government took that from you, do you miss it? Do you know you are missing out the beautiful truth and all the fun? Do you know you are robbed the power to information that youth around the world have? Do you know you are missing out knowledge that would make you smarter and be able to level up with other youth from the free world? The bottom line is: In order for you to make a difference in the world, you should know that the world is very friendly with China. Countries around the world have been helping China lift Chinese out of poverty. Party officials smear the west because they are afraid of losing control of you, why there are billions of surveillance cameras with facial recognition ability. Beijing is afraid that Chinese young people care about watching basketball more than Xi Jinping’s thoughts— and soon enough, they will discover all the humanitarian crimes this authoritarian regime has committed for the last 70 years.
5
Hong Kongers are not separatists. They want fair elections, each citizen a vote on the government officials that serve them. Instead of addressing their outcries to preserve their rights, local police are given draconian power to terrorize them— turning Hong Kong into a police state. Besides violently bullying citizens with teargas, bullets, flogging and verbal attacking them as “cockroaches”, detained women were sexually assaulted. The anger escalated since police allowed a gang of vicious thugs beating protesters and regular passengers inside an MTR station on July 21.
The world support Hong Kongers not because people condone violence or want to undermine China’s sovereignty. People are informed that Hong Kong’s autonomy is guaranteed by the Sino-British Treaty and Den Xiaoping’s “One China. Two System.” principal. Hong Kong is a free port, an international hub, where countries around the world are free to invest and do business.
Sadly, access to the truth is banned in Mainland China. State media and propaganda machine work hard to brand Hong Kongers as radical rioters, so Mainlanders don’t understand why Hong Kongers are getting global support.
The truth is: Mainlanders love freedoms too. If China bans NBA and foreign products and return to isolation, Mainlanders would revolt too. Mainland youth would fight even harder than Hong Kongers. Billions of surveillance cameras that come with state-of-the-art facial recognition capability reflects Beijing’s deepest fear.
2
Political reform is necessary for China. Xi Jinping needs to be fair to the world. It’s time for Chinese to appreciate how hard the world has helped lift Chinese people out of poverty since Deng Xiaoping’s economic reform. Look at all the foreign investment in China. USD 89 billion of foreign direct investment is huge! To ask Chinese to brand foreigners as bullies is simply unfair. Chinese being told to renounce western values and boycott foreign products will hurt Chinese in a long run. Soon enough, China will return to isolation from the world and back to Maoism, with people barred from traveling and products from the free world or anything that would bring them joy of living. Because the free world will not tolerate China’s arrogance forever.
More than ever, Chinese should speak up. Chinese citizens deserve to have a government that would bring them friendship and collaboration with the world, that will ensure their happiness— instead of silencing them from being global citizens that stand up for human rights.
2
The NBA should just stick to its policy and let it play out. If that means losing the China market - so be it. There's still enough money in the rest of NBA's world. China is the loser as their league isn't even close in terms of quality.
And, certainly we should pay little attention to the Washington types that are jumping in - Cruze and AOC (and others) should find some real work for themselves.
2
The NBA has told it’s players that when it comes to China they are to “shut up and dribble”. The players have done just that. Why? When in doubt follow the money.
1
i guess the Chinese figure they would choose patriotism over NBA basketball. fair enough.
will the NBA choose freedom of speech over MONEY? so far i guess they have, but with a withdrawal of the speach by the speaker or tweeter.
1
As a Chinese who studied in the US and have access to western media coverage inside China through VPN, I feel like I have a few things to say. Over 90% of mainland Chinese do not support the protest in HK. Hong Kong protesters are alienating mainland Chinese by attacking mainland Chinese travelers, chanting anti-China slogans, asking for foreign intervention and vandalizing their own city. Due to China's history of foreign invasion and occupation, Hong Kong independence is indeed a third rail issue to all mainland Chinese, and worst, because the protestors have shown great hostility to mainland Chinese in their protest, now not just the Chinese government, but also the average mainland people, have lost confidence that they will not seek for real independence if they get universal suffrage rights. Chinese are feeling very alienated and angry that somehow the western media is siding with the HK protesters and completely dismissing or ignoring their patriotic feelings.
3
and don’t forget the large number of chinese netizens who tweeted that 911 is the best day ever and their support for al qaeda, out of freedom of speech.
