From: roten@CUBA.gsfc.nasa.gov (Charles Roten)
Subject: Re: Chinese Nationals Came Before 4/1/90 Will Have Greencard.
Organization: /cuba_b/dirbe/roten/.organization
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	<ROTEN.92Apr8135901@CUBA.gsfc.nasa.gov>
	<1992Apr8.183748.26320@cs.yale.edu>
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 23:56:04 GMT

The first time I saw the post I am about to cite, I got so mad I just 
deleted it and moved on.  But on more sober reflection, I saw an issue 
it raised that needs addressing.  So here goes ....

In article <1992Apr8.183748.26320@cs.yale.edu> horne-scott@CS.YALE.EDU 
(Scott Horne) writes:

   In article <ROTEN.92Apr8135901@CUBA.gsfc.nasa.gov>, 
   roten@CUBA.gsfc.nasa.gov (Charles Roten) writes:
   <In article <1992Apr7.212854.18161@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu>
   <xlli@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (xiao-lin li) writes:
   <
   <   This bill will become effective if President Bush cannot
   <   provide evidence that these Chinese nationals will not be
   <   persecuted upon returning to their motherland.
   [...]
   <   Chinese nationals who are eligible to apply green card must
   [...]
   <   (2). Have not stayed in China for more than 90 days during the time;
   [rest deleted]

   [My jubilation deleted]


   ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

   Read what I've outlined above.  "I had to leave China on my 
   eighty-ninth day because I thought I'd be persecuted"?!?!?!?  God be 
   damned, what a load of hypocrisy!!!

This is not the first time I have seen Scott appear to impugn the motives 
of CSS who wish to remain in this country, and those like me who rejoice 
when laws change to make this easier.  But there are two issues he has 
never (to my knowledge) responded to in a satisfactory fashion.  

Firstly, right now China is not governed by laws but by men, at least 
where the treatment of dissidents is concerned.  The present government 
has shown no hesitation in violating its own rules in its treatment of 
them.  

It is easy for Scott to profess trust in the future behavior of the 
present regime towards returning students .. he risks nothing substantial, 
safe in the cloistered halls of Yale.  But he asks CSS who may very well 
be targets of harrassment or arbitrary arrest to risk all by returning.  

Who is the hypocrite here?  Easy answer, right.  

"Trust the regime's word"?  You have got to be kidding!  There are 
damned few governments whose word *I* would trust on a matter like this 
.. and the present regime in Beijing is sure as hell not one of them!  It 
does not make a penny's worth of difference that the present regime seems 
to be increasingly committed to capitalism ^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H 
socialism with Chinese characteristics.  They do not tolerate public 
dissent by those outside the government, and damned little by those inside.  
They also break their own rules when dealing with dissenters whom they 
label "political offenders".  Period.  Hence, their word canNOT be 
trusted in this matter.  


Secondly, I am beginning to perceive (I hope incorrectly) a general 
hostility in Scott towards the idea of increasing, by lawful means, the 
number of PRC citizens who come to this country on a permanent basis.  

Now, when such ingress is achieved by violation of US law, or by the abuse 
of US citizens, as in the recent, tragic Bonney case, I must concur.  

But when such ingress is achieved legally and with respect for the persons 
of others, in simple fact, its none of his damned business to object, 
since he loses nothing by it.  That is, unless he believes the mere 
*presence* of PRC nationals and former PRC nationals on a permanent basis 
is a bad thing for the US in and of itself.  There is a name for that ...  

Scott's motives may be very different from those who explicitly object to 
Chinese  immigration on _racial_ grounds, like David Duke (who, the last 
time I heard, had only 1 electoral vote to his name .. and in a 
recession, at that .. *snicker* :-).  But his overall message seems to be 
the same .. "keep them out".  

And coming from an _American_, that message reflects either racism or 
brain damage.  Take your pick.  

--
Charles Roten | Hughes-STX, Incorporated | 
  roten@cuba.gsfc.nasa.gov               | 'Use the Source, Luke!'
  7601 Ora-Glen Dr., Greenbelt, MD 20706 | 
  301-513-7805 (w),  301-317-0872 (h)    |            Obi-Wan Stallman
Newsgroups: soc.culture.china