NBA's deference to China in the wake of controversy shows how money trumps freedom of speech
China's clash with the National Basketball Association over a short tweet reveals an unfortunate truth. Contrary to our best American hopes that China's success with market capitalism would weaken that government's chokehold on free speech, it appears to have done more to seduce us.
That's because lots of money hangs in the balance and, as much as the NBA may be the most prominent American business being targeted by Chinese authorities, it is hardly alone.
Apple, for example, late Wednesday removed a smartphone app used by pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong in the tech giant's latest surrender to China's autocratic government. The app, HKmap.live, allows protesters and others to track Hong Kong police movements through crowdsourced information.
The Beijing government also complained via its state-run news outlet, People's Daily, that Apple allowed a song advocating Hong Kong independence to be available on its platforms. The government doesn't like too much chatter about independence, whether spoken or sung.
The government also has banned some fashion brands and suggestive T-shirts. Recent crackdowns have included Winnie the Pooh. Too bad. It wasn't his idea to be used as a political symbol by satirists because of his alleged resemblance to President Xi Jinping.
But none of those episodes has received as much attention as the message that Daryl Morey, general manager of the Houston Rockets, tweeted on Oct. 4 in support of anti-Beijing protesters who have jammed Hong Kong streets for the past four months: "Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong."
The tweet was quickly deleted and the NBA league announced its "regret" that many Chinese, particularly those who live outside Hong Kong, were offended by the tweet. Since the Chinese government doesn't allow free press or free speech, it is very hard to say how many were delighted by the message.
The NBA's apologetic response struck many critics as downright cowardly in light of the NBA's high tolerance for political dissent in past cases. Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has routinely traded insult tweets with President Donald Trump.
Two of the league's most successful coaches, Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich, have spoken out on gun safety and immigration issues, but avoided taking sides in the China controversy. Yet Trump did not wait to criticize both and some others in the NBA for "pandering" to China.
Yet, the president -- who is outspoken on just about every other issue on earth and beyond, including trade and tariff negotiations -- was uncharacteristically mute on human rights in Hong Kong.
...continued
(c) 2019 CLARENCE PAGE DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
