We Are Ready!

It's May Day (Labor Day; 勞動節) in China. The trains and buses are packed with people going home to see their families, people going to scenic spots like Hangzhou, and those on vacation to see important historical sites. I'm headed to Nanjing to see the former capital of China.

At a friend's house on the eve of May Day, I catch the holiday program produced by CCTV, the goverment's main TV channel. I am surprised to see Jackie Chan singing to a crowd of thousands. He can really sing, and my friend tells me that he has cut a few albums in his time. The refrain of the song is in English and it goes like this: "WE ARE READY!" And as you would expect, Chan is singing it with panache.

So, this is the flavor of China right now. This evening marks 100 days until the Olympics. Everyone is extremely proud and wants their country to show the world that not only are they ready for the Olympics, but they are ready to become a modern country, the New China.

From my perspective, living in an authoritarian country that limits the freedom of it's citizens (speech, press, assembly, mostly), I feel that China has a long way to go. But I am hopeful that the Olympics will give them a push into modernity.




I say that giving China the opportunity to host the Olympics is a good thing, despite this country's human rights record. For one thing, China people can actually read my blog as of a few weeks ago!

As I walk down Shiziqiao (獅子橋), one of the main drags of Nanjing, with a friend, I look at the throngs of people, mostly kids, and I start my Jackie Chan impression, singing, "WE ARE READY!"

Get ready guys, sincerely hoping you can join the free world.