02-13-2026, 08:05 PM
Some more grist for the mill, I suppose…
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czr07r0vengo
I do wonder a bit what the effect of her parents divorce had on her feelings about China vs. the US. She was raised by her Chinese mother, and frequently went back to see her Chinese family, but there is no mention of her father or his family. It is easier to feel a connection to your parent’s homeland under those circumstances than those of Lou’s (whose father was a political activist and fled China after Tiennnenmen). I’m not saying it is right, but I can see how she might have some genuine affection for China.
And, of course, the Hess controversy cuts both ways. On the one hand, I am glad our athletes can be critical of the United States in a way that Chinese athletes never could be critical of their own country. On the other hand, some of the blowback he’s faced, even if it isn’t legal, means that there is a chilling effect towards criticizing your own country that is not unique to China. In its aftermath, many of the athletes who stood in Hess’ defense prefaced their comments with “I’m proud to represent the US, but…”
I posted four years ago that I thought it was disappointing that she couldn’t even bring herself to say something minimally critical about China, but that was more a commentary on China and the CCP than on Gu.
BC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czr07r0vengo
I do wonder a bit what the effect of her parents divorce had on her feelings about China vs. the US. She was raised by her Chinese mother, and frequently went back to see her Chinese family, but there is no mention of her father or his family. It is easier to feel a connection to your parent’s homeland under those circumstances than those of Lou’s (whose father was a political activist and fled China after Tiennnenmen). I’m not saying it is right, but I can see how she might have some genuine affection for China.
And, of course, the Hess controversy cuts both ways. On the one hand, I am glad our athletes can be critical of the United States in a way that Chinese athletes never could be critical of their own country. On the other hand, some of the blowback he’s faced, even if it isn’t legal, means that there is a chilling effect towards criticizing your own country that is not unique to China. In its aftermath, many of the athletes who stood in Hess’ defense prefaced their comments with “I’m proud to represent the US, but…”
I posted four years ago that I thought it was disappointing that she couldn’t even bring herself to say something minimally critical about China, but that was more a commentary on China and the CCP than on Gu.
BC
