The trial of Bo Xilai has already taken a wild course off the scripted path, taking longer than expected. This kind of hard-core politics is nothing new to Bo, who has been persecuted by the communist party before. His father, Bo Yibo, did several stretches in prison under several regimes, but came out on top. Bo Xilai did not escape persecution either.
While imprisoned, Bo Yibo attempted to keep notes on the circumstances of his beatings by writing on scraps of newspaper, but his jailers confiscated these and used them as evidence of Bo's recalcitrance. Eventually, his hands trembled so much that he could not hold chopsticks, and he had to scrape his rice off the floor of his cell. When he complained to his jailers that this was "not the communist way", his jailers only beat him more severely.[1] Bo's children were jailed or sent to the countryside, and his wife died in captivity (she was reportedly beaten to death by Red Guards,[1][7] but they claimed that she committed suicide).[11] Bo Xiyong, Bo Xilai, and Bo Xicheng were imprisoned at the ages of sixteen, seventeen and seventeen (respectively), and Bo Xining was sent to the countryside at the age of fourteen.[12] Bo remained in prison for over a decade.
Clearly Bo has no use for the deranged leftism, the self-destructive policies of which we are only too aware of in USA politics. On the other hand, he is an unlikely candidate for corruption, given what his family went through. What is going with this trial is epic, and it is too bad we have no press up to the challenge of explicating the events. The stakes in China are high indeed, for if the current leaders exonerate Bo, it will be a very clear signal to certain elements. On the other hand, if Bo is convicted and sent away, that really is nothing final. He may be back.
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While imprisoned, Bo Yibo attempted to keep notes on the circumstances of his beatings by writing on scraps of newspaper, but his jailers confiscated these and used them as evidence of Bo's recalcitrance. Eventually, his hands trembled so much that he could not hold chopsticks, and he had to scrape his rice off the floor of his cell. When he complained to his jailers that this was "not the communist way", his jailers only beat him more severely.[1] Bo's children were jailed or sent to the countryside, and his wife died in captivity (she was reportedly beaten to death by Red Guards,[1][7] but they claimed that she committed suicide).[11] Bo Xiyong, Bo Xilai, and Bo Xicheng were imprisoned at the ages of sixteen, seventeen and seventeen (respectively), and Bo Xining was sent to the countryside at the age of fourteen.[12] Bo remained in prison for over a decade.
Clearly Bo has no use for the deranged leftism, the self-destructive policies of which we are only too aware of in USA politics. On the other hand, he is an unlikely candidate for corruption, given what his family went through. What is going with this trial is epic, and it is too bad we have no press up to the challenge of explicating the events. The stakes in China are high indeed, for if the current leaders exonerate Bo, it will be a very clear signal to certain elements. On the other hand, if Bo is convicted and sent away, that really is nothing final. He may be back.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
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