I had to blink my eyes several times while watching CNN’s Breaking News about the pro-democracy “sit-in” at Hong Kong’s Central District. There for the world to see were throngs of students joined by other residents occupying the major business artery of Hong Kong, with skyscrapers standing as forlorn witnesses against an evening sky. It was a tempest unexpected, because of the sheer size of the crowd and their commitment to stay despite the tear gas that police forces threw into their faces.
Hong Kong would be the last place one would think of as a hotbed of demonstrations. Its economy has global underpinnings, representing a safe harbor for all kinds of goods and services. The population of Hong Kong is around 7 million, a number that can easily be dismissed as minute compared to the density of capital cities in nearby countries.
Yet, Hong Kong is spectacular given that every nook and corner smells like commerce in a mug, shared in various time zones, always brimming with opportunities. Something now has tipped that brew, and it is an idea that has brought students and some of their elders together.
That idea is for them to protect democracy, in the context of being an autonomous region. China has put forth a policy wherein it will vet the candidates that Hong Kong residents will choose from, as their chief executive in the 2017 elections. In a commentary written exclusively for CNN, C.Y. Leung, the city’s chief executive, said that concerns about the nominating process for the 2017 election being too restrictive were “unfounded” with public consultations on enabling legislation to be held soon.
Another idea that is causing alarm among nations is the creation of a so-called Islamic State (IS) where death and violence are consumed like milk and cookies, with terrorists using the Internet to display their atrocities. Air strikes have commenced with a coalition of nations making its opposition to such a clash of values crystal clear.
In the Philippines, talks about ongoing recruitment for IS have been going on though largely unverified, with national security officers discreetly looking into even the slimmest of connections. President Aquino was quick to dismiss such talks citing the Filipino people’s peaceful character. Sen. Grace Poe has filed a resolution calling for an inquiry into alleged IS recruitment of young Filipinos in Mindanao, citing the Philippines’ zero tolerance for any act of terrorism, extremism and violence.
Indeed, the IS threat has caused other nations the same kind of jitters, with a strong resolve to make sure that the viral nature of its campaign will not resonate among the poorest enclaves under their care.
How does one deal with the power of ideas? For the students in Hong Kong, their fight is for the Hong Kong government not to relinquish its control over the 2017 elections to Beijing. This is a parochial issue with grave economic undertones that Hong Kong must resolve with China.
The idea behind the IS is a vastly different battle. They are not out to win a popularity contest. Their extremist designs benefit from anger borne out of oppression, difficult to quell given the income disparities in the world. They are out to acquire territory, to expand their reach, no matter who and how many gets hurt.
Ideas founded on and that gain traction through the need to harm others are the kind we should most worry about, unite against, as peace-loving citizens of the world.
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