4
Free speech in China? As a school kid grew up during the KMT Chiang Kai-shek era in 1930s, we were told by our teachers just paid attentions to your textbooks and never discussed anything not related to the textbook. That was in a school in Nanking, the national capital from 1928-1948. I never felt I was not allowed to speak freely. Eighty years later, there is not much change. You can speak freely about your family and how much you enjoyed the movies you watched last night. No one in China feel they are not allowed to speak freely. You can't talked about politics in public places. Talked about soccer games and basketball games are fine. You can't even criticize your teacher. No one in the classroom raised their hands to challenge their teachers. we are used to this kind of free speech. My teacher in America always asked me why I was so quiet. China never criticized about the discrimination against black Americans by white Americans. Why? There were only a small number of western missionaries in China during that period. They lived a much better and comfortable lives than most Chinese. But we do play basketball during physical education classes.
2
Basketball and the NBA is extremely popular in China. Extremely. The NBA has more leverage than folks realize in that it's a unique product with a huge following. Though this article tells us otherwise (though really, would a Chinese person really take a stand against thier government in the New York times?), young people in China would be pretty upset if they had to choose between country and basketball. I'm very interested to see how this develops.
10
There is more to China than the HK protests, nike, the NBA, pulling a flag from Apple apps. Harvesting organs from prisoners and others. https://christiannews.net/2019/10/09/china-harvesting-organs-from-prisoners-of-conscience-and-religious-minorities-tribunal-tells-u-n/
2
make no mistake, the NBA players, whom I ran into in the Shanghai Ritz Carlton, are coddled millionaires whose world view doesn't extend beyond their noses. Steph Curry doesn't know it's wrong for the military to shoot unarmed protestors? nothing has changed since Michael Jordan famously observed that Republicans buy sneakers too. so does the Chinese government it seems.
3
Chinese fans sound very much like American NFL fans. Remember the patriotic NFL fans who wrapped themselves up in Old Glory when Trump was attacking Kaepernick and players for protesting.
Kaeperniick is still out of a job.
1
Citizens of the western nations still owe the Chinese people an apology for trying to divide their country up into enclaves. They were our partners in World War II against the Japanese. Communism and Democracy place equality as a high social good. The Chinese have modernized their cities and their opportunities. The 2008 Olympics set the bar for how an Olympics should be staged. They have thousands of great business men and scholars. There children are cute, the men and women are wonderful, and they will develop electric cars to save the world from global warming.
1
I really appreciate the article. The whole China chill over free speech and free expression inside the US is new to me. But this article helps me understand why inside China, folks would feel that as "friends" we should not hurt their hearts by supporting Hong Kong protestors. I just don't want Chinese grip on media in their own country gets imported to ours. They own a lot of our debt, will they soon own us?
1
For many Chinese, this has to be an internal conflict between their feelings of "freedom of speech is good" vs. "Hong Kong is part of China -- no secession allowed." Civil liberties vs. nationalism.
2
It is pretty simple, really. When you are a guest, keep your mouth closed. But Mr Morey was not a guest, he was an American citizen at home expressing his point of view. The views of the repressive Chinese government should be irrelevant. If the rockets wish to fire Mr Morey and face the backlash and possible lawsuit, that is their right. It's called freedom, and it is at risk.
2
The communist party is to blame. Not Chinese citizens (including those interviewed for this article) and not the Hong Kong protesters— and certainly not Adam Silver or the NBA.
3
This is a very good article reporting the true feelings of many Chinese people. Most mainland Chinese don’t support the protest in Hong Kong, not just because of the one-sided report from the state media. Even for those who had opportunities to know the real situations in HK, they still don’t support the protesters. As a Chinese student living in the U.S. for almost a decade, I know exactly that the Communist Party is tightening its control of speech and freedom in China, but I am also aware that the United States is not the savior because President Trump keeps emphasizing ’America First.’ Personally, I believe that Morey has the right to tweet whatever he wants, but the Chinese also have the right to boycott, though I don’t support boycott NBA just because of a tweet. So this is an extremely complicated issue, I think no one will benefit from Morey’s tweet. It really needs big wisdom to solve the conflict.
17
@W "Needs big wisdom?" Go to the "great and unmatched wisdom" of the Great Orange Oz.
2
@W This is a bunch of bunk. Everyone that has dealt with the cold war knows exactly what is going on. The Chinese Communist party, has been using indoctrination and fear to intimidate its people for generations. But due to years of investment in China by Democratic counties, the Chinese Big Brother now has the tools to spy on, threaten and arrest the citizens of Hong Kong using the latest technology to censor news and stop free speech, as well as try to intimidate companies doing business in China. The residents of Hong Kong, know exactly whats going on, their freedom is slowing being eradicated by a fascist government intent on controlling everything the people of China do, say and think. Its right out of Orwell's 1984, only using Capitalism as the big carrot.
