• Trudge [Comrade]
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    7 months ago

    It’s the fate of all collaborators. He didn’t really believe that he’d get any different treatment from Afghanistan translators. It’s natural to throw away tools after they outlive their usefulness.

  • DamarcusArt
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    7 months ago

    Why would they help him? If China arrests him, it only makes the west’s “China hates democracy and freedom” narrative stronger. He’s more useful to the west if he is imprisoned in China, cheaper for the US too.

    • loathesome dongeaterA
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      7 months ago

      I think it’s usually a part of the deal that they make with their collaborators. A ton of Tiananmen student protest leaders were able to emigrate to Western countries. But China is more powerful now so they can’t snake them out willy nilly.

      • DamarcusArt
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        7 months ago

        The US has no loyalty to their goons though, they make these deals, but only keep them if they benefit the US. One of the biggest reasons I can’t imagine why people would ever be the US’s propaganda mouthpiece or puppet like this, they backstab or abandon them just as often as they reward them.

  • LibsEatPoop [any]@hexbear.net
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    7 months ago

    TLDR: He sought refuge in US consulate and was denied entry back in 2020 (under Trump) because the State Department said this could worsen US-China relations. It’s come out now because of a book being published.

  • Buchenstr
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    7 months ago

    RIP collaborating snake, didn’t he abuse/torment his spouse as well? Awful human being, deserves to be locked up from society unless he self-criticise and realise the lives he inadvertently killed.

  • ikiru@lemmy.ml
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    7 months ago

    Maybe its just my downer vibes today but I do feel sorry for him.

    He was just a kid during that time, but he learned the hard way that the US/West is not the savior he imagined. A costly lesson.

    • Munrock
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      7 months ago

      Under Hong Kong laws he can’t be charged as an adult for things he did as a minor.

      However, he wasn’t a minor when he held elected office.

      And it’s no coincidence that the first set of protests went off when he ceased to be a minor and became a much more useful pawn for the US, after they built him up as some kind of messianic child prodigy in the preceding years.

      And yeah, 18 is still just a kid in many ways, but so many of us fuck up at that age and spend our lives affected by the consequences. The difference between Wong and the people in this community who fucked up at 18, is that Wong will be able to get a book deal out of his fuckup when he gets out.

      • ikiru@lemmy.ml
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        7 months ago

        And yeah, 18 is still just a kid in many ways, but so many of us fuck up at that age and spend our lives affected by the consequences.

        Yeah, this and possible life imprisonment as a result is more of what I was empathizing with even though I don’t sympathize with his politics. Because I know it was a very plausible alternative timeline where I got locked up at the same age for Leftist protests in the US. But, to be honest, even though I don’t know shit about this dude and didn’t even realize he held an office at some point I already know we probably wouldn’t agree politically so I’m really not trying to defend him generally speaking.

    • Idliketothinkimsmart
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      7 months ago

      He was arrested in September 2020 and is awaiting sentencing for conspiracy to commit subversion over his role in an unofficial primary election.

      Doesn’t seem like the focus of his arrest is because of his student activism. He would’ve been 23 at this point. Not quite a child, but more than old enough to know what he was doing was subversive.

    • 小莱卡
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      7 months ago

      kid or not, he had enough time to think things through and did not. Do not feel sorry for him, he absolutely enjoyed his TIME awards and “nobel peace prize” nominations, now it’s time to reap the consequences of his actions.

    • LarkinDePark
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      7 months ago

      He was 24 years old. A grown adult with the capacity of free will. He did an untold amount of damage and harm.

      • ikiru@lemmy.ml
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        7 months ago

        Oh, was he? Article mentioned he was 17 when he got involved.

        Still pretty young either way though, but you make a good point.

        • LarkinDePark
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          7 months ago

          I had to double check. Born October 96. 23 in the 2019 riots. I think that’s what he’s up for, not the protests in 2014.