A Revolution is the Solution
We as a country really need to start pressuring China and other countries that try to stifle basic human rights such as freedom of expression, both with trade sanctions and by talking loudly and incessantly about what they are doing to people like this poor blogger.
Actually, we also need to start pressuring Bush on this issue, considering the Patriot Act makes it illegal to write articles that advocate overthrowing the government in this country.
Interesting you should say that, have you seen this:
http://www.livejournal.com/
users...page=1#comments
Scary stuff, and the first instance of a US blogger getting the men in black treatment. Of course there's probably more so feel free to correct me!
Well Christopher your post is very interesting, because you pose a solution and at the same time, why it won't come to pass. As the ladder gets higher (citizen, congressperson, president), the more power one has. The problem now is I don't see the majority of the government, or even just key parts, being persuaded to pressure other countries about something they are taking part it, albeit not on the same scale. However, this doesn't mean we shouldn't try. I do my best not to support China (will never travel there either), and I do hope change will come (there are reformist parties in China, but it should be no surprize their voice is constantly being silenced by the current administration).
here's the reason why we don't give a crap about China's continued human rights abuses, which are too many to count.
MONEY!!!
Every bloody country in this world is so busy jumping on the band wagon trying to get coin from the chinese that they couldn't give two dry farts as too whether the government is "nice" to it's people. If they actually cared about human rights as in the case if Iraq. (sure they were) We'd be boycotting China not making them our bosom buddy... Guess who will get screwed in the long run....
Paul
As a Chinese, it breaks my heart everytime news like this appears. It's even worse when foreigners (most of you guys I assume) discuss pressuring their own governments to stop this kind of behaviour because I know that hardly any of China's own people are doing the same. Ultimately it would and should be China's own citizens who will stand up and say something but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. To be blunt, few people love this country, even its own citizens. Through recent history there have been many examples of Chinese who would happily sell out their own country or people for personal gain. In fact, I can't recall anyone I've met who is actually proud to be Chinese. THAT I think is the real problem, and it won't change because of foreign pressure alone.
....which is why I've never personally made a call for any "Western" Governments to "do something" - as 3DJelly says, there's no point. If the change doesn't happen internally, then it won't happen at all. All people like me can do is keep highlighting what's going on and hope for the best 
Though governments may not be able to do much, I believe the regular people in the West can. There are swarms of Chinese who've fled their country because it's a mess and they're not proud enough to even try to fix it. We can help incite an internal change by encouraging those who've come to us. Things like "Chinatowns" exist because we haven't been doing that. They'd rather create their own little nest here than go back home. I think if we reach out to them more, we may see some of these immigrants going back home and bringing some real change.
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