7
It's to the point where people are now getting ejected or having their freedoms silenced in sporting events, here in America, where they play the nation anthem before every game. It's to the point where half the Hollywood movie are now Chinese propaganda or TV shows being censored for them to air in China. Also, seem like now it's to the point where Tech companies like Apple, Google and Blizzard are either censoring their top gaming users over Hong Kong statements (blizzard) , Deleting apps that the Chinese Government hates (apple), and making a horrific version of the internet for the Chinese to monitor which Congress had to step in and stop (google).
It's gotten to the point where you have BOTH Ted Cruz and AOC signing the same letter to ask the NBA to stop all business relations with China; since it seems the NBA is willing to silence Americans now in the US to please China.
It's also disappointing to see outspoke people like Mark Cuban, Steve Kerr and other now become silent over this issue. This issue and issues they speak about should be talked out loud.
At this point maybe Warren is possibly our only hope. You have corrupt Trump who might be impeached, Creepy Biden, who touches women strangely, who legally or illegally help his son receive Billions from China while also mentioning "China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man," Biden reportedly said. "They're not bad folks, folks. But guess what? They're not competition for us." Biden pretends he's not connect
37
Was with you until the Biden stuff. I don’t think he’s the best candidate—I won’t be voting for him in the primaries—but the “creepy touching” and Hunter nonsense are propaganda.
3
If the managers of NBA teams really cared about democracy, they’d boycott the games scheduled in China.
But it’s all about the money. Like it always has been. China is one of the worst human rights violators on the planet, but at least they pay well, eh Commissioner Silver?
37
I find it interesting that Yao Ming is upset. That player made millions playing in the US plus whatever he made in endorsements. Is he afraid the government make take all that away from him? Talking about biting the hand that fed you.
29
@John Wayne
it is correct to say that it is biting the hand that fed you. Likewise it is the same as what US has fed China over 30 years by allowing them to join WTO, and turn blind eyes on the intellectual property thefts. In China it is a phase to describe this " to feed a hungry wolf and it eats you up"
1
@John Wayne -- See, they have something trump loves but what we don't (quite yet) have -- give The Donald time -- in China, they can go after your Family. As much of it as they can find.
But, let's not bother trump with any newfangled ideas. He's plenty busy, already. Oops, I think I'm getting a Tweet!
1
It's been chilling to see a quintessentially American brand like the NBA bow to the power of China. Usually outspoken coaches (Pop and Kerr) and players (LeBron) either stammer non-sense or remain silent.
China's Orwellian censorship machine has crossed its own borders and become international, wielding its sinister power INSIDE the United States of America.
This is a glimpse of the world to come.
24
Lin Wenwen blamed "The young losers in Hong Kong." for the problems between the NBA and China. What should be understood is that those young losers as well as their parents and often grandparents lived under a system and a culture formed by English jurisprudence, and a representative government that did not prohibit political thought or speech. So important was it that Hong Kong not substantially lose those freedoms that as part of the transfer of power after there were certain promises made by the Chinese Government. 20 years have passed since the transfer of power but the taste for freedom takes a lot longer to eliminate. When Mainland China decided to restrict who could run for office and nullified the candidacies of others who were nominated by their constituents to run, the first signs of protest flared up. So when a law was passed that would allow Mainland China to extradite Hong Kong resident to the Mainland for trial most Hong Kong citizens had to have thought that it wouldn't be long till all the freedoms they enjoyed would be completely eliminated in favor of a police state.
Just imagine if any government tried to eliminate our Bill of Rights. There would be an armed rebellion. It is an easy thing to give freedoms to people, it is far harder to take them away. We should be on the side of freedom no matter if Chinese citizens boycott the NBA. I know our government has not always supported freedom, but our people have and have a right to say so.
6
Chinese fans really have no choice but to tow the Party line. If the corrupt leaders in Bejing blackball the NBA, anyone who continues to support them will be labeled as someone who is going against the government, and basically that means their entire ability to live and work can be compromised. It's nonsense to poll average citizens on issues like this because they cannot speak freely. So when they say they are just being "patriotic" they mean they know they have to support the Party line. You don't know what they really think.
10
"...some big thinkers have referred to the two as “Chimerica.” Don't those big thinkers mean chimera?
If the Chinese can't stomach Morey's mild statement in support for human rights, let them run their own hoops operation without the NBA. So, a few billionaires will make a few less bucks selling shirts. That would be a catastrophe, right?.
