A Pell's protest in Beijing: Polite but pointed
10:23 AM Tue, Aug 12, 2008 | Permalink
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There was an echo of Rhode Island's age-old traditions of personal freedoms in a quiet but pointed demonstration of support for free speech inside Beijing's National Aquatics Center today. Recent law school graduate and longtime Rhode Islander Clay Pell and a friend, Texan Jacquelyn Kung attended the swimming finals wearing T-shirts that bore a freedom-of-speech declaration taken verbatim from the Constitution of the People's Republic of China. "Our goal was to highlight the discrepancy between what is written in Chinese law versus what is allowed and practiced in the country,'' Pell said in an e-mail exchange with The Providence Journal this morning. Unlike their American counterparts, Chinese courts are not generally permitted to base their decisions on their nation's constitution, according to Pell, who took his law degree this spring from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington. Pell studied the Chinese legal system during a semester at Peking University Law School last year. Pell, who is a grandson of former Sen. Claiborne Pell and Nuala Pell of Newport, said he and Kung intended for their T-shirt message to be taken as an ironic commentary on the gaps in Chinese freedom of speech. But he stressed, "We did not aim to offend.'' Nor did they make any effort to disguise their intentions. They wore their message on their chests in the original Chinese, in order "to be more obvious to Chinese speakers -- all the way through security.'' The message was printed in Chinese on the front of their T-shirts, with the English translation on the back, as follows: "Constitution of the People's Republic of China "As it turned out, those who noticed the shirts (mostly Chinese citizens not affiliated with the Games) said, `Ni de yi fu hen hao' or `Ni de yi fu hen cong ming''', Pell said. Translation: "Your clothes are great,'' or "Your clothes are very smart.'' Other reviews from passersby, Pell said, have included, "Ting hao wan de" or, "Your shirt is very fun.'' Pell concluded, "We were never stopped or harassed. People seem to be able to laugh about the shirt yet still see the importance of the message.'' 
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The very fact that they were never stopped or harassed seems to speak well for a country that is notorious for blacklisting internet web sites. But only a self-entitled American would make snitty, sneering digs publicly about a country while a guest there, and the Chinese man-on-the-street is probably too polite to point out that the US has plenty, plenty problems of its own. What an embarrassment. No wonder Americans get such a bad rap abroad.
If you don't like it there, Clay, then go home, and clean up your own back yard. Nyah, nyah, nyah.
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To the last person who made a comment.....
"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
Teddy Roosevelt 1910
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I object to the harsh, unwarranted, and inaccurate criticism voiced by "Yet another ugly American." You Sir, or Madam, are the "only" ugly American here and you do your country and Clay and Jacquelyn a disservice by your unfounded rant.
A distinguished American attorney who studied Chinese law in China, in its native language, and gives visibility to the Constitution of the People's Republic of China shows dignified respect and knowledge for that great body of people. This is something I regret to say that most Americans, including you, would not understand.
The smiles and affections noted by the native Chinese who read the inscriptions were obviously offered in appreciation for distinguished visitors who show respect for China and its peoples by taking the initiative to read, study, listen, learn, and quote accurately. This was highly appropriate.
I urge "Another ugly American" to redeem yourself by retracting your criticism, apologizing to Clay and Jacquelyn, and as we say in America "Get, a life!"
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Dear another ugly american.
I certainly enjoyed the irony of your ignorant comments. I hope you enjoyed posting it while under the full protection of our right to freedom of speech and expression.
Your Chinese counterpart I fear would not have been treated so kindly.
Please educate yourself before you speak, it does us all (and the freedoms we fight for enjoy) a great disservice.
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Surely in the Mainland so many things conflict with the Constitution! Anybody knows.You two will become stars! Go for it! Haha.
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