Confessions of a Reactionary

When Xu Zhiyong and I received the "Top Ten People of the Rule of Law in 2003" award on CCTV, the host Xiao Sa asked, "What is the power of the rule of law?" I replied, "Everyone stands up and fights for the rule of law." At that time, neither I nor Xu Zhiyong, nor the organizer CCTV and the National Law Popularization Office, probably never imagined that we would become "rights defenders", "dissidents" and "new black five types of elements" in a few years' time. became the "enemy of the state". In fact, it all went so smoothly.

The story goes like this: The incident carefully planned by our "Three Doctors" in the Sun Zhigang Incident in 2003 was an open challenge to the detention and repatriation system, and it was also a "conspiracy" with ulterior motives to promote the constitutional review system. I was ready to take possible risks, but this matter was not pursued by the government, but was commended by accident. Being praised by the government without being ashamed is a little embarrassing to think about now.

A doctorate from Peking University, a lawyer certificate, a reactionary idea of liberal democracy and constitutionalism, a pen capable of sophistry and sensationalism, plus the self-inflation brought about by the frequent hype of domestic and foreign media, plus the injustice in the land of China , I can be said to be active and arrogant in the movement to promote human rights in China. Involved in legal aid, represented human rights cases, established reactionary organizations "Gongmeng" and "Beijing Xingshan Research Institute", accepted interviews with reactionary media, indulged in foreign reactionary Weibo, wrote reactionary articles and charged reactionary manuscript fees, initiated and participated in reactionary citizen signatures, They took to the streets to protest, participated in group onlookers, attacked the black jails and brainwashing centers of the government’s underground offices, promoted the New Citizens Movement, and participated in collective drunken activities in series.

Not only is it in the wrong team, but it is getting deeper and deeper. The Sun Zhigang case, speaking for the temporary residents and homeless people in the motherland; the messy bbs incident, shouting for the online platform of the reactionaries; the Cai Zhuohua case, shouting for the five types of underground churches; intervening in the demolition case, supporting the nail households; the black brick kiln case, Went to Shanxi to defend the rights of slave laborers; the melamine incident, appealed for the baby stone; the Wenchuan earthquake, denounced the bean curd slag project; the Wang Bo case and several Falun Gong cases, shouted for the freedom of belief of the so-called "cult": After the "3.14" incident, the organization Lawyers provide legal aid to arrested Tibetans: After the "7.5" incident, flew to Urumqi to try to raise Hailai for reporters? Niazi overturned the case; Xia Junfeng case, defended the Shenyang hawker who was occupying the street; Chen Guangcheng case, fought with forced abortion, judicial framer, illegal detainee, and illegal perpetrator; Tang Jitian, Liu Wei case, helping black five Human rights lawyers challenged the Bureau of Justice; the Gao Zhisheng case, the Hu Jia case, the sing of red and black, education equality, officials' disclosure of property, direct elections by the Lawyers Association, Charter 08, etc. In short, they have never chosen the right position. This is not a momentary brainstorm or an occasional blunder, it shows that this person has completely lost his class stance, has a deep hatred for the socialist slave system with Chinese characteristics, is completely brainwashed by the hypocritical political democracy and human rights myths of capitalism, and completely forgets the party-state. The grace of education, the grace of not killing, and scolding the cook when you are full.

In fact, what I did in the Sun Zhigang incident, and the various speeches and actions that followed were all based on the same idea. Activating the constitution, defending rights in accordance with the law, non-violence, and the New Citizens Movement are all pretense, but in fact they are all to make oneself feel better. I gradually learned that there are still a small group of fools in the world who are ignorant of current affairs: when I see others being bullied, I feel uncomfortable in my heart; The big killer uses the spiritual weapon in his heart, the legal weapon in his head, and the media and the Internet that don't know the truth. It doesn't matter whether the other party is a corrupt official, a vicious official or a naked official, a rogue, a legal illiterate or an illiterate, whether it is a principal, a bureau chief or a provincial governor, whether it is Gao Daquan, Wei Guangzheng or the truth of the universe. This small group includes lawyers, scholars, journalists, artists, petitioners, peasants, netizens, and assholes. They make little money, take risks, and enjoy suffering. Although they are outnumbered, they can sometimes achieve partial victories, and sometimes fight After losing the battle but winning the momentum, although the defeat is still honorable, the black five types and bad elements who are dissatisfied or not deeply involved in the world continue to join, and for a while the civil forces are clamoring; , After repeated defeats and repeated battles, it was almost time to go to Liangshan.