7
The article clearly highlights how brainwashed the Chinese population is, even more than the American one. 
17
Our cultural exports come with a price- freedom of expression.
If the Chinese don’t want the whole package be it the NBA or YouTube so be it.
4
The "My country right or wrong." mentality pervades every nation and just highlights the number of boneheads existing in the world. It would seem however that under Emperor Xi's reign the "wrong" part never even gets to enter the debate and an overwhelming percent of the population is too incurious and acquiescent to ever wonder what the truth is as long as they continue to get cheap consumer goods.
2
I would like to see every American business which relies on kowtowing to the government of China to squirm like the NBA is doing. Pick a side: support freedom of expression or support autocratic repression. If you pick the latter, I will endeavor to take my business elsewhere — in this instance, to college hoops and the NHL. As much I love basketball, the NBA lockout of 1998-1999 proved to me that NBA basketball is not indispensable. The commissioner’s attempt to pick both sides of this dispute is a joke.
8
This was a nonsense article. why in the world would a person in China say anything other than how wonderful the President for Life is. Their government forces them into reeducation camps or kills them if they dare to think or protest about anything.
The people in Hong Kong are fighting for their freedoms that we take for granted here. However now that we have mini dictator Trump we are finally fighting back
If the NBA wasn't such a greedy capitalist organization they would of sent the players back home. Democracy is a full time job, China doesnt want the NBA, then leave. The NBA has more than enough money to pay there overpriced stars.
The Nets owner has so much mouth, then sell the team to an American who wants free speech. what does this owner bring to the game outside of his money and wanting to tell people what to do.
People are tired of Trump telling them how to think and China who could never have anything on the scale of the NBA we dont need your money nor your oppression of people. The technology companies grovel but the NBA better not.
4
Basketball, invented in 1891 by James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts, is America's sport. An American invented it and Americans dominated up until the 1972 Olympic Games when shoddy referring gave the USSR the win over the USA. Allowing American pros to play in the Olympic Games in 1992 signaled that the game had truly become international, as the decision to allow pros to play was because of the best player on national teams played in the NBA. As you can see, America has lost its grip on basketball in the wake of internationalism, of globalism and, now in reaction to the comments made the Rockets coach in support of the Hong Kong freedom movement, the NBA has kowtowed to the Chinese, turning over control of the game to them. China has stolen US technology, gained market advantage, and now has wrestled control of the first true American sport. In the end, Trump will prevail in restoring US hegemony over all tings China, but in the meantime, what a shame. What a terrible shame. Naismith is rolling over in his grave. Thank you.
7
@Southern Boy James Naismith was Canadian.
@Southern Boy
Why should the USA have hegemony over China? You do understand that Hong Kong is, and has always been, part of China? That the original Treaty Countries have controlled parts of China since the 1800's?
Maybe you should study China's history and put down your seditious Confederate flag.
@Southern Boy
Naismith is a dual citizen, born in Almonte, Ontario, Canada.
By birth he is Canadian. He is also a naturalized American citizen.
1
I for one am glad NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is drawing a distinction between what Morey said and his right to say it. If the CCP can't understand the difference, then so be it. To stay popular NBA needs American values more than it needs China money.
6
@AF,
All about business and being politically correct at the same time; a recipe for cowardliness. Thank you.
1
Adam Silver really should have stated the following:
1- Freedom of expression is what made the NBA product what it is. Deny this to the players, coaches, management, and ownership, and you kill the very product that China and the world loves. There are limits to the freedom of expression, especially when it comes to racism and gender inequality.
2- The NBA is an apolitical organization. It has to be. Look at the make-up of players now versus the 80s. In order for the NBA to succeed in integrating a growing body of international players and interests, the NBA shall forever be apolitical. Therefore, it has no official stand on the Chinese/Hong Kong row.
3- Therefore, the tweet made by Morey is the opinion of just one man and is not reflective of the NBA. Feel free to vilify Morey and the Houston Rockets but any anger directed toward the NBA is misplaced.
7
I don't like the players flying over to Asia, or Europe for that matter. The players that are forced to take those flights don't recover to play the next game. They are at a disadvantage for a few games and hopefully they don't get injured due to fatigue upon returning. Same thing about NFL football in London. Enough already.
3
@Steve
A flight to Europe from the East Coast is the same as a flight from the East Coast to the West Coast.
Now, a team traveling from the West Coast to Europe, yea, maybe you have something there, but there's plenty of time in the schedule to "recover" and play the game.
