Reuters Reports: London Journos Call to Boycott Yahoo

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It was bound to happen again, but it has been quite a long time. Amazingly, I agree with some journalists on something!

"LONDON (Reuters) - The union representing journalists in the UK and Ireland called on its 40,000 members to boycott all Yahoo Inc. products and services to protest the Internet company's reported actions in China."

I have been angered about this issue for some time. Both Yahoo and Google have been party to Chinese oppression just so they can continue to serve the Communist dictatorship without a crimp in their profits in that oppressed land. (See story, Click here)

These are the kinds of actions that make leftists seem spot on when they claim that corporations don't care about people. The two internet giants have been responsible for shutting down websites in China that question the Chinese government and have helped that government to block access to the web for the average Chinese citizen.

But that isn't the worst, or most shameful, of it all. Both services have also helped the Chinese to track down internet scofflaws in China and these actions have led to arrests of Chinese citizens.

China has one of the worst human rights abuse records in all the world, so these arrests most certainly have led to torture and possibly executions because that is how the Chinese government operates.

This means that Yahoo and Google are directly responsible for the torture and probably the deaths of untold numbers of Chinese citizens who merely want to help democratize their ancient nation via the internet.

Unfortunately, most of what I just said has to be placed under the heading of informed speculation because China does not allow the international community access to their corrupt detention system. But it isn't all just wild guess work. Even Yahoo's Chairman admits that things are too oppressive.

"Yahoo Chairman and Chief Executive Terry Semel said last month the company had no choice but to comply with local laws and did not have the power to change Chinese policy. He added that he was seeking help from the U.S. government to urge China to allow more media freedom."

What could be more disingenuous?

"No choice but to comply"?

Does Chairman Semel think we are all stupid? He is trying to explain away his participation in what amounts to government sponsored murder by claiming he must follow Chinese law and expecting us to buy his proclamations of innocence.

Chairman Semel, I have a simple question for you. Ever thought of NOT doing business with these murdering maniacs in the FIRST place? (It makes calling him "Chairman" Semel take on a connotation he is sure not to appreciate)

This weak-kneed response to the charges of complicity in murder to mask the greed of making a buck is sickening in a western company, especially one that is supposed to be working to enlighten the world with the information age! Here are just two of the people Yahoo is responsible for oppressing:

"The company has been accused by the NUJ and other journalism groups of providing records that led to an eight-year prison term for Li Zhi for discussing pro-democracy issues in a Web forum and of helping identify Shi Tao, who was sentenced to prison for 10 years for forwarding a government email to the foreign press."

It is just sickening. The assistance that these internet companies from the west are lending to the Chinese is criminal.

- By Warner Todd Huston