I don’t know about China, but here in Sweden, the legal limit in public areas is 5 (!) mW.

A friend had a 125 mW, and that burned shit. Plastic, rubber, skin etc. Easily lit a match.

nd nw sm hg dchbg gs t frgn cntry nd strts pntng bnch f llgl lsrs (tht r xtrmly pwfll nd cld cs tn f dmg) rnd nd gts hs ss rrstd. Wht, r w spps t fl sd bt tht?

N! Gd fckng rddns sy. ‘m hppy h gt rrstd.

That’s coward talk.

He’s a smart enough guy to know the risks, not like China’s rather dim view of Tibet protests is some great secret. He knew those risks and still tried to make art in the face of repression. That takes more guts than I have, I hope he is safe and returned to his loved ones quickly.

All I’m saying is that there is a difference between actual civil disobedience (setting yourself on fire in the public square) and well-off-enough-to-travel-to-China techies putting up a laser light show, no matter the altruistic motives.

weak.

@reactionists: sure, that damn bugger, why the hell was he in china in the first place? he better get a real job and earn some decent money like all the rest of use have to; because i could do that too it is just that i got better stuff to do etc etc etc….i love it how people write stuff that is extremely radical thinking that they are being mainstream….:)

bestz
lizvlx

Americans really should respect laws when traveling to foreign countries.

As far as we know, Powderly hasn’t yet broken any laws. He was preparing for his project, not performing it.

First off, you’re not a coward. I don’t know you or what you do and I don’t toss around grade-school names. See that handle of mine, that’s my name, I stand by my words and I choose them carefully.

I said that’s coward talk, and it is indeed. Even the bravest person can get caught up in it. Imprisonment? Loss of rights? Torture? Scary stuff. I’d rather protest causes I believe in in a far less risky and dangerous way. That’s my choice, but I’m not going to shame someone for making a different one.

The man was going to shine a light on a building. For this he’s “detained”? That’s the crazy part of this story.

Tibet will be totally transformed by the collective, just like we all will. Don’t fight the big C, love it, welcome it, invite it in. You’ll be happier then, I promise.

But when you don’t live somewhere, it muddies the message… these protests can be dismissed as foreign agitators.

What about when you live somewhere but you are so disenfranchised that you are not even considered a citizen? Or you have been taken somewhere? Think african slaves in america.

Totally different. That situation would be analogous to Tibetans protesting in China.

You are not required to be a citizen of a country to be held accountable under their law – so reciprocally – you can also civilly disobey without being a citizen.

Maybe in the European Union, but that’s not a given reciprocity, as Mr. Powderly is discovering currently.

I think you need to stop being so wrapped up in borders and laws.

Don’t presume that I care about them; presume that I’m aware of them. It would be nice if China wasn’t under a dictatorship of the “People.” Snc t’s nt, i m pnn whngng bt Tbt s mssng th frst fr th trs. I want ALL Chinese people to be free.

I work on and read about art and activism all day long, and James/GRL’s work is high on my respect list. I wholeheartedly support his protest and have already started spreading the word about his detainment. Here’s hoping for his safe return!

The mind boggles.

Frankly, I don’t know a great deal about the Tibet issue, not something I’ve read much on. But hearing that kind of talk, seeing people imprisoned simply for expressing their opinion, I hate that here in the US and anywhere around the world.

The right to speak freely is a human right. Sometimes those words aren’t spoken politely or in a venue you’d choose. The solution to speech you don’t like is not censorship or caution, it’s more speech.

I agree with #25 and I’m pretty baffled by the “should have known better” comments that seems to indicate he deserved it or something. That’s pretty damn cold.

I’m as obliged to do so as my interlocutors, who haven’t as near as I can tell. I haven’t explored the rather lengthly list of past threads, however, and it is possible that it is there.

My general point, that the pro-Tibet commenters seem to believe their point is self-evidently true and that it is not possible to hold an alternate opinion and isn’t worth the effort of explaining it to them because anyone who disagrees must be doing so out of malice remains a valid one.

(This’ll be my last post on this topic until I’ve had a chance to explore past discussion apart from replying to direct responses/challenges/etc.)

“Civil” refers to the citizens disobeying, like tax or general strikes. Going to a foreign country to protest *their* policies doesn’t qualify, I’m afraid.

#72 posted by MaximusNYC: If “the only standard that matters” is the local government’s, then you do embrace their definition of protest as terrorism. Don’t act all offended that we read you correctly.

It’s called “the real world.” We welcome you to it any time you’re ready. Principles != reality. Chinese jail > ‘noble cause.’

It’s cute how you’re an absolutist when it suits you (your definition of civil disobedience in #41 is pretty clear-cut), and a relativist when it doesn’t.

What can I say? I’m a Gemini. Oh, you’re cute too…I guess. …Actually, I’m always an absolute relativist.

Oh my god.

What’s next “Cameras can easily be mistaken for guns in low light.”.

If you look at the video on the GRL site
http://graffitiresearchlab.com/?page_id=76#video

the stylus used looks more like a pen than a gun.

You’re telling me that cops in Beijing on “ultra-high security uber top secret alert” can’t tell a pen from a gun. Cop FAIL.

But if I understand your point correctly, you’re saying that globalization is the same as genocide, and that globalization is the only thing worth taking issue with, and that what’s going on in Tibet is globalization, but it’s not genocide, and it’s not a real issue.

Are you trying to be this incoherent, or does it come naturally?

I’m not anti-china. I’m pro-democracy and freedom.

No. Civil disobedience is when you disobey YOUR government to call attention to ITS policies, not when you go to a foreign country and call attention to its injustice and fascism. (Surprise! Injustice & Fascism!) This behavior can be, and is, defined as international terrorism, like it or not.

Don’t get me wrong–I’m wayyyy more paranoid about the Chinese than you are, but I’m not going to China to tell them about it. In the USA it’s been risky since 9/11 to do this kind of thing as an American. You have to have a screw loose to have done this.

I’m sure he was a nice guy. Start your eulogies.

He knew, full well, what he was doing and why he was doing it. So did his partner Evan Roth…and why do you think he wasn’t there? James had a plan…he knew there would be one of two outcomes….jail or prevail. And a little thing known as “internet famous” was the side effect he was hoping for with either outcome (http://internetfamo.us/class/about).

S wht ds ths cs d fr th Tbtns? nct vlnt rts n Tbt?
ncrg Chns crckdwns n th Tbtns. Chn s NVR lvng Tbt. Thr s n cntry wth th blty r th dsr t xrt prssr n Chn t pll t f Tbt. Thr s bsltly n rd t Tbtn lbrtn. Th Tbtns wll nvr hv th mltry pwr t psh Chn t. N cntry wll VR prctc mltry frc n th bhlf f Tbtns. N cntry wll VR hv th blty r th dsr t xrt cnmc prssr n Chn. Chn dsn’t gv fck wht y thnk, bcs th Chns ppl thnk Tbt s hstrclly prt f Chn, nd tht s lt f fckng ppl. f y tk vry prsn wh hd “fr tbt” stckr nd ddd thm ll p thy wld nt vn cm cls t th nmbr f Chns tht thnk Tbt s prt f Chn.

As far as the Chinese are concerned the Tibetans have it as tough as any other Chinese living in marginalized rural communities in China, problems which include poor health care, failing subsistence living, low employment, etc etc.

By all means, there should be free speech… but a little perspective would be nice as well.