Today (5/4/18) is the 29th anniversary of the massacre in Tiananmen Square. For those too young to remember, Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China was ground zero for a massive pro-democracy, people’s movement that many hoped could become a Chinese Spring.
The Chinese government tolerated this youth movement for a time, but eventually decided that enough was enough. On June 4, 1989 Chinese troops moved into the square.
According to one British diplomatic cable, at least 10,000 people were killed that day. Many were run over by tanks. Others were bayoneted to death as they lay wounded in the streets.
On the following day, as tanks returned to the scene, one brave man briefly captured the world’s attention. Now known as Tank Man or The Unknown Protester, with a shopping bag of groceries in each hand, he walked out and stood alone before the column of returning tanks, stopping their progress. Whenever the lead tank tried to maneuver around him, he moved over into its path, stopping it again and again.
This anonymous individual, who almost certainly was executed soon afterwards, put his body between the remnant of surviving protesters and the killing machines of state repression.
He knew the price of his action.
Yet, he also knew that – at least, for him – inaction was unacceptable. So, he stood in front of the tanks fully aware that it was his final act.
Cameron Blake is a good friend of mine whose young imagination was captured by this unknown protester. Cameron has grown into an extremely talented musician/singer/song-writer and just happens to be a huge fan of Bob Dylan, to boot.
Cameron’s latest CD, Fear Not, which I listen to regularly, includes an elegy to the slender Chinese hero who, if only for a moment, single-handedly stopped the tanks of a super-power.
You can watch and listen to Cameron’s newest music video, “Tiananmen Square,” below. Then check out Cameron’s website and buy your own copy of the entire CD, Fear Not. You won’t be disappointed.
Your blogs are so pertinent to today’s WORLD! So many tragic human abuses committed by the powers that be. Cameron ‘s song is so well done and descriptive of Tiananmen square.
Thanks.
That’s a great song and video. Moving!
Yes. It’s great. Cameron has an equally great song 7 music video about the struggle of Palestinian refugees today on his previous CD “Alone on the World Stage.” I had a chance to provide most of the film footage and pics that he used. Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUc9fMwtLm0