From Tian'anmen Square to Green Square

Career Revolution Leader Colonel Gaddafi talked to western media after his security forces killed hundreds of civil protesters in Libya with guns, artilleries, missiles and air bombing. The old colonel exclaimed he was following the great example of great communist leaders in China, who's tanks rolled over students protesting in Tian'anmen Square in 1989. Gaddafi was so excited, that he mentioned the Tian'anmen twice during the interview. He argued the Tian'anmen massacre united China, and determined to follow the suit if necessary. The Tian'anmen reference did not seem to be convincing enough, that the UN's security council passed a resolution to send officials who slaughter its own citizens to criminal investigation by the international court.

Well, actually, the Chinese government had always looking west for legal shield.

In the history of the United States, more than one time had the government used military forces against its own citizen.

1921, in response to coal mine workers' demand for union, President Harding sent in Army General Billy Mitchell, the father of the USAF. Miners were crushed by a combination of mine operator's private army and the US federal military forces. The would be recorded in the history when the federal air force planes were used against US citizens.

Years into the Greet Depression in 1932, World War I veterans, unemployed and hungry, petitioned in Washington, D.C. along their wifes and children for a principle payment of their bonus due in 1945. President Hoover sent active duty army in response. Commanded by General Douglas MacArthur and Major General George Pattern, the 12th Infantry and the 3rd Cavalry rolled over the protesters with support of six battle tanks.

And there was the Kent State University's shootings in 1970 at students protesting the unpopular war on campus. Four students killed by US National Guard.

From Air Force, Tanks, to Assault Rifles, the US went a long way of using more benign weapons upon its own citizens in a duration of 50 years. No wonder, regimes around the world had plenty to cite in covering their own brutalities against citizens.

Blogger Charged on Subversion of State

Writer and blogger Ran Yunfei was arrested on charge of subversion of State on Feb 24, 2011. Ran had been known as a '100 public intellectual' of China.

By no measure is Ran a political dissident. Ran never advocate for a regime change, never criticized the Communist Party. Ran did commented on some of the public policy, particularly in non-government areas. After the 2008 Sichuan Earthquate, Ran wrote an article encouraging the government to make good use of the feeling of pride among people and be truthful in handling corruptions revealed in the rescue mission. in 2009, Ran blamed the Central China Television Station was ineffective in repeating old brainwash tactics. In 2010, Ran asked more coverage of the history of KMT's resistance of Japanese invasion during 1937-1945.

Ran did sign the 'Charter 08' in 2008, in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Co-author Liu Xiaobo was subsequently jailed by the communist regime, but most of the 303 signees as well as the other co-author Zhang Zuye had been mostly left out of the persecution. It is equally surprising and puzzling as to why Ran caught in trouble.

Perhaps it's the Flower revolution. Mr. al-Gaddafi praised the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, and Mr. Hu Jintao vowed last week to apply tighter control of the Internet. It is likely that Ran was picked up to make an example for the rest of the Chinese. That explains why he, rather than some of the more vocal dissidents was singled out. The communist authority is trying to make a case that any ordinary people could be persecuted, if your mind is not aligned with the rules of the Party.