Chinese Democracy

Guns & Roses is one of the most iconic rock bands in my generation. Any self discerning rock fan will have heard of their classic hits from 'Sweet Child O' Mine' to 'November Rain'. It took them almost 16 years since 1992 to release a new album in late 2008 with 'Chinese Democracy'. While i don't really dig the whole album in its entirety, the title track is really a blast and i really enjoyed it till today.

Contrary to what the song title suggest, Democracy is a not something i agree totally, looking in the light of what is happening in Thailand at the moment from demonstrations escalating to bloodshed and violence, blowing into a civil war between the government and its people and bringing the country and its economy to its knees. When reading news of such situations happening around the war, i will always compare it side to side to the Tiananmen Square Massacre which happened on 14 April 1989 in Beijing, China, which i felt strongly should be the yardstick by which how governments should act in dire situations as this. Amidst days of continuing protests and demonstrations by mostly China students against the PRC government, the then Deng Xiaoping ordered military tanks to charge into the square and fire upon the demonstrators, sending them fleeing but also causing massive injuries and deaths. The protests came to a halt instantly, albeit causing worldwide condemnation of the Chinese government.

When i first read of the news of the massacre as a young kid then, i too reacted with much like most people do - to label the Chinese government barbaric and cruel. It was when i was much older and read deeper into the issues and become more aware of world affairs that i realize that what Deng Xiaoping did was the right thing, to end off the violence in the shortest and most effective way possible. Where there is people, there is bound to be divisions, divided opinions and ideas and that is exactly what makes democracy a dirty word most of the time. Give people too much freedom of speech, freedom of action and that's where trouble starts. A government or for that matter, any leader make decisions which will not satisfy everyone on the ground but if it is for the best of the situation and the future., then a bold one must be taken, even if it means unfavorable among some or in this instance, to cause bloodshed to let the people know who is in charge here, ,which is exactly how the Thai government should react at this moment of time. Pure democracy should have no place in this world.