President Bush in China: “[A]ll people should have the freedom to say what they think and worship as they choose”
The Whitehouse has released these comments from President Bush and his father. The President’s remarks include the following:
The relationship between our nations is constructive and cooperative and candid. We’ll continue to be candid about our mutual global responsibilities. We must work together to protect the environment and help people in the developing world; continue to be candid about our belief that all people should have the freedom to say what they think and worship as they choose. We strongly believe societies which allow the free expression of ideas tend to be the most prosperous and the most peaceful.
Candor is the most effective — is most effective where nations have built a relationship of respect and trust. I’ve worked hard to build that respect and trust. I appreciate the Chinese leadership that have worked hard to build that respect and trust. And I thank all those here at the embassy who are doing the same thing. The people here who work made sacrifices to serve our country. Serving America is noble. And I hope you found it to be rewarding.
The Religion Clause blog has this related post: Bush Criticizes China On Human Rights In Two Speeches Abroad.
One Comment
The Chinese government is to the extreme political left. This should make them liberals of the first order. However their free speech and expression is for their ideology only. Those who would disagree with them are so forbidden, silenced and punished when seeking corresponding freedoms. Do we see such a pattern and practice fast developing by and for many of those in America who parade, falsely, under the banner of liberalism, creating and imposing codes of political correctness in similar matters ? Pogo remarked upon such: ” We have met the enemy and he is us “. Bob Crutcher