Mystery Guest #1
In this new series of interviews, my subject and I will write our dialogue over a collaborative word processing document, which gives each of us control over the other’s words. I expect these discussions to move in unpredictable directions.
Shigeharu Kobayashi: Mystery Guest #1, how are you?
Mystery Guest #1: Good, it’s always nice when I get to talk to SK. How are you?
SK: Oh I’m very excited to talk with someone in the middle of an international news story! So in this interview, we both have a lot of control. At any point, you can edit your answer. You can also edit my questions, if you feel I’m not asking you the right things. If you feel that I am not paying you enough compliments, you can put those words in my mouth. Does that sound okay to you?
MG#1: It’s stressful to talk to SK, I have to try to be original.
SK: I think that you are very nice.
MG#1: You sure are good at paying compliments.
SK: I have been following your posts online about the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong. Am I calling it the right thing? Is it Umbrella Movement or Umbrella Revolution?
MG#1: Umbrella Movement definitely as we’re not trying to overturn the government, we just want democracy, China keeps trying to label the movement as part of the Colour Revolution, implying that it’s an organized effort orchestrated by foreign powers against China.
To most participants though, the two terms don’t make much of a difference, it’s just an English word (in Chinese we just call it Occupy), and #umbrellarevolution gets more views if you’re into followers and likes.
SK: Titles and names and words are so important and powerful, it seems. Even “Occupy” has its own weight as a political term. Is it possible to explain where the Umbrella Movement came from?
MG#1: Right now, Hong Kong’s leader (we’re such financial city he’s called the Chief Executive) is chosen by 1200 people, mostly rich and pro-Beijing people. Hong Kong was promised universal suffrage (jargon for everyone gets to vote) in 2017 but the details were not defined. Suddenly though, China announced that we will only get to vote among 2-3 individuals pre-approved by this 1200 rich pro-Beijing committee, so people are not happy with that. That’s kind of like if you guys only get to vote between Obama and Joe Biden, or between Bush and Cheney, or between Charlie Sheen and Kim Kardashian, something like that.
SK: Is it called the Umbrella Movement because you have all those cute yellow umbrellas?
MG#1: On the first couple of days when protesters occupied the area outside the government building, they used cling wrap and umbrellas to shield themselves against pepper spray. I guess visually it was quite striking, so someone (probably foreign media) coined the term “Umbrella Revolution.” People here embraced the term and modified it to Umbrella Movement. Umbrellas turned out to be really useful against the sun and rain too.
SK: Have you been participating? Do you have a tent?
MG#1: We have a village that now includes 4 tents and a “living room”, a group of us take turns to stay the night. I have everything with me, toothbrush, face wash, a small table, an LED lamp, books, clothes etc. Even though I really don’t need anything, supporters donate all kinds of stuff, anything you can think of, and people have set up multiple supplies tents.
SK: Will you be arrested?
MG#1: Not sure, I haven’t decided if I want to be arrested yet.
SK: What is that decision process like, trying to figure out if it is time for you to be arrested?
MG#1: There are 2 camps, one believes in getting arrested or turning themselves in when the time comes, to pay for their acts of civil disobedience, it shows their respect for the law, and can serve as a moral calling to draw more people into the movement. Most of the organizers are in this camp. The other camp thinks that’s silly and wants to remain free so they can continue with the movement. I’m in camp 1, except I do non-profit work in China and I don’t want to compromise that, so I haven’t decided yet.
SK: Compared to other protests that I’ve seen covered, this one doesn’t seem very angry. Is there anger? Are you angry?
MG#1: Most of the time I’m not, except that one day when suspiciously, the police, violent anti-Occupy people, and triads all came to harass the protestors at the same time. It looked very much like a coordinated effort and I was very disappointed that the government would consent to the use of violence. After that, I kind of got used to these harassments every now and then. I don’t get angry at them anymore, they mostly just exhaust me.
So no, I’m not angry, in fact I laugh a lot, I laugh at all the funny posters and memes that pops up every day. Today I saw this:
People turned the rubbish bin barricades into minions.
The creativity and sense of humour is amazing, 2 days ago, a team of rock-climbers secretly draped a gigantic banner that says, “we want real democracy” on to the iconic Lion Rock, a mountain that is a strong symbol for what Hong Kong stands for; perhaps it’s kind of like your Statue of Liberty, except it’s a mountain.
SK: Look at how tiny those people are!
MG#1: So what’s your impression of the movement before our conversation, does anyone talk about it in Scarolina?
SK: Unfortunately, conversations about democracy movements are rare around me. National news sites have been faithfully reporting on the Umbrella Movement just after the domestic ebola news and ISIS airstrike count. The biggest viral story that came through was from the opening days of your movement about how clean and polite y’all are.
Perhaps Hong Kong can soon become the world’s shining example of democracy, and we in the US can be inspired by the obvious leadership that your citizens have been displaying.
In the United States next week, there will be state-level elections happening. What do you think the voters here should be thinking about as they decide what to do on November 4?
MG#1: Well, they should definitely vote and not take democracy for granted. We gotta sleep on the street out here just for a slight chance in democracy. Do I sound like your high school teacher? Is that what high school teachers tell you guys in America?
SK: Mystery Guest #1, thanks for talking with me. Did I mention how cool I think you are?
