Chinese criticism brings up flaws in US politics
The Senate鈥檚 decision on gun control this past week opened another string of vehement discourse, but this time the conversation has trickled outside our nation鈥檚 boundaries. In the time span of a year, the U.S. has experienced more shooting incidents than we can count on our fingers 鈥� giving more than enough reason for the world to curiously anticipate our nation鈥檚 next move. And now that the Senate has made its move, Chinese citizens have decided to put in their two cents.
Not surprisingly, their main reaction has been confusion. The Chinese people have always regarded this country as democratic and caring for its own people, much unlike their own, so the fact that the U.S. government turned down a proposal supported by more than 80 percent of its citizens casts doubt on what exactly a democracy is and whether it exists at all. The Senate鈥檚 decision, coupled in irony with the Boston bomb incident, is evidence that our country is not the place of political perfection which many believe it to be. A commentator on Weibo, China鈥檚 microblogging site, brings up a good point: 鈥淎 system in which the commander-chief doesn鈥檛 have even authority; should there be some reform?鈥�
The Chinese are right. What country has a president who cannot enforce the desires of the vast majority, where a loud and rich group of minority extremists have the power to influence such a huge decision? Not a good one, that鈥檚 for sure. And when China is telling us that we should reform, there鈥檚 something seriously wrong.