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Protester shot in chest by live police round during Hong Kong protests

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628 points nodea2345 | 3 comments | 01 Oct 19 11:19 UTC | HN request time: 0.661s | source
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program_whiz ◴[01 Oct 19 13:26 UTC] No.21125050[source]▶
Sure, the kid was swinging at the officer, and I suppose that warrants the officer acting in self-defense. But another question is, what are the protesters supposed to do? The government has all the power, and can simply snuff out any resistence. If you just stand in the streets, they really don't care, they are going to take your freedom. Imagine if the US suddenly had a dictator that just decided they were going to take all property rights and freedoms like that -- I think taking to the streets, and even resorting to violence might be necessary (otherwise the powers-that-be have no reason to listen to a bunch of people standing in a street hundreds of miles away).
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mytailorisrich ◴[01 Oct 19 15:06 UTC] No.21126113[source]▶
The situation of HK and the rights of the residents have not fundamentally changed since it was ceded to the British in 1842. In fact they have more democratic representation now than during most of their history.

It's far from perfect but it's infinitely better than on the mainland.

Nothing justifies "resorting to violence" in HK today. The violent actions along with anti-Chinese displays are in fact counterproductive because they push the central government to tighten the screw and unite the mainland's public opinion against them.

Many of these protesters have no democratic culture themselves. Anyone who disagrees with them is wrong and an enemy that must be fought by any means.

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UIZealot ◴[01 Oct 19 16:10 UTC] No.21127070[source]▶
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1. dang ◴[01 Oct 19 23:35 UTC] No.21132060[source]▶
The bias you're talking about is real, in my observation, but you can't counteract it by ranting and breaking the site guidelines, let alone baiting others into downvoting you. It's a direct consequence of HN's demographics, which are overwhelmingly Western, and there's no way to change it other than slowly and patiently, by adding good information.

Of course it's frustrating to encounter inflammatory comments that are based in ignorance. But if you respond like this, you feed those comments and give them greater credibility, while discrediting the very side you're trying to defend.

If you know more, then a better way is to share some of what you know so that others can learn. In any case, if you post here, please stick to the site rules regardless of how wrong or ignorant other commenters are or you feel they are.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

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2. UIZealot ◴[02 Oct 19 02:30 UTC] No.21132975[source]▶
I was baiting for good information, not downvotes.

My apologies if it came out wrong.

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3. dang ◴[02 Oct 19 19:11 UTC] No.21139784[source]▶
Ah. The way to get good information is to post some yourself, and to do it in a way that communicates neutrality and openness to other points of view.

If you post in the flamewar style, everyone's going to just go rigid and fire on all cylinders. This mechanism works the same way regardless of what the topic is, and regardless of whose position is right or wrong.