By Raphael Blet
In a time when the call for independence constantly increases, we need to put the dots on the i’s.
There is nothing wrong with discussing independence and the right to self-determination.
What is necessary for those independence advocates and supporters is to be conscious that sovereignty isn’t the key to independence and self-determination.
I have recently met some Hong Kong people who seemed to show their admiration for the European Union but at the same time, are advocating Hong Kong’s independence.
Isn’t it ironic to admire a supranational force when you advocate self-determination for yourself?
Many Hong Kong independence advocates who have not lived in Europe might not realize that Hong Kong is in fact much more independent than France, Germany or any other EU member state.
Despite not being a sovereign territory, Hong Kong benefits from more independence compared to EU countries like France or Spain. While the Basic Law guarantees Hong Kong’s autonomy, the EU’s Treaty of Lisbon advocates supranational submission.
While Hong Kong controls its borders and trade, EU members don’t as they are mostly signatory of the Schengen agreement which does not allow them to filter humans and goods entering their territory.
At the same time, Hong Kong has an independent judiciary in which Mainland laws do not interfere while European countries have to follow what is known as ‘directives’.
Such directives coming from the two parliaments (in Brussels and Strasbourg) are imposed to the national laws.
This strongly harms the judicial integrity of member states.
This without talking about monetary sovereignty which doesn’t exist in Europe.
When Hong Kong has its own currency, most EU members are depending on a single currency on which they have no control.
Some might refute my arguments with empirical evidence and say that either the two problems are not comparable or that the EU’s constitution was ratified after consulting the people.
This isn’t a valid argument as the Treaty of Lisbon was rejected by the French (54.67%) and Dutch (61.54%) voters who were later forced to accept it despite showing their opposition in the ballots.
All the examples given are enough to assume that Hong Kong has already more autonomy and self-determination compared to EU member countries.
As a ‘European’ who is reluctant in regards to EU institutions, it is even more revolting to see some EU officials commenting about democracy and sovereignty in the world while their own institution is anything but democratic.
Unfortunately, many people will not be willing to assume this reality, their answers being as usual: ‘it’s impossible to make such comparison.’
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.
You can also like our RISE NEWS Hong Kong Facebook page to stay engaged with our local coverage.
Cover Photo Credit: Bernard Spragg. NZ/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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America Is A Nation Of Immigrants, But We Don’t Want To Believe It
“My country tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died!
Land of the Pilgrim’s pride!
From every mountain side,
Let freedom ring!”Liberty is the state of being free from oppression and imposed authority on one’s life, views, and behaviors in society.
We praise America, but for what?
Not for advancements in technology, cures of diseases, innovations, policies, monumental movements, etc.
But we praise it in admiration of our founding fathers, our core values, the constitution, traditions— the land where our founders have died, the same land that was built on the backs of slaves.
Millions of dead slaves built this country- an African Holocaust.
We take pride in the pilgrims who came to America ultimately wiping out 90 percent of the Native American population and everything they had.
Form every mountain side there are people who are not native to this land yet claim it as their own.
But why?
Because this is the land of opportunity, wealth, provisions, freedom– Freedom for those who this land was built for not built by, freedom to those that represent the majority population of our country.
We are all immigrants but we don’t want to admit it.
Photo Credit: David Jones/ Flickr (CC by 2.0)
Because to admit that fact would force us to realize that we don’t own this land.
It would force us to take a different view towards those who wish to call it home as well.
The native population even in combination with another race only makes up 1.7 percent of America’s population.
The rest of us had to get here somehow.
Whether by boats in the slave trade, pilgrimages for religious freedom, through Angel Island, through Ellis Island, through escape from your homeland, we all claim this land of America because our ancestors migrated here.
By 2025 we are projected to hit 14.9 percent of our entire population to be foreign born.
Our entire foundation is based on the work of immigrants making America.
And in the present day, we are staying afloat because of foreigners in our land who want nothing more to be fully accepted and offered liberty, the same liberty we pledge our allegiance to.
A statue of Italian immigrants. Photo Credit: Paul Sableman/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
Now we are stuck in the cross hairs of Making America Great Again by stopping immigrants from expanding our country, and not recognizing that without immigrants America is nothing.
From the start, were we ever great?
How do we return to a state that never existed?
We are a nation of immigrants and we do not accept it because we don’t want to.
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.
Cover Photo Credit: John Mitchell/ Flickr (CC by 2.0)
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LIVE: Echo Of Umbrella Revolution As Scores March On Hong Kong To Protest China
By Raphael Blet
HONG KONG- An estimated number of 12,000 people protested against Beijing’s possible interpretation of the Basic Law’s article 104 across the city.
