I’m SO Glad China Doesn’t Care what I Say

This story is becoming a little predictable. An American actor/singer/athlete says something in support of pro-democracy groups or persecuted minorities. The Chinese government gets mad. Threats are made. Inevitably, the celeb ends up apologizing to China in a very obsequious manner.

I’m no special fan of LeBron James but, honestly, it hurt to see him forced to toe the Chinese Communist line back in the fall of 2019:

I happened last week to John Cena who was forced to crawl on his belly to apologize for…(checks notes)…accidentally implying that Taiwan is a country (it totally is).

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OK, the best copy of that I could find was “embellished” by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. You get the point, though. What’s John Cena apologizing for, again? In an interview with a Taiwan TV station he helpfully pointed out that Fast and Furious 14: The Furiousing will be released in Taiwan first. Except…he said “Taiwan will be the first COUNTRY to see Fast and Furious 17: B Fast or B Furiouser.

That’s right? All that groveling in that John Cena is because of a geographical misunderstanding that, again, he was actually RIGHT about!

Here’s a crazy thought: How about we all just ignore the Chinese government whenever they have a problem with a U.S. citizen exercising their right to free speech? I know, I know…as Labron made abundantly clear, China is a major trading partner and millions of dollars could hang on their whims.

“So what?” I say. Seriously, if China wants to cancel a movie or sport because of something an American said, let ‘em. Whether it’s a movie or sport, what’s the worst that could happen? Labron and John Cena and Phil Knight of Nike are still going to be rich. They’ll just be marginally LESS rich. And, isn’t it weird that all the people who ARE willing to grovel to China are the exact people that don’t NEED to?

Am I missing something? Why are so many rich and famous Americans willing to snap into line as soon as China cracks its whip? I think it’s about time we let China know our position: “You’ve got a S-ton of money. We’d love it if you spent it with us. But, if the cost of that is that Americans aren’t allowed to be PRO democracy and the Communist Chinese government is immune from all criticism…go pound sand."

There. That didn’t hurt so bad, did it?