Wondering about China today

It's a little surreal to have been in China for these past few months, then immediately upon returning, I see lots of media coverage about some ethnic unrest and violence over there. The area in reference is Xinjiang province, where I spent my most recent holiday. I loved meeting the Uighurs, Kazakhs, local Han. Everyone was kind to us, eager to show us their beloved home (except for a few who were only out to rip us off, but that can be said, anywhere, right?) I've been doing a lot of thinking over these past few months about how these groups can live along side one another, without actually co-existing. It's another topic I've been meaning to spend more time thinking and writing about. I will likely never fully understand the ins and outs and history of this ethnic tension, but I'd definitely like to try.

But today, as I log into my blogspot account without a VPN, I am reminded by what it's like to be in China among the of unrest. My friend Ryan (in Suzhou at the moment) writes about the good old Firewall being at work again.

I never claimed to know the solution for political unrest in China, but wouldn't you think that citizens, especially young people, should be aware of their current events and surroundings? They say we learn from history, so maybe people should know about all the good and all the bad, and make their own decisions? Just a thought.