MCLC: backlash over HK treatment of mainlanders (1)

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: Wang, Zhuoyi <zwang at hamilton.edu>
Subject: backlash over HK treatment of mainlanders (1)
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Two key points are missing from Gerry Mullany's report. One, the
parents were in a desperate situation: they tried to use the bathroom,
but there was a long line and their two-year-old child (a boy
according to a later clarification of the HK police) could not wait.
Two, the couple used a diaper beneath their child and then put the
diaper into their bag.

Mullany quotes two comments in the report and puts the one that makes
an irrelevant, patriotic argument first. According to my reading of
the Chinese netizen's comments, however, the second one is much more
representative of their views (as shown, for example, here:

http://comment.news.163.com/news3_bbs/9QH8IH3P00014JB5.html

What triggered the "backlash" (as well as the parents' angry reactions)
was that the HK person filmed the child urinating: an outrageous invasion
of privacy at least and a sexual misconduct at worst. Many questioned why
that person did not have to face any legal consequences. This question is
also missing from this report. Compared to Mullany's report, the following
report shows even more clearly the media's desire for the "uncivilized and
unreasonable Chinese" stereotype just by its title: "Hong Kong Howls, But
88% of Mainland Chinese Don’t Mind Public Urination"

http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/04/23/hong-kong-howls-but-88-of-mai
nland-chinese-dont-mind-public-urination/

Zhuoyi Wang