Tiananmen Square and Western Connecticut

The unique race for Congress in western Connecticut is attracting national attention because it is between incumbents—Democrat Jim Maloney and Republican Nancy Johnson are facing off in a "sudden death" race in which one will lose their Congressional seat.

The race is now drawing special attention from the China Support Network (CSN), an American booster group for the Tiananmen Square cause, victims of Chinese atrocity, and pro-democracy dissidents. This organization was formed in 1989 as tanks of the Chinese PLA crushed the pro-democracy uprising in Tiananmen Square, at the heart of China's capital, Beijing. Americans who were sympathetic to the cause joined the China Support Network and rendered aid to the Chinese dissidents upon their escape from China.

While we can say that CSN combines freedom lovers, democracy boosters and anti-communists, we can also say that CSN became an "American arm" of the Chinese democracy movement. Together with leading Chinese dissidents, CSN has now found that western Connecticut's race for Congress is a key and crucial component of their political strategy, which favors the cause of Chinese freedom and human rights. The China Support Network has endorsed Jim Maloney for re-election to Congress, and Chinese dissidents will be able to use this race as a showcase for their cause.

Inconveniently for Nancy Johnson, it is a fact that she voted for the free-trade-with-China deal, the "permanent normalization" of trade relations (PNTR) between the U.S. and China—and that Jim Maloney voted against PNTR. Was PNTR among the gravest American mistakes? Yes, and the China Support Network takes this to be more than opinion; it is mathematically supportable as fact. Beyond trade, PNTR "normalized" the decline of the U.S. economy and national security. Not only does this reward Beijing for heinous atrocities; it also takes away jobs in Connecticut's 5th District.

Jobs in Connecticut's 5th District is a powerful issue that reinforces which position on PNTR we should take, while also backing Chinese aspirations for freedom, democracy and civilized government. The statistics are in, and communists in China have murdered more people than were killed in World War II. With his trade deficit-aware politics, Jim Maloney can make a powerful case that he is the stronger Congressman on the economy and jobs for our district, as well as on the issue of Chinese freedom and democracy.

We can see why the race holds special interest for the China Support Network. Johnson and Maloney represent one vote for, and one vote against, free trade with China. The dissidents wanted PNTR defeated, and they want to keep up the pressure for human rights. Now the membership of Congress will shift, and we in the 5th District will make a choice between a strong China policy and a weak China policy.

Because there is national focus on this race, word will get around. Chinese dissidents have been marginalized and minimized, all but censored in recent years. When do you last recall the Chinese democracy movement coming into the picture? It may be news to many Americans that the pro-democracy opposition of China was against the free trade deal. How could the leadership of the free world walk away from the democracy lobby? Americans were scarcely told of this—the news media downplayed it, and swept the matter under the rug. At the same time, the free trade lobby leaned on Nancy Johnson and got her to vote to reward the tyrants of Beijing.

The Congressional race in western Connecticut offers an appropriate venue for the pro-democracy camp to communicate clearly that the democracy movement is for added pressure on China. This is a message not just for western Connecticut, but a statement on national China policy.

For these reasons, the China Support Network is lining up behind Jim Maloney in his re-election battle in this unique race. Freedom lovers, democracy boosters and anti-communists in western Connecticut are asked to lend a hand; this remains a cause in need of your contributions. And we ask your support of Jim Maloney, to return as 5th District Congressman!

John Kusumi was the same age as the college students in Tiananmen Square when he founded the China Support Network in 1989. For more info visit <www.chinasupport.net>.