To celebrate the Chinese New Year, the annual parade was held today in Uptown along Sheridan and Lawerence. Despite being a cold day, the participants were full of excitement for the Year of the Rat. Happy New Year to our Chinese friends!
That float is from the Chinese consulate. These are the diplomats from China in their native dress with local people allowed to ride along on their float. It’s no different than Chicago’s Dutch consulate sponsoring a Tulip Time float in Holland, Michigan and donating the tulips for Michigan Avenue each year. In fact, it’s an honor for them to recognize our “Chinatown North”. Just about every major foreign county with whom we have diplomatic relations has a consulate office in Chicago. Their offices play an important liaison role and they typically sponsor events all over the city and state that relate to their culture. And when foreign Presidents visit Chicago, they get the front seats at all the events next to the Mayor, while we international business people get the nose bleed seats way in the back, if we’re lucky. The counsel staff are the guys that straighten out problems that citizens from their country have while visiting the US and work with our counsel when our travelers have trouble (like losing passports or getting busted for drugs) in their countries. They help with foreign trade. The major corporations in Chicago go to them to get assistance with requirements to set up foreign subsidiaries and importers use them to get customs and tax info. These are very top level guys.
I know who they are, the functions they provide, and their reason for being here.
I understand the necessity of diplomatic relations and the dog and pony show that goes with it, but that doesn't mean I have to be pleased with top level functionaries of a government that is possibly the worst violator of human rights in the world parading through our city streets.
We have scores of bat-shit crazy reactionaries in this neighborhood protesting Christians and the military, but nary a peep when some real evil bastards are milling about. I love the consistency.
I couldn't agree more. To compare the Dutch government with Communist China is a farce. I too understand why they are here, but I don't have to be happy about it.
Chinese people? Great, love em. Communist Chinese dictatorship? No thanks, please don't come into my neighborhood.
hahaha, yeah, the US is almost comparable to China. Amazing.
Freedom of religion, freedom of press, the right to bear arms, freedom to have more than one child, freedom to not have to lower the shades of the airplane while taking off... you know, little things like that.
Ah, so you're probably one of the clowns over at Senn protesting the Naval Academy there.
Moral equivalence at its absolute worst. You should be ashamed of yourself. In China, such talk would probably lead to you being dragged out into the street by local police and beaten like a dog.
To celebrate the Chinese New Year, the annual parade was held today in Uptown along Sheridan and Lawerence. Despite being a cold day, the participants were full of excitement for the Year of the Rat. Happy New Year to our Chinese friends!
Communists in Uptown? How depressingly appropriate.
ReplyDeleteOh come on. It's nice that they can celebrate here and not just Chinatown on the South Side.
ReplyDeleteYou've got to give them credit for braving the Artic Zone weather.
Glad you got pictures of the parade. Your blog mentioned it earlier but we forgot.
ReplyDeleteSo now it's Year of the Rat. Somehow that seems very appropriate.
I have no problem with Chinese-Americans and ex-pats having a nice little parade through Uptown.
ReplyDeleteI do have a problem with Chinese government officials and/or supporters parading through Uptown.
Not so "nice".
That float is from the Chinese consulate. These are the diplomats from China in their native dress with local people allowed to ride along on their float. It’s no different than Chicago’s Dutch consulate sponsoring a Tulip Time float in Holland, Michigan and donating the tulips for Michigan Avenue each year. In fact, it’s an honor for them to recognize our “Chinatown North”.
ReplyDeleteJust about every major foreign county with whom we have diplomatic relations has a consulate office in Chicago. Their offices play an important liaison role and they typically sponsor events all over the city and state that relate to their culture. And when foreign Presidents visit Chicago, they get the front seats at all the events next to the Mayor, while we international business people get the nose bleed seats way in the back, if we’re lucky.
The counsel staff are the guys that straighten out problems that citizens from their country have while visiting the US and work with our counsel when our travelers have trouble (like losing passports or getting busted for drugs) in their countries. They help with foreign trade. The major corporations in Chicago go to them to get assistance with requirements to set up foreign subsidiaries and importers use them to get customs and tax info.
These are very top level guys.
I know who they are, the functions they provide, and their reason for being here.
ReplyDeleteI understand the necessity of diplomatic relations and the dog and pony show that goes with it, but that doesn't mean I have to be pleased with top level functionaries of a government that is possibly the worst violator of human rights in the world parading through our city streets.
We have scores of bat-shit crazy reactionaries in this neighborhood protesting Christians and the military, but nary a peep when some real evil bastards are milling about. I love the consistency.
I couldn't agree more. To compare the Dutch government with Communist China is a farce. I too understand why they are here, but I don't have to be happy about it.
ReplyDeleteChinese people? Great, love em. Communist Chinese dictatorship? No thanks, please don't come into my neighborhood.
It's not like our country is a hallmark of human rights these days... People will find anything to bitch about on this blog.
ReplyDeletehahaha, yeah, the US is almost comparable to China. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteFreedom of religion, freedom of press, the right to bear arms, freedom to have more than one child, freedom to not have to lower the shades of the airplane while taking off... you know, little things like that.
Ah, so you're probably one of the clowns over at Senn protesting the Naval Academy there.
ReplyDeleteMoral equivalence at its absolute worst. You should be ashamed of yourself. In China, such talk would probably lead to you being dragged out into the street by local police and beaten like a dog.
All this, about a parade float?
ReplyDelete