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The fact is that calling the U.S. McCarthyist is a wild exaggeration, but calling China a repressive communist regime is totally accurate. Perspective... do you have any?

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If the US and Europe pretend, as we should, to be shining lighthouses for the cause of freedom and democracy, then for the sake of congruence and principle we should hold ourselves to higher standards than more oppressive regimes.

As for the accusation of "wild" exaggeration; granted, it's an exaggeration, and I should probably stop rabble-rousing someday. Still, nationalistic prejudice? Check. Paranoiac delusions of espionage/propaganda? Check. Lack of any reasonable oversight such as, you know, asking NASA by the phone? Check. Harassment of foreign nationals? Check. If anything is lacking, is scale.

My problem is less the high standards for the U.S. and Europe than it is the low standard for China. I'm quite sick of all the China apologists crawling out of the woodwork rationalizing its repressive communist government (mostly because it's a good place to invest right now). China is too developed to play the "poor third world nation" card anymore. It's playing with the big kids now and should be held to the same standards.

I agree completely.

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