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As many people pointed out via comment and via email about my recent series of article: The Significance of Xu Zhiyong, it is very risky for anyone in China to touch the topic of Zhiyong. So it is appropriate to do a risk assessment for myself to publish the articles.
Risk about the Website
If you search for Xu Zhiyong - the name in Chinese in Google, or Baidu, there is no (zero) result. Most of the related articles have been deleted in Sina, and other websites in China. Many of the other websites outside China have been blocked in China and cannot be accessible.
Since my blog is hosted by Media Temple in United States, it is not likely that the government issues a diplomatic request for them to delete my account. However, it is 50% of chance that my blog will not be accessible from inside China, and maybe the ban is permanent. The content should be safe (I have made the backup), and access to this blog should be OK from anywhere in the world except China.
If that happens, I should still be able to publish my blog, and reply to comment. Any of my blog readers, who still don't have a good way to access sites that is banned in China? Raise your hand and I will give you a quick jump-start guide.
I am assessing the risk to be 50% instead of 100% because I am writing in English. There is enough "harmful" information on the Internet in English and maybe they don't care about yet another "bad" article.
Before my blog is banned completely, you can add my RSS feed to Google Reader:
http://home.wangjianshuo.com/index.xml
You should still be able to read my blog in full content with comments before Google Reader is banned.
My Personal Safety
At least now I am still "naively" thinking that it should be OK. Again, because it is in English. However, risk is already there that someone knock my door to talk with me. I have my phone number on my home page, and I am not surprised if someone makes an appointment before hand.
How about Comment?
If you live in China and don't feel comfortable to leave a valid name or email address when you comment on these blog entries, please feel free to put anything like apple, or orange, or whatever in the name column. I am fine with it. Although I have the strict privacy policy, to be honest with you, I cannot guarantee what may happen to me and to this blog, so your comment IS at risk. To notify people so that people are aware of the risk is much better than a false commitment. Please be aware of this and make judgement yourself. However, I do want to hear your thoughts.
by Jian Shuo Wang on August 15, 2009 under Zhiyong
Eeeer, what happened? Someone knocked at your door? Please tell me that's just an insurance salesman.
I don't think they dare to take you away suddenly from an international live broadcast stage.
The worst situation might occur is your blog get banned. But there is always a way for us to find access. Will be a little troublesome, but it's worthwhile.
No no no. I am definitely fine today, and nothing happened. I don't think a physical contact very likely to happen. Don't worry.
Posted by: Jian Shuo Wang on August 15, 2009 10:05 PMkeep going ahead. as Adam said, "Will be a little troublesome, but it's worthwhile."
I've refered your post of "the significance of xuzhiyong" in my blog hosted by SINA.
http://blog.sina.com.cn/worldwidewalking
:) Jian Shuo,
I fully support you, for it's a basic right to think freely and publish thoughts freely.
Good luck and come on. :)
It's a habit and great pleasure to read your blog.
Cheery
Posted by: Cheery on August 16, 2009 12:37 AMIt is a sad thing to see what is going lately on the censorship and on repression of the attempts to promote a better civil society in China
I receive CCTV at home through satellite, from time to time I also read Global Times. Some times their opinion are... remarkable to say the least from my point of view, but I was willing to see their point of view, even consider them from a positive side, but after seeing the last actions I had enough. I mentally firewalled them.
The channel is still there, the websites too, but I do not read them nor watch them. I do not have any interest in listening nor reading anything from those that choke and muffled other's mouths and opinions.
If ever CH launches a news channel service like CNN, BBC, Al Yazira, Deutsche Welle, etc. I will not watch it, while they do what they do.
And about declaration of government officials, I will take them with a great bit of salt to say the least. No more attention than I would pay to a salesman trying to sell me snake oil.
Those in the govt. who has raised this censorship and repressions. I know they cant leave without it, but they have gone to far, and they are doing a great disservice to China.
Posted by: ecodelta on August 16, 2009 5:18 AMBy the way. I also noticed that I could reach blocked blogs that had already registered with google reader.
Interesting t know how long will it take to the net nanny gnomes to discover it ;-)
Posted by: ecodelta on August 16, 2009 5:27 AMInterestingly, I cannot read Google Reader this morning. I don't think it is related to this post though.
Posted by: Jian Shuo Wang on August 16, 2009 9:20 AM