Supporters of Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang were seen waving colonial flags and banners stating ‘Hong Kong is NOT China’.
The duo – refused to take their oaths according to the script, which leads to the invalidation of their oaths.
This prompted the government and to intervene through legal actions which would prevent them from taking a second oath.
Last week, the government announced that they would seek an interpretation of the Basic Law by Beijing, prompting reactions amongst citizens.
Many see it as an interference into local politics and the judiciary.
WATCH: Live video of the protests
The case is currently ongoing in the court and Beijing’s interpretation is seen as an interference into Hong Kong’s rule of law.
Under the Basic Law, it is legal for the government to seek an interpretation under particular circumstances. However, the law stipulates a separation of powers and ‘a high degree of autonomy’.
Amongst the protesters were some pan-democratic figures, including veteran politician Martin Lee.
The protesters marched from Southorn Playground in Wan Chai to the Court of Final Appeal in Central.
However, some demonstrators decided to extend their march until Beijing’s Liaison Office in Sheung Wan, prompting the police to set-up barricades to avoid possible stormings of the delegation.
A number of demonstrators made numerous attempts to push the barricades, obliging the police to make use of pepper sprays after ordering the protesters to calm down.
Currently (22:45 HKT), protesters have blocked partial sections of Des Voeux Road, where the delegation is located.
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.
You can also like our RISE NEWS Hong Kong Facebook page to stay engaged with our local coverage.
Photo Credit: Reuters Hong Kong/ Facebook (Screengrab)
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Could Oprah Be Elected President?
I’d like to say celebrate it with a HUGE, YES!
Oprah is one of the most successful moguls of our time.
A self made billionaire who did it all without her daddy’s money.
She’s an icon who has great sway over millions of people across the country, especially in areas where Democrats performed poorly in 2016.
Some even say she’s the reason why Barack Obama became President.
A ubiquitous celebrity with a successful business record?
Sounds like the perfect person to take down Donald Trump in 2020.
But while it sounds like a good idea, there are reasons why it probably will never happen.
We are the same society who lets a rapist off with a slap on the wrist because he also swam on the Stanford swim team.
Then there’s the President.
President Trump had 20+ allegations of sexual assault come out while he was running to be president.
Many people in this country did not care.
America voted for a man with dozens of allegations of sexual misconduct because Hillary Clinton had a private email server.
It is just harder to do it as a woman in this country.
Oprah is everything Trump lied about being, but it still wouldn’t be enough. Photo Credit: aphrodite-in-nyc/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
So the American people spoke and chose the person who has the characteristics and personality traits of a racist, misogynist, xenophobe, homophobe, etc.
So when I’m asked if I think Oprah could ever be president I unfortunately have to think that we as a country have a problem with women in powerful positions.
Not to mention black women in positions of power.
Remember how long it took to confirm Loretta Lynch to be Attorney General?
The United States is not ready to be blessed by Oprah.
She’s a humanitarian who actually gives a great deal to charity unlike our current President who just pretends to.
The country has spoken on how qualified one must be to be President and Oprah certainly fits the new qualifications.
Of course anyone does as long as they were on a middling reality show and are willing to “grab it”.
Many people spoke up and made it very clear they did not like President Barack Obama, of course what specifically they didn’t like about him was never made clear.
The moment President Trump was inaugurated it was clear that President Obama’s blackness was the problem greatly affecting our nation.
The moment he was sworn in “we took our country back” and America became great again.
In their eyes, Obama could never be truly American due to his blackness.
Even for those who don’t take it that far, the idea that Trump and Obama have been treated equally is laughable.
The Trump administration has what is an alarming amount of ties to Russia- not a conspiracy but a fact.
“Fired up and ready to O?” Ok, on second thought, that probably won’t work as a slogan. Photo Credit: aphrodite-in-nyc/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
Had this been President Obama he would have been impeached already, and have had 20 different investigations on his involvement with Russia.
So it doesn’t take much stretching to say that Hillary Clinton lost because she was not the right gender for the job, and President Obama’s so called horrific job was due to him being a black man.
So unfortunately, America is not ready for an African-American female president- not even one who was forged in the same 1980s daytime television/ tabloid milieu as the current White House occupant.
The double standard has proven itself true too many times in the past few years for us to ignore it.
Someday, hopefully in our lifetime we are able to see that diversity siting in the oval office.
But it won’t be in 2020.
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.
Cover Photo Credit: Alan Light/ Flickr (CC By 2.00
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