Would any Chinese NBA fan be stupid enough to say "Free speech is great! I still love the NBA even if they criticize Hong Kong!"
What's the point of writing an article about Chinese public opinion on a topic where the "wrong" opinion might land a person in jail?
35
Thank you Houston Rockets for your support of the Hong Kong democracy protesters. The great majority of Chinese do not want Emperor Xi to rule China for life. Winnie the Pooh must go!
19
NBA dose not need China, they have the world.
5
In China, you are loved until you aren’t.
Life in China is like a work situation where you’ve got barely enough to eat, your boss is an intellectual louse and political blowhard, yet everyone in the room appears to agree and support her or him, while concurrently knowing that many do not support them. Your hope for a real relationship is hindered because there is a significant imbalance in the number of men to women( thanks to $500 ultrasound machines from GE and Siemens). Most of China is in a desert, within 20 years they will run out of fresh water. The logic of China leadership is that if they have to purge 10,000,000 to 30,000,000 humans to stay on course, it’s a logical move, as the remaining 1.3 BILLION, will increase the harmonious growth. This is starting now, first with the Muslim’s in the North Central China -See recent activities in Xinjang, and now the events in Hong Kong. I predict the purge of Hong Kong will take roughly 6 years.
The value of life is not near the value of life in a western world.
Many “China heads” will no doubt respond to my comments, some making statements such as blah, blah, blah, and you elected Trump, and therefore are no different. in America I have the right and freedom to say the Trump is a (your thought inserted here), and we the people will deal with him in due course. If you are in China and say this about Xi they have got a re-education camp mat waiting for you with your ID number and bio type information neatly stitched in.
12
@Henrysor - I don't know the history of China. I'm vaguely aware of the "Rape of Nanking" by the Japanese Forces prior to World War II. The Chinese really have it out for the Japanese yet don't think anything of murdering millions of their own people, for example, the Chinese famine initiated by Chairman Mao, or during the Cultural Revolution, or while re-educating them in prison camps.
I'd agree with you.
3
@Henrysor
You are absolutely correct. People are cheap in China, always easy to get more. Been that way forever.
1
Free the Uighurs. Let the people of Hong Kong vote for candidates of their choosing. #BeFree
18
Don’t forget the Tibetans
5
The NBA has enough of a fan base throughout the world so that they do not need to kowtow to China. They have nothing to lose but a few billion renminbi. The Chinese have much more to lose.
The overreaction to Morey's tweet is not only a result of unrest in Hong Kong but the trade war. The Chinese are only too aware of how the world perceives them, as cheats and thieves who do not play by the rules.
China built the Great Wall to keep out invaders.
The bigger problem now is the Internet Fire Wall, designed to keep out ideas. North Korea is the one nation that censors thought even more than China.
Chinese cannot think outside of the box. Those who do wind up in jail or in exile.
The views of the Chinese expressed here are not free of propaganda, although the same could be suggested of those of us who reside in the West.
How does Mao equate support of Hong Kong with racism? In what sense is mainland China's claim to sovereignty as important as rooting out racism? The appeal to the example of Sterling is nonsense. In China, Sterling would be protected, if not by his wealth then by those with power who share his views.
Racially, the Chinese are Asian. Ethnically, they are Chinese, but even within mainland China there are many different ethnic genealogies. In terms of national identity, they are Taiwanese, Hong Kong Chinese, Singaporean, Indonesian, Malaysian.
Modernization in China has not been attended by democratization or freedom of thought.
China remains an oxymoron.
1
The Chinese citizens' responses in the article are the most interesting to me. It's pretty clear what State News does to those who consume it... we have equivalents here. The similarities
between CCTV and curated news in America are frightening...
4
LeBron James is being told to "shut up and dribble" again, but since it's by the people who manufacture his $300+ sneakers; $200+ hoodies and $100+ t-shirts, he's complying this time around. And with no cries of racism either. Fascinating isn't it.
38
@Conroy -- Perhaps.
But I don't see LeBron sitting on this fence for long. And when the man gets moving, get outta his way....
(If nothing else, think of the Shoe Sales!)
2
Somebody help me out. Joseph Tsai, owner of the Nets is Taiwanese. All I know of him, is what's online. His parents may have fled China to Taiwan and yet he sided with China nationals in this issue. I have Taiwanese friends and none of them are pro-China. If i'm on to something here, is Joseph Tsai the poster child for the label sell-out? Sorry Mr. Tsai, but your lengthy explanation should have said something about this, because to those outside, it looks like you've got nothing but $$$ on your mind.
