Posted on 02/12/2022 3:02:43 PM PST by nickcarraway
On Feb. 8, gold medalist Eileen Gu posted on Instagram to announce her win at the Beijing Winter Olympics. As social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are banned in China, many Chinese have questioned why she, but not the general public, could use Instagram in mainland China.
“Anyone can download a VPN its literally free on the App store,” Gu replied, according to a screenshot of her now-deleted post.
Gu, who was born in San Francisco and raised by a single mother, has made headlines for her decision to compete for the People’s Republic of China (PRC) despite the regime’s vast human rights abuses.
On Feb. 8, four days into the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Gu won China’s first gold medal on snow at the women’s freeski big air event, earning her applause from around mainland China, including Communist Party cadres, who encouraged her and her team to “keep scoring glory for the Party.”
However, her comments about the supposed ease of free internet access in China have struck a nerve.
Gu’s Instagram post was responding to a comment by user cilla.chan, who wrote: “Why can you use Instagram and millions of Chinese people from mainland cannot, why you got such special treatment as a Chinese citizen. That’s not fair, can you speak up for those millions of Chinese who don’t have internet freedom[.]”
Though Chinese law does not recognize dual citizenship, it’s unclear whether Gu gave up U.S. nationality to receive her PRC passport. Athletes at the Games have special access to websites that are normally banned by the authorities, including Western social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Need for VPN use ‘says a lot about the CCP’ Chinese internet comments note that contrary to what Gu said, VPNs — which enable users to skirt the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) “Great Firewall” — are not free or particularly easy to find. In fact, most of them are banned and have to be distributed via clandestine, offline means.
“Gu Ailing is lying. VPNs in the Chinese App Store are not free,” one user stated bluntly, referring to Gu by her Chinese name.
“Does Gu Ailing care about the millions of Chinese people, including her rabid fans, who don’t have access to a free Internet?” another said.
Others called for people to be more understanding of Gu’s situation, given that she only recently took up Chinese citizenship. “I think and guess that’s what she really thinks. After all, she is just a foreign guest.”
Another pointed out that the fact Chinese people have to use VPNs in the first place “says a lot about the CCP.”
In China, hundreds of people have been harassed, threatened, or jailed by the Chinese authorities for “climbing over the wall,” as using a VPN is called.
Gu has frequently sidestepped questions related to topics Beijing would find sensitive, calling reporters who pose them “divisive.”
The freeski big air event is judged. It’s not a true athletic event.
I figure in China it was rigged for her to win.
Life if fine in China if you’re a turncoat named “Eileen Gu”.
Break a leg, you silly tool.
Go Gu!
Go Gu Go!
Hooray Gu!
I don’t get online without a VPN except for work. Our government is not a lot better. Meanwhile, I’m guessing that VPN sales are pretty high in China. That’s a pretty sizeable loophole.
Almost as good as the last Olympics.
You know, where the whole world came to Pee On Chang.
And now... Back To The Slopes!
That was epic funny.
Given that the Chinese government is aware of VPNs, I doubt that there isn’t some way for their privacy to be subverted. I find it hard to believe the CCP allows its citizens to have something that allows them to circumvent official policy.
She is both right and wrong. You can get a VPN in China (Though not as easy as she thinks) but there is a lot of censorship.
I noticed she didn’t tell you how long they would last. Most VPNs are figured out by the Chinese, you might get a couple hours on the Internet and once they see you they shut you down. I have one VPN that works OK in China but it’s hit or miss. I don’t use Facebook or any other social medias but I know that they are all shut down. You can’t even use Google there… I can say this, Free Republic is blocked there! I used to be able to use the website freely up until about two years ago but now it is blocked. Really the biggest reason I have a VPN is to stay in touch here! My only news website!
She doesn’t look Chinese.
She sold out her country for the Bengamin's, errr the Yuan. Winner goes to the highest bidder. Truck her. Did the Chicomms give her a sweetheart deal where she didn't need to renounce her USA Citizenship? We should do it for her.
She is half-white. Her fathers’ identity is a bit mysterious, as I dont think her mother is married. I suspect she was conceived out of wedlock.
A traitor Stanford proudly admitted.
“That’s a pretty sizeable loophole.”
No, not that easy. VPNs can be used, but only for foreigners who need them to access company resources. For typical Chinese people, if they’re caught using a VPN, or Encryption, they’ll get a visit from the state security organ.
“Gu Ailing is lying. VPNs in the Chinese App Store are not free,” one user stated bluntly, referring to Gu by her Chinese name.
“Does Gu Ailing care about the millions of Chinese people, including her rabid fans, who don’t have access to a free Internet?” another said.
Some interviewer asked her if she would run for President.
The children of foreigners were who the founders were excluding with the natural born citizen clause because they are not naturally Americans as they are also born something else.
John Jay to George Washington:
“Permit me to hint, whether it would be wise and seasonable to provide a strong check to the admission of Foreigners into the administration of our national Government; and to declare expressly that the Command in Chief of the American army shall not be given to nor devolve on, any but a natural born Citizen.”
The children of foreigners ARE foreigners, even if we foolishly give them citizenship.
The singularity of nationality is what the founders were requiring.
I’m sure that is coming to “democracies” quite close to all of us.
Gu is a treasonous little spoiled brat.
A complete liberal tool, not understanding how good she had it in the US. Let her live in China and see the error of her ways.
She’s been accepted at Stanford, but she will need a student visa as a Chinese student. I’m sure that Beijing has an excellent university.
DENY THE VISA !!
Note: 11 Canadian and 7 US hockey players play for China. Screw them too. They are all now Naturalized Chinese citizens. Stay in China traitors.
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