Flying out of LAX today and headed for Hong Kong. Both cities are burning, one literally and the other figuratively (and sometimes even literally).
While brush fires plague the City of Angels and the entire state of California, Hong Kong is alight in protest. Hong Kong burns. Hong Kong yearns.
The one-time British colony and current Special Administrative Region of China has known freedom for the past century, give or take. But with the clock winding down to the 2047 end of a separate political system, the people are pushing back against China’s attempts to encroach on the timeline.
The impetus for the recent protests involve a proposed bill in the Hong Kong legislature that would allow for extradition of Hong Kong residents to mainland China. This, compounded by promised (but never realized) democratic reforms, has ignited the powder keg of Hong Kong’s current protests.
Hong Kong’s government (run by a chief executive chosen from among a slate certified with Beijing’s imprimatur) has even barred leading protest activist Joshua Wong from running for office.
But is China too late? Hong Kong has already tasted freedom, and it is difficult-to-impossible to take that away without these protests further escalating into something even more powerful.
No lesser a freedom fighter than Fidel Castro, himself, once said, “Una revolución es una fuerza más poderosa que la naturaleza.” Translation: A revolution is a force more powerful than nature.
Or, as I like to say, “You can’t put the biscuits back in the can.”
Once you twist the spiral-sealed canister of Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits and the dough pops out, it’s too late. It’s time for biscuits.
Here in the United States, where I receive my mail, I have not served in the military. But I take every chance I can to help out in the ways I know how: donating to military charities and doing comedy shows for the troops.
The same applies to my second home of Hong Kong. Though I cannot be there with you in your protests, I can hopefully provide a place for you to laugh for a moment. To recharge your smiles which I miss so much. To take a step back and gather your energies to become an even greater force of nature than you have already been.
And so, though it sounds gross to promote, I have two shows this weekend in Hong Kong and I’d like you to come. Friday night in SoHo at TakeOut Comedy, then Saturday night at CyberPort on the West side of Hong Kong island.
Many protesters are younger, or students, and maybe perhaps cannot afford tickets to a comedy show. It’s okay, come anyway. I got you. What do you have, a dollar? That’s fine. Zero dollars? Fine. Come anyway. And laugh for a night. Then, it’s biscuit time.
More details by calling 6220 4436.
you are the best.
No, you are! Happy birthday from somewhere in the middle of the ocean.