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This is a poem that will be read and remembered by many. The author is a professor emeritus of physics at New York State University
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A Poem# y$ B3 w; t+ E. O& d# E, M
Published by the Washington Post ( w. E8 k% D) j+ @
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When we were the Sick Man of Asia, We were called The Yellow Peril.8 u8 q5 p; D6 a5 r# U# u( f/ }
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When we are billed to be the next Superpower, we are called The Threat.0 A( A2 |( {/ C! X
- _' p% h7 n6 g6 k( t When we closed our doors, you smuggled drugs to open markets.6 {; e' m$ n6 m) V$ b
+ f; Y. {1 R: J1 q7 T2 n- B4 b When we embrace Free Trade, You blame us for taking away your jobs.
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4 r* d3 N( j; K When we were falling apart, You marched in your troops and wanted your* @" n' J- d _ _
fair share.1 j, ^( u5 I+ }- `( F) Z+ R
) o3 Y7 o/ l* ~9 _% L/ T% D When we tried to put the broken pieces back together again, Free Tibet you' `( X, L% y- D
screamed, It Was an Invasion!
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When tried Communism, you hated us for being Communist.
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1 J" w: t8 W1 }3 I$ P4 Y- J When we embrace Capitalism, you hate us for being Capitalist.
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H2 t7 t U; B/ x When we have a billion people, you said we were destroying the planet.
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4 N+ S6 [, t3 e2 O& W$ L When we tried limiting our numbers, you said we abused human rights.& \+ y( `/ x7 z6 \
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When we were poor, you thought we were dogs.! E) s' O( o5 ~0 D6 K' _/ z3 W
2 G6 Z/ t* T$ t3 h7 c( R, Y$ h When we loan you cash, you blame us for your national debts.4 {) G4 s7 G' D, e) ^
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When we build our industries, you call us Polluters.
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When we sell you goods, you blame us for global warming.
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5 c9 {. i# v; n When we buy oil, you call it exploitation and genocide.+ Z& E: E4 Y- \+ G b
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When you go to war for oil, you call it liberation.
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1 Z6 q9 G5 a" k/ i When we were lost in chaos and rampage, you demanded rules of law.9 J" M% d: F5 j+ Z
2 B( S- ]1 u+ d5 } When we uphold law and order against violence, you call it violating human/ z3 S. {/ }5 }% X" P M
rights.
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& I" U- D5 o2 C+ S2 g When we were silent, you said you wanted us to have free speech.
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When we are silent no more, you say we are brainwashed-xenophobics.
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. W% ]7 X2 A w) o8 `& Q5 z+ Q Why do you hate us so much, we asked.7 s# ]2 N1 E6 A, _ j
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No, you answered, we don't hate you.1 n' n3 ~. S0 _7 r/ M
' H7 x9 P& {. V) O; A7 r We don't hate you either,# ~) h) [+ x/ S' y. J
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But, do you understand us?
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{% l; P$ f0 h Of course we do, you said,
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& t: u9 I5 Z0 W3 d: n% Q2 `; Y We have AFP, CNN and BBC's...
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5 D% j. J% F; f0 t What do you really want from us?3 n. e4 N5 g2 B7 ^
: U" p0 M1 O* d3 _8 `. a# c Think hard first, then answer...% R3 |' {+ [( S4 G9 D- w: q: \0 l
3 @4 T" T' v$ k Because you only get so many chances./ F/ j5 C! D! k8 b7 y
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Enough is Enough, Enough Hypocrisy for This One World./ E9 z+ h# h1 H3 @
8 \9 J2 \$ S" R: p0 d We want One World, One Dream, and Peace on Earth." I' B0 z: ^* p+ {: Q2 N. F6 r
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This Big Blue Earth is Big Enough for all of Us.$ w) j/ U7 o6 J* k/ Q2 w/ e
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Duo-Liang Lin, Ph. D.
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Professor Emeritus of Physics
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University at Buffalo' u3 {6 R+ n* u2 n6 L/ }
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State University of New York
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Buffalo, New York 14260-1500* N* L5 k5 C8 C! o
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Email: DLLIN@buffalo.edu |
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