That's not bad. means must be used.

At first, they came to talk kindly: "Look, you are knowledgeable, famous, and have the opportunity to speak for the Party, which is of great benefit. Why bother with those people." I didn't listen and continued to work. .

Later, they began to warn: "It's dangerous to go on like this. Listen to people's persuasion and have enough to eat. Make trouble for the government, but there is no good fruit to eat. Look, you don't have any job title, project, or award." I Don't listen, keep doing it.

Later, they want to give some color to see. Passport confiscated. Let you have no chance to contact the dire foreign life. I don't listen, keep doing it.

Later, they cancelled my lawyer license. Li Dajin, president of the Beijing Lawyers Association, and the leaders of the Beijing Judicial Bureau fiercely wanted to "use their brains to knock out the jobs of these lawyers."

Later, they shut down my blog, Weibo, and reincarnation Weibo. Put me on the blacklist for media interviews, blacklist for university lectures. When you swipe your ID card, the name displayed is "Key Stability Maintenance Object". Some people I know are afraid to eat with me or even call me. I ignored it and went my own way.

Later, they used the underworld to stalk and attack me when I went out to handle cases, or used the domestic security department to place me under house arrest during the country's routine sensitive holidays and temporary sensitive dates, or accompany me on travel and patiently at the same time. Ideological and political work. I was stubborn and continued to go further and further down the path of depravity.

Later, in order to save me, they began to use the kidnapping method, black night, black hood, black handcuffs, stuffed into a small black car, dragged to a black prison, locked in a small black room for two days and two nights, threatened with The crime of inciting subversion of state power got me in. Instead of repenting, I launched a rampant attack on the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics by writing articles, acting as a citizen, and organizing NGOs. If we can pull back from the precipice, turn our backs, and make a change at every stage, then the future may also be great.

Later, the jasmine flower quietly bloomed, and the bad guys were arrested one after another. The educational methods they used against me must have also escalated. Another night, black hoods, black handcuffs, black cars, gang kidnappings, black prisons, this time with black fists and black slaps, deprivation of communication, deprivation of sleep, deprivation of information, deprivation of the freedom to stretch out your arms and legs: during the 70 days of detention, Wear handcuffs for 24 hours a day multiplied by 36 days, and face the wall in a fixed position for 18 hours a day multiplied by 57 days. Under the physical torture and mental torture, I began to write a letter of repentance and a letter of guarantee. If I was not sincere enough to pass the test, I had to rewrite it. During this class, I deeply felt the infinite power of the people's democratic dictatorship. It turned out that what I feared behind my apparent bravery and strength, they knew from the beginning. I should have known they knew from the start.

That's the family I love. As soon as my wife and daughter were hurt by reality and more threatened, I was immediately faced with a dilemma. "Are you considered a responsible man?" - In an irresponsible system, for those who want to be responsible, family responsibilities and social responsibilities (historical responsibilities) are in direct conflict. When you go to prison, you can't take care of your family; but on this road, prison and various alternatives to prison seem to be the inevitable destination for such people. If you don’t take this road, you can fulfill your family responsibilities, but let’s not talk about abandoning your ideals. Children will continue to live under such an irresponsible system in the future, and children will also face the dilemma of family responsibilities and social responsibilities in the future. , I am afraid that it is not a responsible performance to pass on what our generation should do to the next generation.