7
The silence of NBA players is really surprising, I wonder if they will have something to say when those in China return to the US.
3
The only time the players’ pocketbooks take a backseat is when their own freedoms are threatened (and let’s face it, nowhere as life-threatening), not someone else, especially from a foreign country.
Why wouldn't Chinese citizens pick loyalty to China over their fondness for watching Lebron and others play basketball? Attending the game would damage their 'social credit score' and endanger any freedoms they have under Chinese authoritarian rule.
What kind of world do we live in when South Park is the only one showing us a profile in courage?
Shame, shame, shame on the NBA, Apple, Google etc. who put profits above all else and become handmaidens to tyranny.
5
@endurance 5
Does this include Google employees not wanting to give the US facial recognition software ...but being all for selling it to China?
Seems most libs applauded it at the time ...
1
@ron
yes
1
Ms Zhang can afford tickets to the game. It is reasonable to assume she is a member of the Chinese upper class ( perhaps the Communist Party) whose very existence is dependent on fealty to the party.
Let the “Baller Rebellion” begin.
1
Give the Chinese their “freedom”(if you can even remotely call Chinese life living in freedom. Locked down is more accurate). We will take our game back.
5
If I could decide whether we trade with China or not, my move would be away from them. Give our overseas work to the rest of SE Asia only. Cut the Chinese out entirely. Enrich our friends and starve our enemy.
15
“even longtime fans said they would choose patriotism over their love of the game.”
Yeah, because if they said anything different, they would be put in jail
32
In in the name of fair play and sportsmanship, it’d be great if the NBA scheduled some games in Hong Kong.
12
@Elliot Silberberg : I'd prefer to see them schedule games in Taiwan. But it will never happen, for the reasons we see here. Metastatic authoritarianism.
1
Why is it that those employed in the very lucrative sports and entertainment industries can't keep their mouths shut when it comes to politics? Perhaps it's because they want us to know that even though they serve at our pleasure, they have feelings and thoughts too; however inappropriate and costly they may be.
1
@Kurt Pickard "Why is it that those employed in the very lucrative sports and entertainment industries can't keep their mouths shut when it comes to politics?"
Because the NBA has been openly encouraging players, coaches and executives to speak up on issues of the day. It's a tacit marketing ploy by the league to prove itself the "wokest" of sports leagues. The fraud was exposed this week, and now the NBA knows the downside of getting involved in politics. They had it coming. Really.
5
@Kurt Pickard
Athletes don't "serve at our pleasure"--they're not slaves. You may be someone who's sad about that.
1
@Kurt Pickard Why should they be quiet? They can exercise the 1st amendment right to freedom of speech. They have a forum most of us don't. You don't like it since it offends your sense of what is right and wrong. God forbid they spoke in opposition to the 2nd amendment. Then people like you would go after them twice as hard.
The "pusher" side of the story is to get people hooked on the entertainment. From there, more flexibility exists for revealing an agenda. And let's not discount that communism ultimately collapses as does leadership who doesn't deliver. Xi has problems and, though his acolytes are numerous, there aren't enough to offset LeBron.
1
Americans need to boycott the NBA. Freedom and democracy are far more important than basketball. If we don't help defend freedom fighters, no one will be left to help us.
9
Boycott the NBA for supporting American values?! You're making no sense.
1
@Joel Gross : Commissioner Adam Silver reversed his original statements. So maybe the NBA is standing up to this minor fuss. (And it is indeed minor).
Since the Chinese RMB is more important to these corporations then freedom of speech and democracy here in the US... then maybe we shouldn't spend our American Dollars on any of this.. NBA, Apple, Blizzard video games, and all these Hollywood Chinese propaganda movies. Let their 10 percent coming from China support these industries entirely and also watch as china phases them out once they are not needed.
They might as well not start establishing the Chinese Social Credit system in the US and allow the Chinese to monitor us. This is extremely exaggeration but at what point does it get close to this and at what point the American companies start caring about American freedoms and democracy over Chinese money.
2
The NBA should support the right to free speech and not cave in to Chinese pressure. So what if Ms. Zhang and Chinese sponsors drop their support of the game? The Chinese government is an evil, repressive regime. And the league will still rake in hundreds of millions from American fans/sponsors.
Stand up for what is right.
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it matters a lot, if you understand how the NBA economy works. I do support the NBA's unwillingness to punish Morey.
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@jskinner You are just as bad as the Chinese government by quickly labeling things not in your favor based on your own "moral standards".
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