Tuesday, March 19, AD 2024 6:15am

Les Miserables;
The Hong Kong Resistance;
Manning the Barricades;
It’s not Bernie or OAC

Watching the Youtube video of the 30th Anniversary of Les Miz (see here), my wife and I learned that the Hong Kong protestors were singing the theme song from Les Miserables, “Hear the People Sing” (go to 7:52).

We talked about the French radicals of 1848 who had a just cause, and compared them to the American Left, revolutionaries who have never been jailed for stealing a loaf of bread, who have never been beaten for criticizing the government,  who have been given all the privileges offered by America’s Shining City on the Hill.

What are the American Revolutionaries fighting for?  The right to kill the unborn and newly born, the right to salvage the organs of the euthanized old and unfit, the right to silence those who believe in God and natural law, the right to compel others to violate their conscience and beliefs.

Will we have to man the barricades against these contemporary revolutionaries?  They won’t fight themselves, except to bully those they believe to be weak.  They will beat an elderly man defending his bakery and berate an elderly nun in prayer outside an abortion mill, but will they risk their own death?  Not bloody likely.

There are those who say all radicals are atheists and want to destroy religion because it is “The opiate of the people.”   Was this true in 1848?   If Victor Hugo gave an accurate portrayal of that time, and if Les Miz followed that portrayal, Jean Valjean, the convict who beat the system, goes to heaven when he dies.

“The night was starless and extremely dark. No doubt, in the gloom, some immense angel stood erect with wings outspread, awaiting that soul.”  Victor Hugo. “Les Misérables”

And that may be what made those revolutionaries fighters for a just cause, as were those in 1776, the belief in God given rights.

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Donald R. McClarey
Admin
Wednesday, June 19, AD 2019 4:49am

Things could get very interesting in China Bob. Considering this is the thirtieth anniversary of Tienanmen Square unrest could swiftly spread from Hong Kong to the mainland. The most dangerous time for any authoritarian regime is when it is backing down, and that is what seems to be happening now in Hong Kong.

OrdinaryCatholic
OrdinaryCatholic
Wednesday, June 19, AD 2019 5:46am

China as well as all other totalitarian governments fear one thing: Unrest/revolt of the people. Ask Iran. It’s a disaster over there. The Chinese, at least the mainland Chinese are willing to put up with a lot from their government as long as they able to work and prosper. That is all up for grabs right now since the so-called trade war with US. It is not the US that is suffering from the tariffs but China. Unemployment is rising fast because of the increased cost of exporting their products, so much so that the government has been subsidizing certain segments of their economy because of lost revenue and jobs.

If China blinks first in this trade war the government lose face big time and the people will see this. Yes, it will be very interesting indeed.

OrdinaryCatholic
OrdinaryCatholic
Wednesday, June 19, AD 2019 5:50am

As with you Don, I think Hong Kong may be the match that lights the powder keg. Look back at the domino effect in Eastern Europe as one Iron Bloc nation after another opened it’s borders to its citizens.

TomByrne
TomByrne
Wednesday, June 19, AD 2019 8:40am

Rebellions in China are rare, but when they come they are devastating and long-lasting. Once the “emperor” loses the “mandate of heaven” (however both are interpreted at the time), things can fall apart with startling speed.
I dream here, but can you imagine the Lefty reaction if Red China fell apart on Trump’s watch as the USSR fell apart on Reagan’s?

Donald R. McClarey
Reply to  TomByrne
Wednesday, June 19, AD 2019 9:20am

From your keyboard to God’s ear Tom! Bloodiest Civil War in human history was fought in China in the 19th century. I have long thought that the life of the “Communist Dynasty” in Chinese history would be brief.

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