Well, keep doing things, but don't go to jail. Forbearance forbearance, retreat and retreat, talk strategy, hitch a ride. But the problem is that the organization has few clear rules and regulations for arresting people. If it is regular and predictable, it is a society of rules. A totalitarian ruler is like a habitual child. What you think is a safe strategy may not be really safe. Shi Tao was sentenced to 10 years in prison for an email, Yang Chunlin was sentenced to six years for a slogan, and Wang Yi was sentenced to one year of reeducation through labor for a five-character tweet. However, there are also people who kept tossing and did not enter. For example, in the 10 years before Dr. Liu Xiaobo was arrested in 2008, he wrote articles of millions of words and did many bad things. . But not going in today does not mean not being able to go in tomorrow, he still went in. Famous can't get in? Gao Zhisheng, Hu Jia, and Ai Weiwei were all very famous when they went in. If you don't touch the case of the party, Falun Gong, and Tibetan Uighurs, you can't get in? Most of the people who went in didn't touch these. Disabled or elderly can't get in? Chen Guangcheng, Luo Yongzhong, Yan Zhengxue, and Zhu Chengzhi, there are many examples. There are at least two old people over 80 years old who have been sent to labor camps, and many more have been sent to black prisons. The system needs this power of ambiguity.

Well, take a step back. From the perspective of society as a whole, if you trade freedom for security, you may end up getting neither. Personally, the less trouble you cause the government, the greater your safety factor. But the question is where to go? If you feel that taking one step back is not enough, you need to take two steps back, and taking two steps back will also feel unsafe and you need to take another step back. It is only safe to step back to the bottom line, pretend to be deaf and mute, and turn a blind eye. The question is, if everyone is moderate, rational, neutral and objective ("rational, neutral and objective"), tactical, and doesn't provoke the authorities, the government won't arrest people? The CCP brand meat grinder doesn’t work anymore? They all stepped back, and the standards for arresting people were different: they all protested in a low voice, and it was possible to find the loudest among them. If you can't find it, you have to make it. If you don’t criticize publicly, you have to catch those who criticize privately. The arrest is certain, and the standard is roughly determined by the overall level of potential arrestees. The government's tolerance is basically propped up by the average level of prisoners. This is what makes this system magical and paradoxical; it also seems to be the fate of democrats and human rights defenders. If you love freedom, you will lose freedom; if you lose freedom, you can gain freedom. Anyone who realizes this, has no way to go back.

Well, for safety's sake, sing praises to the party. The problem is that there is only one biped named Shen Jilan. It's not easy to be in the wrong team every time. And Goethes aren't necessarily safe. If you do this as a human being, it is estimated that you will be awakened by the Chinese dream. Others sell it cheap enough, you ask for a high price, and no one buys it at all. ——If you are interested in participating in the competition of intellectuals, the story is completely different from the beginning.

...

Freedom does not fall from the sky. An inch of freedom is an inch of blood. Li Wangyang, Li Hong, Sun Zhigang, Xue Jinbo, Qian Yunhui, Tang Fuzhen, Zhabai…. Bad elements are like leeks, one cut and another grows. I visited Mu Chuanheng, a dissident writer in Qingdao last year. He was convicted of speaking, but in prison he continued to write reactionary articles, which he managed to bring out and publish in foreign reactionary journals. What can be done about him? Sentence again? The only way to get him to stop writing is to destroy his body. If he destroys his body, it will complete his last work of body writing under the totalitarian system. Most of the political prisoners who came out of prison did not want to repent, continued to commit crimes, and even entered the palace twice and three times. This is probably one of the questions that the invincible communist stormtroopers have been puzzling over. It is difficult to kill clearly, and perhaps assassination is necessary.

... Spiritual resistance to totalitarianism will eventually turn into physical resistance. We are constantly calculating and determining the proportions of spirit and body in our lives. In fact, I am afraid of death, seeking death, stubborn, and weak. Every moment is filled with happiness, and every moment is filled with pain. This is the confession of a reactionary.

On the night of June 3, 2013.

[Note by Teng Biao: This article was first published in "Book of Life and Death in China", published by Mufeng Culture Publishing Co., Ltd. At the time of writing, Xu Zhiyong was under house arrest, and at the time of publication, he had moved to the Beijing No. 3 Detention Center. This small document is for Xu Zhiyong and all the reactionaries whose homes have been jailed and whose homes are prisons.

Press again, stumbled upon this old article. Xu Zhiyong was imprisoned for 4 years and released in 2017; he was arrested in February 2020 for continuing to promote freedom and democracy in China, and he is still being held at the Linshu County Detention Center in Shandong Province. 】