Saturday, September 03, 2005

Talking Points for a Protest

I found this in my mailbox, courtesy of an anonymous friend. It contains a list of talking points for a protest during Hu's visit to the US.....for those of you attending protests, pass it around.


As we continue with this protest some of you may be contacted by members of the press.

The media can be a valuable tool to get our message out and if we
use our opportunities wisely, we can succeed in gaining support for
our cause. If we handle our press exposure poorly, we can cause
damage to our message that may take a lot longer to correct.

I hope we can all follow some simple rules to give strength to our
cause and rob the other side of opportunities to discredit us or
make us look bad. A unified message is a strong message.

Try not to shoot from the hip (亂講)

Our Message:

1) We do not support Hu Jintao's "One China
Policy".

2) We oppose China's growing military threat against Taiwan
and the nations of the Pacific Rim.

3) We feel Washington State's political and business
leaders have a responsibility not to finance China's
militarization with trade deals. China must first accept
unconditional peace with Taiwan.

4) China is a threat to peace in the Pacific.

5) Taiwanese do not imagine themselves as Chinese and it is not
up to China to determine how Taiwanese will imagine themselves.

6) China's 730 missiles arrayed against Taiwan are weapons
of terror.

7) Taiwan IS an independent country caught in the politics of the
Cold War.

8) Taiwan IS a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society dedicated to
realizing the ideals of democracy and social justice.

9) Taiwan cannot be excluded from the international community.

10) Taiwan is not an inseparable part of China, Taiwan is an island
and therefore it is an inseparable part of Taiwan.

11) Be polite. If we are polite the news media will have a favorable
impression and it may be useful for future press coverage.


Do Not:

1) Do not call the Chinese names.

2) Do not spread rumors.

3) Do not use the word "mainland"

4) Do not use terms of "authenticity" (ancestry,
history, genetics, specific dates of arrival...) to describe the
differences between Chinese and Taiwanese. Use identity as the
marker of Taiwanese... How a group of people imagine themselves.

5) Do not talk bad about the Chinese people, instead focus on
their leaders. The people don't have a say in what is going on
with Taiwan anyway.

6) Do not advocate democracy for the people of China...that is
their decision. It may also give the impression the dispute between
Taiwan and China is merely political.

7) Do not look angry. Look proud and determined.

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