Prisoner in Freedom City

It's easy for us to criticize China's environmental policies and labour issues. What we do not clearly see however is how people actually live in China. Perhaps the Olympics will allow the world a broader view of Chinese rule but most likely, issues like human rights and working conditions will be whitewashed for the foreign cameras.

Below is a video titled "Prisoner in Freedom City." It depicts secret police keeping an eye on a couple that are known human rights activists. As of Dec 27th the man who shot the video had been under arrest and out of touch. His wife and newborn baby are under house arrest and not one of their friends have been able to get in touch or even bring her food. It is not known what condition mother and baby are in either.

We have so much to be grateful for -living in North America and expressing ourselves however we please. I don't know how we can help those in other places where things are not as easy as here, but I suppose we could start by living intentionally and recognizing that our every action, our every purchase, has a cumulative effect on the lives of others.


more on this story at the New York Times.